Shadrack Ireland
Encyclopedia
Shadrack Ireland was a religious leader in 18th century America in the wake of the First Great Awakening
. He was a disciple of George Whitefield
. His followers were centered around Harvard township
, Massachusetts
. He taught what is known as Perfectionism, meaning that he and certain of his followers had achieved perfection in their lifetime. As such he claimed that he would not truly die but would be resurrected. He ordered his followers not to bury him but to await his resurrection. Following his death in 1778 his body was left in the chair where he died, until the smell became so bad that he had to be put in a coffin and bricked into the house. Later, some of his followers relocated the body and buried him in an unmarked grave in a cornfield.
Following his death, many of his followers were converted to Shakerism by Ann Lee
. Ann Lee later anathemized Ireland and would sometimes refer to his presence as an "evil spirit". At one time, she even claimed to have banished him to hell.
First Great Awakening
The First Awakening was a Christian revitalization movement that swept Protestant Europe and British America, and especially the American colonies in the 1730s and 1740s, leaving a permanent impact on American religion. It resulted from powerful preaching that gave listeners a sense of personal...
. He was a disciple of George Whitefield
George Whitefield
George Whitefield , also known as George Whitfield, was an English Anglican priest who helped spread the Great Awakening in Britain, and especially in the British North American colonies. He was one of the founders of Methodism and of the evangelical movement generally...
. His followers were centered around Harvard township
Harvard, Massachusetts
Harvard is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. A farming community settled in 1658 and incorporated in 1732, it has been home to several non-traditional communities, such as Harvard Shaker Village and the utopian Transcendentalist center Fruitlands...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. He taught what is known as Perfectionism, meaning that he and certain of his followers had achieved perfection in their lifetime. As such he claimed that he would not truly die but would be resurrected. He ordered his followers not to bury him but to await his resurrection. Following his death in 1778 his body was left in the chair where he died, until the smell became so bad that he had to be put in a coffin and bricked into the house. Later, some of his followers relocated the body and buried him in an unmarked grave in a cornfield.
Following his death, many of his followers were converted to Shakerism by Ann Lee
Ann Lee
Mother Ann Lee was the leader of the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, or Shakers....
. Ann Lee later anathemized Ireland and would sometimes refer to his presence as an "evil spirit". At one time, she even claimed to have banished him to hell.