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

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snd their sons. In Virginia Quaker.
were exempt from military duty during
the war upon the payment Of 0 300
They were obliged, however, 10 show
that they could claim the exemption on
conscientious religious grounds. They
are also opposed to going to Law, and
one bunker Is not allowed 10 60 to Law
with another. They are, however, Of.
ten involved In lawsuits with others.
In their habits they are among the
most frugal and money-saving citizens.
They are almost entirely devoted % az
TicaIturaI pursuits, and own some ofths
finest and most highIy-improved farms
in the Cumberland Valley, Pa, Middle
town Valley, Nd, and Shenandoah VAL
ley, Va. They excel as farmers and
generally have better crops than their
neighbors, probably because they are
more industrious. They build large and
expensive barns, mostly after the Swiss
plan, and INTO these they gather their
crops and stock, and in bad wintry
weather they always find something
about their barns TO employ them. They
seldom hire labor for their farms or fam
lies. When they have no children Of
their own large enough to assist them
they secure orphan girls and boys and
raise them to help in the house and in
the fields.
To work is the cardinal principle Of
their religion. The women spin, weave,
and make their own clothing and that
for the male members Of the family.
They attend the garden. milk the cows
and do all the work of butter making,
and in planting time and harvest.go out
into the field and help the men. Many
Of the women can plow, and do other
farm labor equal TO the men.
Pride. is regarded as a disgrace, and
is a greater CRIME even in a woman than
sins which among others would be con-
sidered much more serious. A single
misstep in life is overlooked among them.
A young woman who will appear at
church gaudily dressed in finery, with
ribbons, jewelry and flowers, would be
less thought Of than one Of plainer at
tire who had transgressed some cardi-
nal law Of ordinary society. They are
opposed TO pictures and picture-maklng.
Many of their preachers teach that il is
a species OF idolatry to have the photo
graphs of friends IN their houses. The
writer only few years ago heard SER
mon OF an hour and half from Dun
ker against photographs.
The Dunkers Of Maryland, Virginia
and pennsylvania are noted for their
fine farms and splendid barns, but above
all for their fine horses. A farmer
among them who has poor horse could
not get credit from his neighbors. Their
horses are Of immense size, and always
as fat as they can roll. Almost the en-
tire product of their farms is profit. The
women are expected to make enough
from the dairy, the loom, spinning wheel
and hen-house to support the family.
A Bunker farmer lays up something ev-
cry year and always has money at in
terest. Until a few years ago they
were opposed to taking interest on mon
ey, and before the war they had dread
ofreceiving paper money. They would
always make a concession in their bar
gains when the concession was to be
specie. They were especially fond ol
silver, and this they boarded in their
great German chests at home, to be
used in the purchase of land, for the ac-
QUESTION of which they have a great
passion.
In the sections where they live farm
is seldom sold which is not bought BY
them. A father will buy for his sons,
and he is seldom at loss for the pur-
chase money. The rule among them is
TO help each other, and this is more
faithfully carried out than among almost
any other denomination of Christians
Their form Of worship, like their dress
and habits, is exceedingly simple. The
women and men sit apart, and both
sexes often remove all covering from
the head. Singing, prayer, preaching
and exhortation comprise the ordinary
form OF worship. They have but one
service day at any one place, but this
is generally lengthy.
One OF the ministers will preach, fol-
lowed usually by two or three others.
They celebrate the Lords Supper with
love feasts, in which meat and bread
are both used, with wine and cider.
They also keep up the ordinance of feet
washing, and when they meet the men
give each other the kiss of peace. To
the women they extend the right hand
of fellowship. The sick are anointed
for their recovery. Their form Of bap-
tism differs from other Baptists. They
practice triune immersion. dipping three
times. The subject is led into the wa
ter, where he kneels and is immersed,
face forward, three times, in the name
Of the Trinity. They regard baptism as
essential to salvation, and look upon all
outside Of the pale OF their church as
lost. In this view some OF their minis
ters dissent. but as general thing they
are very exclusive and seldom attend
any other church worship but their own.
They believe in the efficacy Of works,
but do not carry this doctrine to a great
lengthsM
The Dunkers are greatly opposed 10 re-
sivals, and set their faces firmly against
SundaY-schools and all other means OF
converting The world except preaching
the Word. They are opposed to all in.
novations upon the old and established
order Of things, and believe that the
times should conform to the Church and
not the Church to the times. Al they
are cld-fashioned, or one-fashioned. in
their dress and habits, so are they as 10
their religion. They hold that the re-
ligion and dress OF $50 years ago should
be the religion and dressof to-day.