Mar 20, 2018
by Donna S. Bond
2001, 2008 and 2018 co-chairman
What do a blue agate, two-gallon beribboned coffeepot; a horse and buggy; spring cleaning; egg dishes; a mystery; Christian fellowship; and a 128-year-old springtime tradition have in common? It’s the annual Shiloh (NJ) Easter ride!
In 1889, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Allen and their neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ayars (descendant of the 1705 town founder), planned and carried out a horse-and-buggy tour of the village and surrounding farmland, ending at a member’s home for Easter dinner. The menu for this sumptuous feast for 25 consisted of five dozen rolls, three cans of fruit, four cakes, a half dozen eggs apiece, one-and-a-half pounds of butter and a quarter pound of tea.
The party was so successful that it was repeated the following year. The rest, as they say, is history!
There are many legends surrounding the annual Easter ride in Shiloh. Most of them are documented in careful records kept by Mrs. Anna Glaspey, who attended the first 50 consecutive rides (and three more after that), and John Bonham, whose 1952 pre-Easter death caused the only cancellation of the ride in 128 years. The record books also include clippings from the Bridgeton Evening News, a few pictures, and members’ obituaries from the Sabbath Recorder.
Cars have replaced the horse and buggy, of course; cell phones lessen the chances of participants getting hopelessly separated; and a more varied menu is now the order of the day—usually at the Shiloh or Marlboro SDB church, Jersey Oaks Camp, a member’s crowd-friendly home, or a restaurant.
Remaining are the mystery (as only the planners know the destinations), the coffeepot (which is left as a surprise with next year’s committee chairmen), good Christian fellowship, and an emphasis on eggs—even chocolate eggs! The Easter ride now provides a reminder to tidy up Sunday morning “just in case.”
Places visited in 128 years are as varied as the leaders’ imaginations and their contacts. Members’ homes are still “on call”—after all, the pot has to be left somewhere to ensure a future! More focus is now placed on the back rooms of businesses, new schools or hospitals, farms, museums, historical sites, other churches or ministries, and private collections of various items (e.g., dolls, quilts, trains, art work, clocks).
Spirits have always been high, but never more so than the 1946 ride which was interrupted by the church wedding of Matilda Harris to Melvin Dickinson on April 21. After the wedding, the Easter party returned to their hosts’ home for a business meeting.
Of interest to twenty-first century SDBs is the 1958 program at the Friends Meeting House in nearby Woodstown, where the curator described the work of George Fox (sound familiar?) in founding the Quaker movement.
In 1952 the party visited the Delaware Memorial Bridge, which was under construction. Forty-seven years later, another generation of party-goers descended under the roadway where the change continues to be collected from the toll booths.
The 1989 centennial celebration of the Easter ride was planned by another descendant of Robert Ayars, William Richardson, who arranged for part of the journey to be taken by horse-drawn carriage.
After-dinner entertainment includes the reading of the minutes, introduction of new members, announcement of the following year’s planners, and a program of some type—musical performance, demonstration of a craft (e.g., decoy-carving, basket-weaving), games, silly or serious readings, slide show, and/or group singing of Easter “carols.”
The sharpest break with tradition (besides the automobile) was the 2004 decision to hold future Easter rides on Palm Sunday due to family activities and holiday closings of some destinations. Attendance continues to average around 25.
Poem by Anna Glaspey read at the 1897 Easter party:
The noonday sun is fast receding
Here comes the Easter crowd,
With joyous faces, prancing steeds
And peals of laughter loud.
Now all is quiet, see they wait
Three men now step aside
With heads together bending low
The destined place decide.
The signal to move on is given
They all in line proceed
From road to road up hill and down
Their leader’s movements heed.
And if perchance a by-road leads
Up to a farmhouse gate,
He’s sure right there to take a turn,
All follow on in state.
“They go to our home,” some one cries
And fly on past the rest,
But lo; they turn and off they go
And some one’s left, I guess.
Back to the village streets they ride
Then often turn about
When suddenly a stop is made
With joyous laugh and shout.
Now for the frolic, now for the fun,
As into the house they go
With everything nice of things to eat
And eggs that must be served just so.
Eggs baked, deviled and fried,
Eggs hard boiled and rare,
Eggs daintily laid in a nest of green,
Egg omelet made with care.
The table now is tastily spread
With delicacies rich and sweet
All ready for the Easter guests
Who are ready to take their seats.
The repast ended, all repair
The social feast to crown
With good old songs and pleasant games
As the merry jest goes round.
The time has come for us to part
And as we homeward ride
We wonder if we all shall meet
On another Eastertide.
