Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-01-05
A Bunker Love Feast.
A CORRESPONDENT of the Philadelphia
Press gives long and animated account
of visit to the "Dunkersn in Pennsyl-
vania. The following are extracts

Press gives long and animated account
of visit to the DunkersN in Pennsyl-
vania. The following are extracts
AN ELECTION FOR PREACHER.
About the middle of the afternoon |
perceived a speaker to be giving some di-
rections, and l asked the women near me
what he had said One answered and
said something about "Wahl halten fur
prediger," by which perceived that the
election for preacher was about to take
place, Both brethren and sisters were to
vote not to select from certain set of
candidates, however, but at random,
among the congregation, or family as it is
sometimes called (for call we are breth'
REM.
In the room above stairs were the Bish-
op or elder and assistant to receive the
votes This Bishop we might call the
father of the family, which has four
preachers and as many mectinghouses.
The Bishop is always that preacher who
is the Oldest in the ministry Meeting is
held by turns in the different houses, oc-
curing only once in six weeks in the
large, new house which wo then OCcu-
pied. These particulars, which | gath
cred in conversation, are, l believe, sub
stantially correct.
During the interval of the election | sat
and read-or looked out from my window
at the young people-the gayly-dressed
girls mostly grouped together. Some of
these were, probably, relatives of the
sober members, while some may have
| come for the ride and the fun, to see and
be seen-meetings 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 con-
scious of the presence of the beaux.
On the front of the house-or, rather,
the back, for as | have said, the main
edoors open upon the woods instead of
upon the roadside--were more young
girls, and plain sisters and brethren.
| asked nice-looking woman about the
election, but she could not tell me, al
though 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 kiss"
/ After the brethren, the sisters were
called up to vote. l laughed in talking
/ to some of the members at the women be-
/ ing allowed to vote in contrast to the
usual customs. Mrs Murphy reckoned it
would be different if the women should
undertake to vote for Governor or Presi-
! dent.
| | 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 internal reflection.
LOVE FEAST.
! The Love Feast tables were
spread, the family were ready to begin,
not the supper, but the teet-washing
| This was more remarkable, because the
/ Testament, their rule of action, relates
/ that supper being ended, Jesus washed
the Disciples feet
The Bishop arose in his place at the
table, and lamp in one hand and book III
the other, read, in German, the account
of the feet-washing in Johns Gospel.
Four men who stood in front of him,
watching his words started when he said
"Legse seme Kleidcr alb" Qaid aside his
garments), and in imitation of Jesus took
off their coats, and, as the Scripture says,
"He 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 he who
was thus ministered unto was kissed by
| was a little surprised that two should
perform that office, while Jesus is said tc
have performed it alone, but Mrs b. told
me that as the church was one body, il
was considered that it made no difference
to have two persons.
The four who had ministered took theil
seats and were served in their turn, foul
others taking their places, and so on
Upon the sisters side of the house, on ,
front bench, the sisters were, in similal
manner, performing the same ordinance
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, soto speak
the absence of sound proceeding in par
from the absence Of earthen plates Thel
they cut from the meat and from th'
quarterloaves, and partook of the butter
these being all the food. There was NJ
salt nor any other condiment The oc
casional bowl was for water. ! suppos
that most persons would think that ther
had been enough kissing of the kind; bu
about this time young Bishop, an as
sistant, stood up at the center of tn
main tables, and, after some remarks
shook hands with the sister upon his lcf
) and kissed the brother upon his right, ant
from brother to brother and from sister t.
sister, the kiss went round the congrega
ton.
Meantime, the Assistant Bishop divide,
the bread, or cakes, which were unlcaven
ed and sweetened. He directed the mem
, bers, while eating the bread, to retleC
/ upon the sufferings of the Saviour. Hi
manner was devout and impressive. A
he and Bishop D passed arOun
[ among the women, distributing the bread
2 the former repeated several times, in
sonorOus voice, these, or similar words
, "DdS bT0d d0s lcir 6recheH ia die Gemca
) schdtt dcs Leibes- ChliSti." "The bread thf
/ we break is the communion of the bod
! of Christ"
: The wine, which smelt strong, was tn
i Juice of the grape, and was made in TIL
2 neighborhood An aged Bishop from al
+. other congregation made some Obseryi
! tions, and, while speaking, marked til
G length of something upon his tinge
+ Mrs. r. said that he was showing the si2
of the thorns in the crown, She added
;, ''they are there YETI looked at her
: much surprise, wondering whether she b
. lieved in the preservation of the actui
y thorns, whereupon she added "The
a grow there still. Did you never read
| in Bausman's book ON the Holy LandY-
G Bausman, the reformed preacher" I'll
G simplicity of the surroundings upon TIL
t occasion were, it seemed to me, in keel
n ing with those of the original Supper,
Y which sat the "Carpenter's Son" and Il
e fishermen.
V Experiences and Impressions in til
!, Far Wnsf