The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-08-09

Rirbnlon1 4ispatrb.
TUESDAY MORNING. A

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TUESDAY MORNING. .AUaUsT . 1850.
The Tsnkards In Virginia. ! Deseriptfen sf
A correspondent OF the AlexandriA Ga,etfe
sends that paper an interesting letter from
day, 10 meeting Of the religious sect known
rs "Tunkards." He made the excursion from
Orkney Springs, and says:
There is much along the road to attract the
stranger. See what . beautiful group ef eu-
gar naples there on our right, maple surar IL
one OF the staples Of this end Of the county. !
and yondcr In our front, look at the mountain
mceting-fhe father, mother, and Ave Children
with their only horne, make np the group
The mother and two youngest little ones make
good load for Dobbin, whilst the father and
very necessary way OF trnTeling where the
paths are so narrow and rough Well. at
the foot of the hill yonder, surrounded by
clump OF trees, do you not see the meeting
nouse = very nnpretending sort OF build
ing, and just beyond the Little Mountain
River rushes wildly along its winding way.
Bnf, says one, why call this Lost River! Well,
III tell you. DO you see that high bluif away
the river rnshes into mountain cave, and is
fosf to your view, and the next thing you
know about it is that it rushes out Capon
River, and thus the names Capon for one and
Lost for the other. Now, we will hitch our
horses and walkinto the meeting house. Don't
be disappointed, my city friends, lyon who are
used to cushions and carpets and spring back
pews,) at the primitive appearances Of the in
terror. But take seat on one Of these plain
pine benches, and for once in yess- lives let
your spinal column support your body for at
least two hours sitting And now, before ser
vice begins, let us dot down the Appearances
of things. DO you see that long pins table on
the right, and another on the left, surrounded
with benches! And now see those benches
fast filling up with long bearded men on the
one side, and white -caped women on the other.
Why, how very close the women sit TO each
other. All! see why it is, they don't aay Of
them ,Uear hoops. There is no pulpit or stand;
on the extreme end of the table on the mems
side, and next the women's table, sits the pa
triarch OF the group, with his long, flowing
beard, and long straight hair combed carefully
back behind his ears, and the bridge of
his nose mounted with q pair of heavy
brass spectacles, who reminds one Of what
would, according to our imaginings, repre-
sent old Abraham, the father of the faith
full, (if we could leave the specks out).-
Thus arranged around their two tables, with
outsiders filling the benches, the services be-
gun, consisting of singing. reading the Scrip
lures, and prayer-all of which was conducted
very much like any other mode, in the simp-
lest manner. Then came the sermon, and we
suppose because there We're strangers present,
our preacher thought it important to give us
an idea OF some Of their very peculiar views,
and particularly did he dwell on the Holy
Kiss, Feet Washing, &c. After he had finished
he challenged contradiction. and called upon
his brethren to bear their testimony to the
truths he had uttered, which some of them
did by exclaiming "true, all true;" and after
prayer and singing, we were dismissed. These
Tunkards are singular people, and very
clanish withal. That is, they help one anoth
er temporarily. If very poor man joins them
hoy m n 70 q mir
his condition. Once year they have a feast,
and thus You find attached to every meeting
house a kitchen for cooking purposes, and
then these long tables we spoke about come in
play. They first feast all the soutside barba-
rians,' then the tables are re-arranged and all
along in rows you see dishes filled with Lamb
soup, and when the order is given those who
sit at the tables begin, two, three, four. dip
ping from one dish with spoon, and thence
to the mouth. Then comes one with large
Jug OF wine, and pours out cup full and
hands ii to the first one at the table, and he to
the next, whilst the person with the jug walks
behind to replenish when required Then
they all turn round with their backs to the
table, and bare their feet for washing. Then
comes one with an apron tied about him. and
begins to wash and wipe, and when he is tired,
another from the bench takes his place. and SO
they go around among all the barefooted ones:
the women doing the same as the men, There
are other peculiarities we could mention but
space will not permit; and by invitation we
" III accompany hu OIu acquaintance TO MS
mountain home for snack before we return
to the Springs, for our horses and ourselves
are hungry. Well, here we are. and whilst
we sit down in this shade outside, the family
are all busy with preparing our repast, and
our horses on the lot in the rear are MUNICH
ing their corn with a zest.
Well. come walk into dinner (now again.
we must ask our city friends to lay aside savo-
ry expectations; for if they don't, they'll be
disappointed.) Let your eyes hastily view the
room. There's no side-tabl loaded with
meats or pastry, but here, in the centre of the
floor, stands the pine table without a cloth,
but scrubbed white and clean. In the cen tire
you have large dish piled up full of beans
and potatoes, and, stuck upright among the
mess, you find several table spoons; two plates
of butter, and TWO of rye-bread, make up the
contents of the table. The wife scolded her
old man because they We're out of meat. and
his excuse was, they did not expect company.
But we all went to work, and did justice to
the dinner Then came in the big tin coffee
pot, filled to its brim with the 'sPOle Cat Rio" "
which made our dinner very complete, and
we made very hearty one. After thanking
our kind friends for their hospitality, we were
again in the saddle, and on our way back to
Orkney; and thus ended q Day among the Tank
ards.