Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-12-22
THE PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH.


THE PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH.
A Dunksr Love Feast.
A correspondent of the Philadel-
plia Press gives q long and ami
mated account Of a visit to the
"Dunners" in Pennsylvania. The
following arc extracts:
AN ELECTION FOR PREACHER.
About the middle of the afternoon
l perceived speaker to be giving
some directions, and / asked the
women near me what he had said.
One answered and said something
about "Wahl haltcn fur prediger," !"
by which perceived that the cleo
ton for preacher was now to take
place. Both brethren and sisters
were to vote; not to select from a
certain set of candidates, however,
but at random, among the congre-
CATION, or family, as it is sometimes
called (for call ye are brcthrcn'0.
In the room above stairs were the
bishop, or elder, and assistants to
receive the votes. This bishop we
might call the father Of the family,
which has four preachers and as
many meeting houses. The b;sh-
op is always that preacher who is
the oldest in the ministry. Meeting
is held by turns in the different
houses, occurring only once in six
weeks in the large, new house which
we then occupied. These particu-
lars, which l gathered in converse
ton, arc, ! believe, substantially
correct. During tho interval Of
election sat and read-or looked
out from my window at the young
people, the gayly-dressed girls most
ly grouped together. Some of these
were, probably, relatives Of the So
Der members, while some may have
come for the ride and the fun, to
see and be seen-mectings Of this
kind being great occasions in the
country side. The young men stood
around on the outside of these
groups Of girls, some holding their
whips and twirling them with the
butts resting upon the ground. Of
course, the young girls were not
conscious of the presence Of the
bcaux.
On the front of the house-or,
rather the back, for AS l have said
the main doors open upon the
woods instead Of upon the roadside
were more young girls, and plain
sisters and brethren.
l asked nicc-looking woman
about tho election, but she could
not tell me, although she wore the
plain cap, "Most Of the women do
around here," she said, and added
that Bunker women in meeting had
offered to kiss her. "You know
they greet each other with u kiss"
After the brethren, the sisters
were called up to vote. l laughed
in talking to some of the members
at the women being allowed to vote
in contrast to the usual CUSTOMS
Mrs. Murphy reckoned it would be
different if the women should un-
dertakc to vote for Governor or
President.
l said to some of the sisters: "who
do you think will be chosen?" but
they pleasantly informed me that to
talk upon this point was against
their rules-it was a matter for in
tcrnal reflection.
GLOVE FEAST"
The Love Feast tables were
spread, the family were ready 70
begin, not the supper, but the feet
washing! This was more remarka-
BILE, because the Testament, their
rule Of action, relates that supper
being ended, Jesus washed the de-
ciples' feet.
The bishop arose in his place at
the table, and, lamp in one hand
and book III the other, read in Ger
man the account of the fcet-washing
in Johns Gospel.
Four men who stood in front of
him watching his words, started
when he said: "Legse seine Killed.
der ab" Qaid aside his garmcnts),
and, in imitation Of Jesus, took off
their coats, and, as the Scripture
says, ale took towel and girded
HIMSELF" they, or two of them put
on long white aprons, tied around
the waist. Two washed feet and
two wiped, and lie who was thus
ministered unto was kissed by one.
l was surprised that two should
perform that office, which Jesus is
said to have performed alone, but
Mrs. B. told me that as the church
was one body, it was considered
that it made no difference to have
two persons.
The four who had ministered
took their seats and were served in
their turn, four others taking their
places, and SO ON. Upon the sis.
ters' side Of the house, on a front
bench the sisters were in a similar
manner performing the same ordi-
nance.
At length, they broke their fast.
From two to four persons, each with
a spoon, ate together from one pan
Of soup, very quietly. Fifty feeding
like one, SO to speak, the absence Of
sound proceeding in part from the
absence of earthcn plates. Then
they cut from the meat and from the
quarter loaves, and partook Of the
butter, these being all the food
There was no salt, nor any other
condimcnt. The occasional bowl
was for water. suppose that most
persons would think that there had
been enough kissing Of this kind;
but about this time young bishop,
an assistant, stood up at the centre
Of the main tables, and after some
remarks, shook hands with the sis.
ter upon his left and kissed the
brother upon his right, and brother
to brother aud from sister to sister,
the kiss went round the congrega.
ton. Meantime, the assistant bish.
op divided the bread, or cakes,
which were unlcavcned and sweet
ened. He directed the members,
while eating the bread. ia reflect