Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-21

The folIowing account Of the Thinkers ap
peared several weeks ago IN he Rockingham,
! (ya-) Rsysia. The editor attended the an
nual meeting Of this sect, and Published a
report Of what he saw and heard We COPY
q portion Of his lucrative:
According 70 the custom Ct the Thinkers
S'erman Baptists is the proper name OF the
denomination), the service OF their annual
meeting are made 10 commences at I o'clock
I'M asriying at the church, we found
large crowd already assembled. Tia SER
vices Fere inirodueed BY singing and prayer,
which Was followed by an Appropriate lis
| course by Rev. Isaac Long. He was followed
by several other ministers in brief addresses
The services were contihued until about 5
O'Clock when intemisicn was announced
/ In about an hour We we're called Together
again by the yeica Of singing Going
I-into the church we found The large and
spacIofls building kllea toits utmost capacity
By an attsative audience, three-fourths Of
whom were Thinkers. On locking around
the congregation We could not help admiring
some peeuliarities in the dress Of these, in
some respects, peculiar people. The ladies'
were, al Of them, alfred in the plainest
style. Not a hoop in all that vast assem-
blage, NOT jockey cap,s or WATERFALL
-crineiipe and balmorais were nowhere
The ladies wore no hornets, but instead. q
neat little cap made OF bobinette. This
uniformity in their head dress added much
90 the appearance oftbe congregation. This
reminds Us to say that the rulers Of the
church require Of It's members the e=chewing
Of all costly apparel, jewelry, etc. We could
not but have some sympathy for young
gentleman who had opened small stock OF
goods ION the ground which stock en-
braeed scgars, fancy articles, lemonade and
jewelry. Alas his cry, uttered now and
then, come buy cheap ieweiry,s is still un.
answered. But we digress.
The arrangements 81 the church was such
that there was table placed between every
other bench, on which was soup, bread and
meat This was "the supper, not, however,
as some suppose, commemorative Of the Jew
ish Passover, but Of the last supper eaten by
the Savior before his betrayal After some
appropriate remarks by one q the ministers,
two Of the brethren and as many sister,
came in with basins and towels preparatory
to the ceremony Of sfeet washing" The
preacher stated that the rule Of their church
was to follow this custom in accordance
with the command and example Of Christ.
<At~o3tAAlShls tit[l Ht0CtEtlttA VIII AnC CITE-
mony. The brother" bearing the basin
placed it on the noor in front Of the one 10
be washed, when, having Invested himself
of his shoe or boot and stocking, his right
foot was washed. The brother acting a
cleaner, kissed the washed brother and pass
ed to the next. The one with the towel fol-
lowed, wiping the foot dry, and, like the
other, saluting his brother with kiss
These two performed the labor Of washing,
perhaps. dozen; two Others arose and took
their places; and thus the alternating was
kept up until all the brethren" were washed.
The same service was conducted BY the la
dies IN the same manner and al The same
time.
The feet washing through, all we're seated,
when the ceremony Of Asalufing with the
kiss Of charity" was gore through with.
This was very simple lind proceeded as fol-
lows: The officiating minister turned to his
right, and taking his brother By the right
hand, said: ''My dearly beloved brother,
now salute you with holy kiss" The
brother thEs saluted then turned to the. one
on the right and passed the same saiutgtion
10 him. Thus il went round until The entire
brotherhood were saluted with kiss. In
the mean time the same ceremony was going
on among The ladies.
After tho salulation, the brethren and sis
tens partook Of the supper before them.
This done, thanks were offered to the Lord +.
for his bountifnl Providence.
The sac.lment of the Lords Supper was
then administered. The minister officiating
passed the bread TO the brother on the right,
saying: MY dearly beloved brother, this
Is the communion OF the broken body Of our
Lord Jesus Christ" The brother receiving
il then broke piece and passed Il TO his
right hand brother, using the same language.
The ladies received theirs
rom the hands Of minister. The wine
vas passed round in similar manner, the
brethren, as they passed the cup, saying:
Ny dearly beloved brother this IS the COM
nunion Of the bloed Of our Lord Jesus
Christ"
We were struck by the liberal hospitality
exhibited BY the brethren, when one OF
hem got up, and by the authority Of the
brethren, said that the people present were
invited 10 60 10 any TINKER house in the
where they would be well
,ome, ard their horses and themselves prop
srly cared for.
1t was also announced that breakfast
would be provided at the church for ali who
night be disposed 10 partake Of il.
A refreshing sleep found Us in good trim
- enter upon the duties Of the second day.
Arriving at the church, we found the "breth-
rem and friends at breakfast. However, Il
vas not long before we were provided with
places at the table, where VIC enjoyed q cup
Il good coffee, attended with nice bread, but
er, and appIe-bulter. AZ we usually do in
nch cases, we discharged car duty faith
tlly at breakfast.