The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1877-02-08

, at the request Of the sick person, and
always by an elder IL one is within
reach, but if it is not possible to
secure the presence OF an elder, the
, ordinance is then administered by q
minister. To perform this ceremony
two are always required.
CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
The Church government Is republi-
can in form. Each church has Its
council, TO which all matters OF dif-
ference and questions of difficulty
must first be submitted. II not set
tied here they are carried to the coun-
Gil OF the district. These districts
generally include about twenty
churches, sometimes less, and the
council is composed Of delegates from
each church. II not settled here,
and is q matter OF general interest, Il
is taken to the National Council or
Conference, but no local matter il al
lowed to come up before that body.
In some cases the National Council
appoints persons to confer with the
local councils, and in this way assists
in the settlement Of difficult cases.
The National Conference is COM
posed Of two delegates from each dis
trict. One OF the two serves on the
standing committee, which has i'm
portant offices to perform, and the
other attends more particularly to
the matters before the conferences.
But while these delegates constitute
the official conference, opportunity is
given to Rll members present to speak
and participate in the proceedings.
In the lower councils all members
are decided by vote, and sisters are
allowed the same privileges as the
brethren ia this respect, but in the
National Conference the decisions are
by common consent, and the sisters
do not participate in the official de-
liberations-
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 q careful record of all the pro-
ceedings, and at the close the record
is printed and sent to each church,
and becomes the fiual authority, so
far as advice is concerned, on ell the |
subjects considered.
THEIR MODE OF WORSHIP
does not differ materially from that |
Of other people, save In the uss Of the
Lords prayer, which they repeat at
the end Of each prayer. In case two |
ministers are together one offers up
prayer and the other repeats the
Lords prayer. Meeting generally
opens with singing and prayer, after
which q chapter is read. Then fol-
lows preaching by one or more OF the
ministers present. II no misister is
present the meeting is generally con-
Quoted by one of the deacons. The
services are closed in the way they
are opened by singing and prayer.
They do not use the benedictiOn.
The minister usually says 1--WE are
dismissed ia the name of the Lord"
or some similar phrase.
During services the sisters are re-
quired to have their heads covered
with plain covering, In compliance
with Paul who says, SIT is q shame
for q wOmOn to pray or prOphesy with
her head uncovered" Toe men keep
their heads uncovered at all times
during services.
MINISTER AND ELDERS.
Ministers are selected by the vote
of the whole church, brethren and
sisters, regardless OF age. In this
way the church lzbors 10 secure q
minister Of proper gifts to preach the
word. After he has labored suffi-
ciently long in his calling to give full
proof OF his ministry, he is then ad-
vsnced to what they call the second
degree and is given privilege to make
and fill appointments, baptiZe, SOL
emnize marriages, &c. Their Elders
who hold the highest position among
them, are chosen from ministers in
the second degree. They are set
apart by the laying on Of hands. In
addition to ministers and elders they
have deacons, whose duty ii Is to
wait on table during communion,
visit the sick, see that they are cared
for, and help the elders keep the
church in order generally. No sal
aries, as q rule, are given to their
ministers or elders, though they
maintain It the duty Of the church TO
help them when they need it the same
as other members. They are not re-
qnired to give up lawful business pur-
suits In order to carry on the minis
try. A church usually has several
ministers, but the elder Is always the
presiding officer OF the church to
which he belongs.
PECULIARTIES.
They have many peculisrities
which they strictly observe. 1t Is to
some extent their intention to be q
"pecuIiar people," believing 1t both
q privilege and q duty. They are
non-resistants and will not bear arms
under any circumstances. They be-
lieve in implicit obedience to the
Government. They do not generally
take q very active part in politics.
They do not approve of going to law
against persons not members OF their
church, and will not allow one mem.
ber to go to law against another, on
any pretext whatever. All matters
between members, OF whatever kind,
must be settled in the church coun-
cils. They have no peculiarities OF
speech, use no titles, and avoid by
words. The terms "Brother and Sis
teri are very general among them.
They never recognized slavery, nor
terested in or upholding IL to become
or continue q member of their
Church. Their record on this subject
is very commendsble. They have no
peculiar views concerning marriage,
and do not restrict their members to
their own Church. They are strong
Iy opposed to secret societies of every
grade and order, and make member
In FoR IL 4
cation.
Their manner of sslutIon is that Of
q kiss in compliance with the instruc-
tions of Paul and Peter, who teach to
salute all the brethren with q kiss of
ehsrity.-I. Peter v. IA. In this par
ticular the sexes do not mingle, be-
house OF order.
DRESS.
The prevailing style OF dress among
them is somewhat similar to that OF [
the Friends. They are generally able
to recognize each other by their dress,
and have for many years had that or
der among them, and 1t may be :
worthy of note here to remark that ]
all the congregations that hold to that
OTuGE are blllA pAalu III NncAA nouucE
of dress The fundamental principle
among them Is that OF entire plain
ness snd abstaining from all useless
ornaments. No jewelry, or anything
merely for ornament is allowed.
TEMPERANCE.
On the subject OF temperance they
are the strongest of teetotalers and
claim to be the oldest temperance So
ciety in the United States. They for
bid the use Of all alcoholic or malt
liquors as q beverage, in public or prl-
vate, and have 8 decision Of the Ma
tionaI Conference that it shall be
cause for communication. They Z
permit the use OF it for strictly me-
dicinsl and mechanical purposes
only. They go farther than this and
forbid members to be interested in the
traffic In liquors Of any kind, or to
sell any grain or other article used in
spirituous liquors to any manufac-
turer or to any person that will use it
for manufacturing purposes. They {
u