The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-03-16
THE DUNKERS.
WHY THEY DO NOT PARTICIPATE
IN THE RELIGIOUS REKIVALS-
MODEL INSURANCE.

NEwv1LLE, Pa, Feb. 2S.-The only Pro-
testant Christian sect that has been un-
disturbed by the revivals that have
awakened the people here and elsewhere
is that known to religious historians as
German Baptists, to its own members as
The Brethren, and to the public gener-
allv as Dunkers. Theil opposition is not
aggressive, but it is firm, upon the basis
that these are neither true revivals of re-
ligion nor revivals of true religion Their
own meetings are held with their ac-
customed order and regularity. The
Dunkers claim over one hundred thou
sand followers in the United States, and
quite a number reside in this valley,
comprising the most Industrious class OF
our farmers. The term bunker, express
sive merely OF their mode Of baptism, is
being accepted by them as the distin-
gushing name of their society, and they
admit to peculiarities, referring to the
scriptural passage, "My people ale Pc
culiar people," They accept the New
Testament as the will of God, and hold
that the promise of salvation goes only
with the observance of all its require
ments, of which they give prominence
to faith, repentance, prayer, baptism by
trine immersion, feet washing, the Lord s
Supper, the Holy Communion" charity,
non-conformity to the world, and resigna-
ton to Gods will as revealed through
Christ. Besides this, they oppose war,
slavery and seCretism, and adjust. diff.
culties by peaceful arbitration, instead OF
having resort to legal measures Their
nun-conformity to the world is not 80
marked at present as in former years.
Then they held their Glove feasts" in COM
modious barns; now they have their
churches. Then they denounced musl-
cal instruments; now some OF them per-
NIT them in their homes. Then they Op-
posed educational institutions; now tney
are founding a college in this State to
educate their children i'll the higher
branches of English literature. They re-
tain their Quaker-like garb, and the men
wear long hair and full boards, objecling
to wearing Of moustaches alone. The
men kiss when they meet, though it Is
thought of abolishing the custom.
The semi-annual love teasts are fa-
yorite resort of young pleasure-seekers,
not only when held i'll barns, but at the
churches of to. day and the crowds greatly
annoy the humble brethren. Their
charity is proverbial, and their homes are
well known to professional tramps. They
help each other, and poverty is unknown
among them.
A bright illustration of their practical
apl lisation of the precept, Bear one an
others burdens" was given here last
year. A barn belonging to one of the
fraternity was destroyed by fire. Follow
ing the disaster meeting Of the church
members was held, the loss was estimated
and the full amount paid over to the suf-
ferer by his sympathlzing brothers;
The sect known as the Seventh-Day
Baptists is seeding branch of the
Dunkers though now weak in COMPARE
son. Yet they have strength sufficient
TO cause the serious discussion of pro-
position before the legislature to permit
them 10 WORK OH Ouuudy UeCduoS VI UhOll
observance of Saturday.
These religionists have monastic insti-
tutions in Lancaster and Franklin coun-
ties, in which maids and bachelors, wild
Ows ana wldowers, ana even separated
wives and husbands cloister themselves.
They have an interesting historic reputa
ton for charity and kind deeds during
revolutionary and other war times, and
also claim the honor of keeping up the
first tSabbath-school successfully years be-
fore they were introduced in London.
The annual conventions of the Dunk
ers, commonly called the big meetings,
which take place in Whitsun week every
year, are very largely attended by mem
bers from all parts of the country. The
large expense incurred by these gather
ings seems to many of the fraternity to
their abolition, and it is urged
that the money be devoted to the educa.
ton of the rising generations and the
of the Mennonites, for whose
in Russia they have brotherly
sympathy.