The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-08-13
SHndag 8eadiqg.
"FEET-WASHINGv NO. 9.

Mr. EDITOR: In compliance with your
kind request l will furnish you another
article for publication on the subject of
''feet-washing. Unavoidable eircum-
stances prevented an earlier response.
l did not introduce my series of articles
for the purpose of provoking controversy
with any one, though want it distinct
ly understood that / am not opposed to
free, candid and amieable discussion
where truth is the great object to be
attained. My only desire is that truth
may gloriously triumph over error and
superstition. l should have been happy
to have met my friend Sincerity" under
different circumstances. / trust, how
ever, that we meet as friends, that we
shall continue in friendship, and part in
friendship, and that n good impression
may be made upon our readers. Re-
suming the discussion on my part l will
proceed first to make some reply to the
objections my worthy friend has taken
to my first article. 1t appears he did
not fully comprehend the design of my
first article, hence he uses the following
language, viz: eff Philip intends to
prove" eff am not mistaken" etc.
This is little new to us. We are not
accustomed to find men who cannot tell
what we mean. This casts considerable
gloom over our short editorial. We
meaut something and hit something.
Friend s. did not report missed. But
will try again. First, let me call your
remembrance to this fact; that the wash
ing of feet, as a custom. existed loLg be-
fore the time of Christ. To prove that
this custom prevailed during the Patri-
archal age of the world was the design
of my first article.
| will now see what is said of feet
washing in Jewish times Byreferenee
to Judges 10: 81, it will be seen the Pa
triarchal practice of washing the feet of
guests still obtained, and that this was
sometimes done by, as we'll as 10, serv-
ants, iselear from the language of Abigail
to David, Sam. 25: Al. ''Behold, let
thine handmade be a servant to wash the
feet of the servants of my Lord" Now
/ want these several points distinctly
noted: That the custom of washing feet
is as old as Abraham, and continued in
practice until the time of Christ's public
ministry, as we shall show; that it was a
family custom, performed in the house
in every case, except one, and then it
was in the shade Of n tree, close to the
tent door, and in many cases by servants
waiting upon distinguished guests of
their masters.
But in connection with this subject it
may be proper to state that there was a
feet-washing peculiar to the tabernacle
service. The laver of brass was in part
for this purpose. Exodus 30: 1871
''For Aaron and his SOUS shall wash
their hands and their feet thereat-"
This must be done preparatory to going
into the tabernacle; and if it has any
typical significance relative to washing
feet under the gospel dispensatiOn, it
should be practieed, not by Christians,
not by those who are in the Church, but
by those who are about to enter, and as
preparatory to that entrance. But this
washing of the feet and hands was en-
Joined upon the priests, Aaron, and his
sons, only, and can scarcely refer in any
way to feet-washing under Gospel dis
pensation- And now, so far as we have
gone in our investigation, we have not
found any evidence that feet-washing
was a religious or divine ordinance, or
that it was peculiar to any age or people
of the East in Patriarchal or Jewish
times, and this brings us to the Gospel
Dispensation. Friend s. will see the
''final summing up" in due time.
Respectfully, etc,