Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1879-08-09
lCorresrondenoe Of the Evening Post,l
APECULIAR PEOPLE.

THE DUNKARDs OF AsHLAN
COUNTY OHIO-THEIR DOCTRIr
Es, PRACTICES AND PRINCIPLE
HOW THEY LIVE AND VIVA.
CEREMONIES THEY HAVE.
ASHLAND, OHIO, June 2, 1878.
About the town of Ashland ar
clustered several OF the largest con
gregations Of German Baptists, bet
ter known rs Dunkards or Dunk
ers, to be found in the state. Theil
settlement dates back some twenty
or more years, when the advance
guard immigrated from Pennsylva
MIA. Since that date they have
steadily increased in wealth and
numbers, until they are now rela'
'yiveiy the richest reifgtous body II
the county. Planting themselve:
first in a fertile valley east of the
town, they gradually acquired by
purchase all the best farming lands
and are still repeating the process
in other parts of the neighborhood
The selection of Ashland, during
the last year, as the site for their
first UNCONVENTIONAL college. has
considerably increased the annual
immigration and the rapid acquire
ment of the best farms by Dunk
ards points to u Capitalization
which at no distant day must Who'll
ly change the political and religious
condition of the place. The ma
jority of the newcomers are pro
vided with sufficient means upon
arrival to purchase lands, but com
parative poverty forms no bar to
their settlement. The poorer mem
bers are furnished material aid by
those who are wealthier until able
to care for themselves. Their ad-
vent is, however, not regarded fa-
vorably by the business community
While a law-abiding people, at
tending strictly to their own affairs
and generally of irreproachable
morality, the Dunkards are extreme
ly clannish, and confne their bust.
ness relations, SO far as practicable,
to members of their own denomina.
ton. To this end they have opened
their own shops and mills, and ed.
ucated their own physicians. Many
of them are mechanics, while a.small
number are professional men. The
latter do not include lawyers, a
profession which in this peaceful
sect is unknown. The great ma
jority are farmers, and where they
settle in any considerable numbers
are certain to make well improved
country.
THE DRESS OF THE SECT.
The name Dunkards, by which
the sect is generally known, is a
nickname derived from a German
word meaning to dip, and is some
what expressive Of their manner of
baptism. Among themselves they
are as Brethren, a name taken from
the declaration Of Christ on GER
tain occasion, when he said: "All
ye are brethren" Matt. xiii. s. }
The prevailing style Of dress among
them is somewhat similar to that OF
the Friends; the women, young
and old, appearing in plain gar
ments of drab and brown, with
stiff drab and black bonnets Of the
Shaker pattern; the men wearing
the cut.away coat, with standing
collar and without lapels, long waist.
coats and broad -brimmed hats.
They are generally able to recog.
nize each other by their dress, and
have had for many years an order
of council regulating it. The pri.
mary principle is that of entire
plainness and absence of all adOrn-
men. No jewelry or anything worn
merely for adOrnment is allowed.
The men wear the beard and hair
long, the latter parted IN the mid
die, after the manner, they say, of
the primitive Christians. The per-
tinacity with which they adhere to
this hirsute fashion found illustra-
ton not long since in the selection
of vignette for the electrotype
of new religious Journal
The scene represented was the
'Sermon on the Mount"-Christ
standing on the summit of a hill,
with number of disciples and wom-
en- ranged below him. The artist,
ignorant of the peculiar tenets of
the sect for which he drew, had
given but scant hair and beard to
his male figures, and, worse still,
had left the heads of his women un.
covered. The drawing was hastily
returned for correction, and reap
peared with the proper quantity of
hair, and the crowning glory of
woman hidden under a stiff poke
bonnet. Still it did not please.
Some sectarian eye had discovered
that which the length of the hair
met the requirements, it was part
ed on one side instead of in the
and the artist was again
called upon to correct his work.
A LOVE FEAST AND IT'S CERE-
MONIES.
Anart from their dress the necu-