Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-10
WASHINGTON COUNTY DUNKERs
Feet Washing and Love Feasts-The
bunker Church ut Antietam.
Froa the Baltimore Siln.

DunkerS OF any county IN mary ldnus
Frederick, Carroll, Montgomery and Bal
timore counties all have Dunkers in
greater or less number. The Dunkers are
peace-loving sectaries, very pious, pre-
else and prosperous, helpful to one an
other, keeping their own poor, marrying
among themselves, starting out their sons
with farm or mill, and lending their
money at no more than 6 per cent. A
spirit Of true Christian brotherhood pre-
walls among these plain farmers. whose
strictest members discard buttons as too
gay. and fasten their coats, when the win
try winds blow, with sedate hooks and
eyes.
bunker is name corrupted from Tun-
ker, the German for 'to Dip" They are
also known as the Dunkards, Tumblers,
Dumplers, Brethren and German Bap-
lists. The Dunkards call themselves
1.-The Church of the Brethren" or Ger
man Baptists. Outsiders call them Dun
kers. They first organized near Schwartz
enau, Germany, early in the eighteenth
century, and appeared in Pennsylvania
in 1717. Rev. Peter Baker, their first
minister, was born in Delsheim, in Ger
many in 1857, was educated a Presbyte-
rian, embraced the principles Of the Bap-
| lists in 17l4, came to America In l1l9, and
organized the first church in "Bebber's
township. above Germantown, Pa, on
Dec. %. 1928.
In 1888 company of German immi-
grants came down from Pennsylvania
and established themselves in the beauti
full valley OF the MonOcacy. From this
time onward the Lutheraus, Preshyter
ans, Ref0rmers. Dunkers, Mennonites and
Friends made rapid progress in Western
| Maryland, and the numerous churches OF
these denominations, which are scattered
over this interesting section of Maryland,
are enduring memorials of the early re-
ligious activity of this region.
Dunkers smile at the notion prevailing
among outsiders that a long beard is a
requisite to membership among the men.
1t is only opt onal, they say. Few are 10
be found now who wear long boards. In
their early history in this country it was
different. Boards were worn half yard
long. The Dunkard mode of baptism is
by immersion, kneeling and dipping three
times. They do not practice infant
Baptism. They hold revivals in the
| winter and spring. Speakers travel from
one county to another through the bunker
settlements twice or three times wear,
and stir up religious enthusiasm. There
is no shouting in their revivals, singing
and praying and eXhorting being the fea-
lures of a Bunker revival. A bunker
church has bishop, who is called the
h0usekeeper, aud several ministers. Some
churches have two bishops, both being
elected by the church. Their services are
not M aterially different from the services
of other churches. They kneel in prayer.
The Dunkers allow no one IN church who
is member of a secret order. If a men,
Der goes to law without first laying the
matter before the church they ''sit" on
his case. If he acknowledges he has
done wrong by not bringing the
]
only it must not be repeated. DeacOns
and elders have their place in the CHURCH
the same as in other churches. Differ
ences arising between neighbOrs OF such
a nature as may, if not adjusted keep
them from partaking Of the love feast and
sacrament, are cOntided to the visiting
deacons, who go around among the MEM
bers several weeks before the lOvefeast,
and, learning how things stand, mediate
between neighbOrs, and get them, If pos
sible, in a state Of communion. They
practice the washing Of one anOther's feet
as Christian ordinance. Upon thes &C.
casiOns the men ard women SIT on Oppo-
site sides on benches in their bare feet
Tubs of water are placed at the head of
each row OF seats. Two men, with aprons
and towels on the mems side, and
two women with the same on the wOmen's
side, move along the row, one washing the
feet and the other wlping them. In con-
nectIOn with feet-washing, or while sur
rounding the tables, they extend hands OF
fellowship and salute one another with a
a kiss. After the feet-washing thew also
gather around the tables, spread with
English biscuit, cheese and coffee. This
is the lovefeast. With the Dunkers, the
lOvefes st extends to the length of appeas-
ing the appetite. Plenty is supplied, and
all eat as much as they want. After this
the sacrament is partaken.
The Dunkers, like the Quakers, are on
posed to war. During the late war be-
tween the states some young Dunkers
enlisted in the Union army. Some were
killed; others came back and had TO an
swer for 1t to the church. The Dunkers
were opposed to slavery, and with a strong
sentiment that way in the church. the
case of the Tecreant young Dunkers had a
feeling Of justification In It's favor, and
was finally settled satisfactorily. none be.
ing punished. The bunker church, about
mile north of the town of Sharpsburg on
the turnpike leading 10 Hagerstown, Ia
one Of the most interesting historical
buildings I'm the country. Within a scope
Of eight miles from this point the Dunkers
have four churches, with a membership
of nearly 800 attendants.
The Sharpsburg Bunker church, with
the low timbered ground around II, and
the rocky lodges which run through the
latter, was undoubtedly the citadel which
saved the Confederate left at the battle of
Antietam on sept. II, 1862. Here the bat.
tie ragged with varying fortune and MUIR
derous loss TO both sides for many hours.
At this point the three corps OF Hooker.
Mansfield and Sumner, and two divisions
! OF FTRnklln's corps, numbering 10000
men, were completely shattered in their
repeated but fruitless efforts TO turn
Jackson's flank, numbering less than
$4,000 men. AT one time during the final
assault eight batteries were in full plav
upon the C0nfederates, who were being
moved down in swaths, and the din of
heavy guns and the whistllng and burst
ing Of shells and the roar of musketry
were almost deafening. AS this was the
turning point OF the great battle, Gen.
Lee watched the conflict with great
anxiety. Gen. Starke, OF Jackson's old
| division, was killed; the brigade, regi-
mental and company officers fell almost
without an exception, and the brigades at
this point dwinded 10 mere handouts. on
/ the Federal side Mai. Gen. Mansfield.
/ Maj. Gen. Israel B. Richardson, BriRadier
/ Gen. Ieaac r. Rodman AID many other
/ distinguished officers were killed. The
/ bunker church being the pivotal point I'm
the battle, a number OF round shot and
| she'll pierced its walls. and bullets by the
/ thousands SCARED and battered It. The
old church has been repaired, and stands
u