Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-07-20

bloodshed, and revolution, and
anarchy, and destruction, in which
the proudest monuments of hu-
man glory have persisted. The
grass withereth, the flower fadeth,
but the word of the Lord shall
stand forever This thirteenth
chapter of John is part of that
holy word, and it shall stand for.
ever. 1t stands today, and is
binding on US, and to wash one
another's feet was one of the last
commandments the Lord left to
us, and they who keep the CON-
mandments shall walk through
the dark valley in safety and en-
ter into the pearly gates into glo-
ry, but those who don't keep 'em
will be shut out where there is
weeping and wailing and gnash-
ing of teeth"
This was decisive. The entire
community went in for foot wash
ing, and even the white brother
himself put in q request for
A BASIN AND TOWEL.
The people then dispersed full
Of zeal for the rite which was to
be solemnized the next day.
Sunday morning broke with
gorgeous beauty. The sun shone
brilliantly. The woods, green
almost to darkness, were filled
with myriads of singing birds.
The fields and roadsides were gay
and beautiful in their vernal at
tire of hued flowers. A cool and
perfume-laden breeze exhilarated
the senses and tempered the rays
Of the sun. The people, old and
young and middle-aged, were out
in raiment which We'd with the
flowers in colors, and exchanged
greetings in tones as jocund as
songs Of the birds. They were
early on the spot where the cere-
monies were to come off. First
there was a baptism /; then q SER
mon and attending exercises
then q bountiful lunch, accompa-
MED with considerable orthodox
Irritation and love.making; after
which the communion, or Lords
Supper, was administered, and
then came THE FOOT.wASHING.
The pastor led the van in this
onslaught on Satan. Throwing
off his coat, he girded himself
with towel, and took q pan of
water, and washed a brothers
feet in q style SO dramatic and i'm
pressive as to excite a feeling of
awe in the beholders. The breth-
rem and sisters then paired off,
with a towel and basin of water
to each pair, and went at the Pc
diluvian rite with vehemence and
animation. Ludicrous as the
scene appeared to me, I was i'm
pressed with the evident religious
fervor that pervsded it. l was
also impressed with the fact that
the negroes had feet of unexam-
pied magnitude. Even those of
women were expanded in breadth,
length, and thickness to a large
degree. 1t is doubtful if anything
in the shape of shoes less than
tens would answer for their Sun
day wear. The exercises were en-
livened by the singing of
sPIRIT-STIRRING HYMNS,
which were rolled out with the
influence of melodoic richness
As soon as the footwashing was
completed, every pair arose,
seized hold of each others hands,
and began q violent dance, keep
ing time with barbaric melody
Almost instantly the scene became
indescribably wild and exciting.
The dancers whirled and shouted
like robust saints on a jolly ben.
der. They then suddenly changed
their motions, and went into Sc
ries of perpendicular salutations,
very much resembling the goings
up and comings down Of sash
saw driven by a full head of steam.
The enthusiasm grew wilder
and more intense. Suddenly, the
perspiring pastor shouted "Hal-
lelujah T. The brethren at once
broke out into a laundering course
of amens and hallelujahs; sisters
screamed Economically; the dan
GERS whirled in mad careers
among the benches and through
the cleared spaces and aisles; one
OF the women fell down and in an
ecstacy of glory was borne into
the open air by stalwart brother,
shouting and smacking her hands.
The uproar grew deafening, and
could be heard for miles. Shouts,
shrieks, amens, hallelujahs, and
strains of songs were all blended
into one hurricane of sounds
The scene at it's elimination was
utterly indescribable. No one