The sun., 1873-07-10
TIE DUNEERS.
etfanss Hsiisisus soct-Thsir Gesuins
Love Feast.


Frem ne Philadelphia Telegraph.
The Dunkers are very curious religious sect
various parts Of our country, especially in Lam
caster County, Pa. They are well-to-do farmers,
& and, As friend remarked TO me- are likely TO be
Their ministers are uneducated and unpaid
farmers; their religion Is compound OF hon
esty, hard work. and legal rites; their churches
are barns, and their chief meetings concentrate
themselves in half-yearly services before and
Leaving Litiz after tea, we were quickly car
ried behind our landlords swift and powerful
horses through a real garden land TO the place
OF bunker meeting-the large white barn of
rich farmer Of their persuasion: The lanes lead
Ing to the barn were Allied with carriages, and
were grouped under the apple trees or around
the wide opened doors OF the barn. The services
were well under way, and the interesting cere-
mony Of feet washing over when we arrived.
with some difficulty we worked our way over
indictments and hay piles into one corner OF the
barn, from which we could overlook the whole
scene. The building had been cleared for the
brethren and sisters, who sat along narrow Ia
bles ranged across the body of thJ barn. A par
ttion wall separated the sexes, and over IL we
could see the serious faces OF the sisters, with
their white caps and white capes while row OF
sedate brethren sat so near TO us that we could
have laid our hands on their hair, rellgiously
parted in the middle.
As we came In they were silently partaking OF
their love feast. On tho narrow tables stood tin
bowls Of lambs broth, with the boiled Joint
served out 81 watering cans. About go were
partnking Of tho meal by the light Of tallow
candles, anu never word was spoken, except In
address, or hymn, or prayer.
After the love feast was over, speaker sig
nincantly reminded us strangers that rs we did
not keen the Lords feast in this divinely APP
pointed way we had little to expect on the Day
Of Judgment. Then came a prayer. the 10Th
chapter Of John, recouniing our lords cruci-
nnion, and the address Of an old whitc-bearded
man, who. with rude but deep pathos told OF
Christ's love in His redeeming death.
The leader bade them greet each other with
holy kiss - ere they tasted their Lords sacra-
mental supper; aud silently and SLOWLY the salu;
tatlon passed down one side the long tables and
up the other. Then the elements were conse-
Grated, and passed from hand to hand. The
scene was striking. The barn was dimly lighted
by the candles, the faces of all were sober, and
some were thoughtful. Many OF the men were
gray ana toll worn and some OF the women, II
not beautiful, had sweet charm In their faces.
Sometimes German or an English hymn peaed
upward among the raftcrs Of the barn, and then
there was deep silence again broken only by
slight rustlings In the hay and low whispers
among the strangers, watching to see what new
ceremony would next be started from the cross
table at which the bunker preacher sat, Here
was a strange mixture of the true and false "A
ritual rude and yet refined, and as closely OBJ
served 10y these farmers a. are the forms Of ST.
Adams by its fashionable devotees.