Bismarck weekly tribune., 1888-12-14

u.
nation of circumstances that am able to
give correct account Of the manner in which
the Harmonists celebrate that most sacred Of
all religious usages-the Lords Supper.
AN ANNUAL SACRAMENT.
These singular people partake Of this sacra-
ment but once year. They believe that as
it was intended to replace an annual observ-
;ance-the Feast Of the Passover-it was our
Lords intention that it should be celebrated
but once in twelvemonth, and that it Is q
direct violation Of his wish and will to keep
1t oftener. It is the only sacrament they rec
ognize They believe that at the Lords
table the true body and blood Of Jesus Christ
are verify present In the eternal symbols Of
bread and wine, and that they are there
communicated and received They attach un-
usual Importance to the scriptural saying
that damnation tthe revised version substi-
tutes "condemnation'0 shall be the portion
of him who eats and drinks unworthily,
The worthiness which they deem essential
includes not merely q change Of heart No
one must approach the Lords table with feel
ings OF enmity in his heart toward any Of his
brethren. Before coming to communion
they are careful to first privately and then
publicly reconcile all variances which NAV
have arisen among any of their members. 20
that they may all participate together in true
Christian love and fellowship. They claim
that this practice is sstrictly enjoined by our
Saviour in his sermon on the Mount, as re-
corded by ST. Matthew v, %, "a: .sThere-
fore if thou bring thy gift to the altar
and there rememberest that thy brother hath
aught against thee, leave there thy gift before
the altar and go thy way; first be reconc,led
to thy brother and then come and offer thy
gift"
AN OCCASION OF JOY.
But Notwithstanding the very sacred and
mystic character with which they invest 1t,
the Harmonists celebration Of the Lords
Supper is largely social as well as a relig-
of sadness or gloom. Every dispute having
been amicably settled and every sin atoned
for so far as lies within the power Of the
transgressor, all the members Of this singular
community are at peace with each other and
with themselves. Music plays most impor-
tant part in their celebration of the sacra-
ment, as in all their other social and religious
observances. Father George Rapp, the
founder of the Harmony society, was great
lover of music and thoroughly understood
its influence over large bodies of men, He
caused great attention to be paid to its cult
Vation by all the members Of his community.
On the sacramental day music is heard on
every hand-not sad and somber melodies,
but airs of the gayest, iveliest character,
seeking to give fit expression to the exuber-
ant Joy of these devout and simple minded
Christians. As is their custom on all their
great feast days, the town is awakened at
sunrise by the music Of the band playing
from portico constructed for the purpose
around the high steeple Of the church.
Marching back to breakfast still playing,
the bandmen have no sooner finished their
meal than they are a the street again,
awakening the echoes Of the sleepy, grass
\ grown old town, and blowing as though, like
the winds in poor King Lear's time, they
would .'crack their cheeka" From Nhouse to
house they 60, arousing the inmates and
summoning them to church, where all are re-
& quired to assemble to hear sermon from
Father Jacob Henrici, tho venerable man
who has been the absolute civil and RELIGIOUS
bead Of the community-its prophet, priest
and king-for more than twenty years past.
DIPPING THE SOP
After the preaching comes the observance
pf the sacrament. This does not take place
in the church, but in large public hall
specially erected for such purposes Only
members Of the society are permitted to COM
municate OF even to be present The Har-
monists do not conflne their celebration Of
the Last Supper to partaking of bread and
wine They have an elaborate feast prior to
receiving the sacred elements. In the char
acter; of the viands for this repast, as we'll AZ
4 in the preparation Of them, they strive to
initiate as closely as possible those partaken
j Of by the Saviour and his disciples when they
ate the Passover for the last time Unleav-
sned bread and q large dish Of peculiar
kind of soup are placed in the center. of the
table.
In connection with these they perform
peculiar ceremony which they term dipping
4 the sop" At a given signal from Father
Henrici all the members present simultane-
ously dip into the soup piece of bread, thus
I converting it into q sop. This they do in
memory Of the Saviours words when asked
4 by his disciples who should betray him
/ Matt. xvi, q, and John Xiii, 26 He that
dippeth his hand with me ii the dish, the
II same shall betray me, and s'He It is, to
s whom shall give sop, when I have
dipped it. , 53ss,gs fs. ia
This dipping the sopn the Harmonists
# deem most sacred ceremony, and they per-
4 form it with the utmost solemnity, regarding
4 It as an humble confession that they have ali
4 betrayed Christ many times by their sins
against him. After this ceremony the bread
{ is broken and the cup prepared by Father
Henrici. He blesses both, and all partake in
Gilence Then they pass one by one from the
y great hall, and the celebration Of the sacra-
ment is finished. Economy (Fa.) Cor. New
If York Herald. 5ds
Hint to the Newly vaccinated.
ss ss1've got good ripe vaccination sore on
HnRk