Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-05-15
The German Baptists or Dnnkards.
WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY
BELL EVE.


BELIEVE.
At the present there are in the United
States about one hundred thousand peo-
pie, whose religious faith and practice
are very imperfectly understood by the
generality of the American readers. and
in Europe very little is known of them.
Many papers have gone forth purporting
to give a full and correct account oftheir
religious tenets and some of their pc
culiar principles. but 50 far, have been
quite vague and often very incorrect.
! This article can be strictly relied upon
as being correct, and is likely the most
complete account ofthat people that has
vet been published, and is intended to
| SET forth some of their arguments by
whteh they defend their faith and prac-
tice, aleng with many of their peculiari-
| ties for which they are noted.
THE NAME.
In history they are generally known
by the name German Baptists, but more
lcommonlH = among outsidefS Tunkers, or
as it IL more genefaiiy sPokcn- 6Nkllsell.
The latter, however, are nick names,
derived from German word meaning
to dip, aud is somewhat expressive of
their manner of baptizing. Among
themselves they are known as Brethren,
taken from the declaration Of Christ on
a certain occasion when he said; "AIl
We are brethren" Matt. 2,: 81 The
ORIGIN AND HISTORY
of this reformatory movement dates
from the year 1909, having taken its rise
in Germany about that time, in por
ton of country where Baptists are said
to have been wholly unknown. Some
eight persons in number, who had been
bred Presbyterians, excepting one who
was Lutheran, became much dissatis
fled with the then prevailing religious
principles of the day, consorted together
in order to prayerfully read the Bible
and comfort one another. and if possible,
find the old path aud walk therein, for
as yet they knew not that there were
any Baptist churches in existence.
After a careful study of the sacred
word, they were fully convinced that
faith and strict obedience in all things.
laid down in the perfect law of liberty,
were essential to salvation, and agreed to
''obey from the heart that form of doc
trine once delivered unto the saints."-
Consequently in the year 1708, they all
repaired to the river Eder, by Schwar-
zenau, and were buried with Christ in
baptism. They all were baptized by
trine immersion, organized themselves
into q church, and chose Alexander
Mack for their minister. Though Alex
ander Mack was chosen as their first
minister, yet the church has never re-
cognized him as the originator of either
their faith or practice.
They increased rapidly, their doctrine
spread far and wide, and soon excited
the hatred Of persecution by which they
were driven from place to place, till the
year 1719, when they commenced emil
grating to America, and settled in the
vicinity OF Philadelphia and German
town. In 1929 nearly the whole church
found herself quietly settled down in
the western world. Among these was
their first preacher, Alexander Mack,
though formerly man of considerable
property, was now poor in thi worlds
goods, Yet rich in grace and Knowledge.
He quietly settled himself on q small lot
near Germantown, in the vicinity of
Philadelphia. He did not live long to
enjey the quietude of home in the new
world, but only six years after his arrival
in America, he closed his labors on
earth. And now in the Brethren's pub
lie burying ground in Germantown, the
stranger is shown the spot where rests
the remains of this humble and venera-
BILE reformer. He is said to have been a
man ofgreat piety, and exercised good
influence in his own family. Ali his
sons united with the church in their
seventeenth year, and some of them liv-
ed TO be useful men in their Masters
cause.
1t may be proper to observe that all
the Dunkards in America have sprung
from the little band of eight souls, who
started up in Germany in the year 1708,
and that, too, in a portion of the coun-
try where no Baptist had lived in the
memory of man, and even now, none
exist there. Most all reformatory move
ments have usually been introduced and
kept up by some one of great influence
and talent, but not SO in this. This
movement was put on foot by men and
women who occupied humble positions
in life, and consequently, at the head Of
the organization, is no man to whom the
body can appeal for human authority or
precedent, and hence in all their faith
and practice, they are under the neces-
sity of appealing directly to the Scrip
lures, the only infalIible source of correct
information, for all their authority in
religious practices.
This little leaven has spread itself far
and wide till now nearly every State and
Territory has its members. They are,
however, most numerous in Pennsyl-
vania, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio. In
diana, Illinois, Kansas, Iowa and Mis-
souri,.
But while the present organization
dates its history from the movement in
Germany, the careful reader will observe
that the rise. of their faith and practice
generally is hidin the remote depths OF
Christian antiquity.
PRESENT CONDITION.
Owing to the fact that they have new.