1.0The Readerhttps://thereader.comGordon Spencerhttps://thereader.com/author/gordon-spencer/American music gifts.rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="ywObViXBoP"><a href="https://thereader.com/2015/10/21/american-music-gifts/">American music gifts.</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://thereader.com/2015/10/21/american-music-gifts/embed/#?secret=ywObViXBoP" width="600" height="338" title="“American music gifts.” — The Reader" data-secret="ywObViXBoP" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">
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https://i0.wp.com/thereader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/nb1.jpg?fit=400%2C273&ssl=1400273“'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free. 'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be," wrote Maine Shaker elder Joseph Brackett more than 160 years ago. The song endures. As does its meaning. It is evoked again in a concer...