Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1876-09-21

nifty OF humanity.
bunker preachers are not paid
for their services. The Apostles
earned their living with their
hands; Quaker preachers do the
same.
About once a year, if l mistake
no., the brethren practice their
important ceremonies OF feet.wash.
ing, tha Lords Supper, and COM
munion. AS they understand the
New Testament, the Lords Sup
per and the holy communion are
two entirely different ceremonials,
and they make them so in their
practice. Other Churches have
the holy communion, but omit the
Lords Supper, as these brethren
understand it.
"How do you go through with
the services?" asked l.
"We usually have a sermon on
selE-examination. Then we pro-
vide Fasins of water and towels.
Then the thirteenth chapter of
John, about feet washing, is read,
and the brethren and sisters sit
down in rows. Then some of the
brethren and sisters grid them
selves with towels, and wash and
wipe one another's feet, one wash
ing, another wiping. One person
will perhaps wash three OF four
persons feet, and then another
brother will take it up. The
brethren wash the brethren's feet,
and the sisters wash the sisters
feet"
"Then what?"
"Then we have the Lords Sup
per, as we understand it. The
sisters haveone table and the breth-
ren another table"
"Always apar?"
"Always apart. We have a
substantial meal, and always beef
or mutton soup. Soup, because it
is said, when lie had dipped the
sop We eat two or more from
one dish because it is said, He that
dippeth in the dish with me-
After Supper we have the holy
communion of bread and wine,-
always in the evening, because it
is so written. We use unleaven-
ed bread for the communion We
read, usually the chapter in Mark
about the suffering of Christ, then
the Bishop breaks the bread,
aud we have the communion of
the body of Christ. Then we sing
hymn, because it is written,
They sung hymn and went
out In the morning of the COM
munion day we usually have a
free meal at 10 for everybody that
chooses to come.
"When you marry people do
you make the wife promise to o.
bey?"
The good Elder looked mysti-
fed. I'VE make the young coup
lie promise to cherish and assist
each other, and hold together and
honor each other, or something
OF that kind" said he.
"But | mean this" said I; sou e
Church ceremonies put the word |
obey in the wife's promise-have
her promise to obey her husband,
you know"
"Do they make the woman
promise to obey the man, and /!
let the man do as he pleases about
IL"
Exactly"
ii never heard Of such a thing" /
said Elder Gee. Haller.
These brethren and sisters are
the happiest people on earth, l !
think. They seem to have reach (
ed the true golden mean of Socra- |
tes and the old philosophers, the
secret of the highest human hap |
niness. which consists in mOdera- |
ton, temperance and a calm con-
troll of those restless passions |
which make sick the soul and
body. However this golden Sc.
cret is arrived at, whether one
gets it from philosophy or religion,
the beautiful and happy result is
same.
The care, the strife, the desper-
ate struggle of the worlds toiIing
millions do not touch the German
Baptist brethren. They have a
world Of their own, world Of peace
and sweet content, which the out
er world surrounds, but can not
invade. Their very speech is diff
ferent from that of other people,
in that it is always gentle, tenn
perate and kindly. They are a
plain people, illiterate, maybe, as
the world goes, but they have
that which is more than riches
or fame, more than learning
the beautiful and holy spirit Of