Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-06-05
THE DUNKERS.

The Dunkers, or German Baptist
Brethren as they prefer TO call them
selves, are soon to meet in National
Conference at Broadway, Rockingham
county, Va, and correspondent Of the
Baltimore Evening Bulletin says that
ten thousand people from distance are
expected to be present, all of whom will
be entertained by the members of the
denomination in this neighborhood, one
Of the most thickiy settled in the State.
The visitors wall be fed in grove near
the church each day; long tables are
now being prepared for that purpose.
Hundreds of barrels Of -four will be
baked into bread, cakes and pies; beeves,
mutton, hams and other eatables in i'm
mense quantities will also be provided.
The point selected for the conference
is in the very heart of the rich Shenan-
doah Valley, on the north fork of the
river of that name, at the confluence oi
Linville's Creek. Broadway is a sta.
ton on the Valley branch OF the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad, eleven miles
from Harrissonburg, the county seat oI
Rockingham county, and about one hun
dred and seventy miles from Baltimore,
with which there is daily communIca-
tion by rail. The Dunkers, or Tunkers,
Of this section are generally farmers ol
the better class. and are classed among
the most respected citizens. They are
a plain, bospitable people, lacking many
Of the refinements Of the age, but hon.
est and thrifty. As a denomination,
they are very strong and influential,
many of the best citizens of Shenan-
doah, Rockingham and Page counties
are Dunkers, or connected with them
by marriage.
The General Conference is The most
important body of their Church, and its
meeting is locked upon as a great event
among them. The one to be held here
is the first held in this section for many
years, and will be more largely attended
than any previous one.
The German Baptist Brethren, CON-
monty called Dunkcrs, or Tunkers, were
founded in 17OS at Schwarzenau, Ger
many, by Alexander Mack and seven
others, who, without any knowledge oil
the existence OF other Baptists, were
led, by reading the Bible, to the reiec.
ton ofpaedo-baptism. The name Dun.
ker, or Tunker (irom the German fun
ker, to dip), was originally given them
as nickname 70 distinguish them from
the Menhonites. They seldom call
themselves Tunkers, but prefer the Ii.
tie Of Brethren. In Germany they es.
tablished two societies, which were
driven by persecution TO Crefeld and
Holland, while the original congrega-
lion removed voluntarily to FrIesland
About one hundred and fifty years
ago they emigrated to America, and the
denomination is now confined to this
country. They are most numerous in
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio
and Indiana. Their church government
is similar to that Of the other Baptist
churches, except that every brother j:
allowed TO exhort, and they are opposed
to a paid ministry. When they find
one apt to teach they choose him foI
their minister and ordain him by the
laying on Of hands, prayer and the right
hand OF fellowship. They have deacons
and deaconesses, and from among the
mostdistinguished preachers they choose
bishops, who are simply chiefpastors OF
teachers. Their annual meetings in
May, called conferences, are attended
by the bishop, teachers and representa-
tives chosen by the congregations. Ac-
cording to recent statistics they have
about 500 churches, and nearly sc, 600
COMMITMENTS.
Ia their dress and manners they are
exceedingly plain, and in this respect
resemble somewhat the Friends. They
wear their hair very long, often flowing
to the shoulders, and never cut their
boards except the portion on the upper
lip, which is shaven off. Their coats
are cut after what Is called the "shad-
belly" pattern, and their clothing is
nearly always made of the plainest
home-spun, with no buttons except for
actual use. Their hats are usually oI
the low-crowned, hroad-brimmed pat
tern, and are always worn well on the
head. They are scrupulously opposed
TO all appearance Of fashion, either in
dress or manners. The women wear
old-fsshiOned, boat-shapped bonnets,
without ornamentation, and .eyen the
youngest OF them wear muslin caps on
their heads. All OF their attire is Of the
Plainest material and make, and largely
the production or their own looms and
spinning wheels.
They are non-eombatants, though they
viii sometimes defend themselves quite
maniully when imposed upon. They
are opposed to going 10 war, and during