The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-07-27
NO.. II.

NO. IL.
cident of Christ washing his disciples
feet, narrated in John Is. They believe
the command in the 18th and 18th YER
ses of this chapter to be literally binding
as the commands elsewhere for the OBJ
servation of the communion 1t is OBJ
served as a preparation for the Loyefeast
and communion, according to the state
ment of Christ to Peter in the 10Th
verse. In the observance of the orii-
nance the brethren wash the feet of the
brethren only, and the sisters of the sis.
tiers. The sexes never, under any cir.
cumstances, wash the feet of each other,
as has sometimes been charged. Every
thing connected with the ordinance is
done decently and in order. 1t is OBJ
served aJ every love feast and commun-
ion .-.s .s- ---
LoyE-FEAST.
Next is the Love-feast The authority
for this is predicated upon the fact that
before Christ instituted the commu Mon
on the night of his betrayal he first par
took of a supper with his disciples. They
make this real meal-There is no limit
as to kind or quality of food. The only
requirement is, that it be a real supper
After this, and Immediately preceding 6
the communion is the salutation Of the
kiss, which they claim was observed by
the apostles and the Christian Churches
following them. In this ordinance the
brethren salute each other, and the sis
ters the same. The sexes do not inter-
Change sllutations. p.
THE COMMUNION.
In the observance Of the communion,
which is the ordinance next in order, the
sisters all have their heads covered with
plain caps, and the brethren with heads
uncovered. Thanks are given both for
the bread and wine. The minister
breaks the bread to the brethren. and
they to each other The minister breaks
to the sisters also, but they do not break
to each other; and the same is the case
in passing the wine. The communion
and its attendant ordinances are always
observed at night, as this was the hour
of their institution by Christ. 1t is OBJ
served once or twice q year in every
church.
AMOUNTING THE SICK
In addition to these ordinances is that
of the laying on of hands and anoinhng
the sick with oil, founded on James 5:
IA, IA. 1t is done only at the request of
the sick person, and always by an elder
ifone is within reach, but if it is not pos
sible to secure the presence of an elder,
the ordinance is then administered by a
minister. To perform this ceremony
two are always required.
CdCRCH GOV EMINENT.
The Church government is republican
in form. Each church has its council,
to which all matters of difference and
questions ofdifficulty must first be sub
mitted. If not settled here they are car
ried to the council of the district These
districts generally include about twenty
churches, sometimes less, and the coun
Gil is composed Of delegates from each
church. Ifnot settled here, and is a mat
ter Of general interest, it is taken to the
National Council or Conference, but no
local matter is allowed to come up be-
fore that body. In some cases the Ma
tional Council appoints persons to con-
fer with the local councilsa and in this way
assists in the settlement of difficult
cases.
The National Conference is composed
Of two delegates from each district
One of the two serves on the standing
committee. which has important Offices
to perform, and the other attends more
particularly to the matters before the
conference.
But while these delegates constitute
the official conference, opportunity is
given to all members present to speak
and participate in the proceedings.
In the lower councils all matters are
decided by vote, and sisters are allowed
the same privileges as the brethren in
this respect, but in the National Confer
ence the decisions are by common con-
sent, and the sisters do not participate
in the official deliberations
The special object of this National
Conference is to decide matters for
which no Thus saith the Lord" can be
found. Questions naturally arise which
cannot be decided by reference to the
Bible teachings, and the object Of this
Annual Conference is to take all such
questions into consideration and decide
upon them. A clerk keeps a careful
record of all the proceedings, and at the
close the record is printed and sent to
each church, and becomes the final au-
thority, 50 far as advice is concerned, on
all the subjects considered.
THEIR MODE OF WORSHIP
does not differ materially from that Of
other people, save in the use of the
Lords prayer, which they repeat at the
end ofeach prayer. In case two minis
ters are together one offers up q pray
er and the other repeats the Lords
prayer. Meeting generally opens with
singing and prayer, after which chap
ter is read.-Then follows preaching by
one or more of the ministers present.
If no minister is present the meeting is
generally conducted by one of the dea-
cons. The services are closed in the
same way they are opened, by singing
and prayer. They do not use the BEN
edicdon. The minister usually saws
@We are dismissed in the name of the
Lord" or some similar phrase.
During services the sisters are requir-
to have their heads covered with plain
covering, in compliance with Paul who
says, at is a shame for a woman to pray
or prophesy with her head uncovered"
The men keep their heads uncovered at
all times during services.
MINISTERS AND ELDERS.