Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1883-04-12
A FOOt-Washing Ceremony.

"You never saw foot-washing"
said the Rev. Joseph Bowen, a Baptist
minister from Tennessee, to st. Louis
reporter. "Then you could not have
Travelled much in the backwoods sec
tions of the South and West. remem-
ber seeing one at Randolph, Tenn, in
June, 1877. Randolph is in Tippon
county on the Mississippi bluffs l had
to stay there over Sunday, and learning
that there was u meeting ut Salem
church, six miles away, | borrowed a
horse and rode to the place. The
church, built of logs, with the cracks
daubed, sat back about 100 yards from
the road in the middle Of a grove. In
side, the seats were all pretty well fill
ed, and every head in the church turned
as | entered. | shrank into corner
and took a seat rs quickly as possible
In front there were few benches
made of unvarnished poplar, but the
supply falling short the demand had
been met by planks laid on boxes. On
one of these | sat down next to a port
" lady dressed in cotton gown with
broad yellow checks. The minister
had well earned his reputation of
being a powerful eyhorter,' rs | found
when he commenced his sermon. As
he warmed To his work he walked
rapidly from side TO side Of the pulpit,
stopping occasionally, as in a thunder
ing voice he warned his unconyerted
hearers that they were hanging over
hell-iire by a single hair to deal re-
sounding blows to the Bible with his
fists hy way of emphasis. When he
concluded he took Il long crash towel
and girdcd il around his waist At
the side of the pulpit was bucket of
water and a noggin.' If You don't
happen to know what noggin is
may explain that it is a small tub a
size larger than piggin. This one
had been constructed by saving a
whisky keg in half. When the preach
er commenced pouring the water into
it an old gentleman in the amen cor
ner commenced pulling off his brogans
and rolling up the bottoms Of his
trousers.
"'Will some brother raise n hymn ?
asked the minister. and the brother.
who now had his shoes off and was en-
gagged with his homc-Enit cotton socks.
raised one: Il am Soldier of the Cross"
and rs the congregation Joined he put
both feet in the noggin, which had
been set before him. The preacher
squattrd down in front of him, rubbed
his hands around over the feet and up
and down his shins half way to the
knee. When the brother thought
they We're washed enough, he held
them up out of the water and the par
son wiped them on the crash towel.
Then the parson sat down, and, having
pulled off his shoes. had his feet wash
ed by the brother to whom he had
just ministered All who wished TO
join in the ceremony had taken posses
sion of the front seats-the mournerS'
benches. Among those who had gone
up had been the portly sister by whom
l sat. The noggin came to her next
and she washed the feet of the sister
next to her, having her own washed
in turn. When all the feet on the
front seat had been bathed, the water
in the noggin was emptied out the
back door and a fresh supply brought
in from the well near the church.
The noggin passed around from brother
to brother and from sister to sister for
an hour, and in that time | saw more
varieties of feet than l have ever seen
before or since"