Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-03
A PECULIAR PEOPLE.
rAE HARMONlSTS AND THEIR cELE-
eRATlON OF THE LORDS SUPPER.

rAE HARMONlSTS AND THEIR cELE-'
eRATlON OF THE LORDS SUPPER. T.;
The Singular Religious Sect Of Economy,
Pa.-Some Peculiarities of Belief and
Practioe-siusic on the sacramental
Day-DippIng the Sop.
Every one has heard Of the Hermonists or
Economics Their fame is world wide. The
tory of how, to escape religious persecution,
hey fed from their German Faderland to
his country and established here in 1905 a
theocratic, communistic religious society
npon the principle of holding all things in
is familiar tale. Their adoption
in 1907, wholly from religious motives, of the
rigid practice of celibacy, which they have
strictly observed down to the present time,
has had wide notoriety, and has even been
in one of the poems of Lord
Byron.
A close intimacy with their religious lead
ers and residence of many years in their
vicinity have given me unusual
for the observance of these
things The frequent misrepresentation of |
them by newspaper and magazine correspond
ents have aroused in the breast of tho Har- |
monist leaders a desire that they shall be |
truthfully stated 1t is owing to this combi- |
nation of circumstances that | am able to |
give a correct account of the manner in which |
the HGrmonists 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 a
direct violation of his wish and will to keep
it oftener. 1t is the only sacrament they rec
ogpize. 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 I'M
usual Importance to the scriptmral saying
that damnation (the revised version substi-
tutes Condemnation shall be the portion
OF him who eats and drinks unworthily.
The worthiness which they deem essential
includes not merely a 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 may
| have arisen among any of their members, so
that they may all participate together in true
| Christian love and fellowship. They claim
that this practice is strictly enjoined by our
| Saviour in his sermon on the Mount, as re-
corded by st Matthew v, 23 "a: There
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 so thy way; first be reconctled
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 it,
the Harmonists' celebration of the Lords
Supper is largely social as well as a relis-
ious observance. 1t is an occasion of joy, not
of sadness or gloom. Every dispute having
been amicabIy settled and every sin etaned
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 a most impor-
tant part in their celebration OF the sacra.
nlent, as in all their other social and religious
observsIces Father George Rapp, the
founder of the Harmony society, was great
lover of music and thoroughly understood
Its influence over large bodies Of men. HI
caused great attention TO be paid to its cult
walton by ell the members of his community
On tie sacramental day music is heard OF
every hand-not sad and somber melodies
but airs of the gayest, liveliest character
seeking to give fit expression to t, exuber
ant joy of these devout and simple ;uindet
Christians. As is their custom on a., ths
- great feast days, the town is awakened a
sunrise by the music of the band playin,
from a portico constructed for the purpos
around the high steeple of the church
Marching back to breakfast still playing
the bandnen have no sooner finished thei
meal than they are on the street again
awakening the echoes Of the sleepy, gras
grown old town, and blowing rs though, lik
the winds in poor King Lears time, the
would 'crack their cheeksn From house t
house they so, arousing the inmates an
y summoning them to church, where all arc re
quired to assemble to hear sermon fror
Father Jacob Henrici, the venerable ma
who has been the absolute civil and reliniou
head Of the community-its prophet, prizes
and hng-for more than twenty years pas
DIPPING THE SOP.
After the preaching comes the observanc
of the sacrament. This does not take plac
in tho church, but in q large public ha
specially erected for such purposes. Onl
members of the society are permitted to con
municate Or even to be present. The Ha
monists do not confne their celebration
the Last Supper to partaking of bread an
wine. They have an elaborate feast prior |
receiving tho sacred elements In the cha
acter of the viands for this repast, as well
i, in the preparation of them, they strive
initiate as closely as possible those partakt
Of by the Saviour and his disciples when tbs
ate the Passover for the last time. Unlea
ened bread and large dish of q peculii
kind of soup are placed in the cen, y of Il
table.
In connection with these they perform
peculiar ceremony which they term "dippiI
IT the sop" At q given signal from Faith
Henrici all the members present simultar
ously dip into the soup piece of bread, tn
converting it into sop. This they do
memory of the Saviour's words when ask
a., by his disciples who should betray him
Matt xvi, %, and John xiii, 26-"He th
dippeth his hand with me in the dish,
same shall betray me-" and HE it is,
& whom l shall give sop, when | ha
dipped it"
hif This dipping the sop" tie Harmoni
deem most sacred ceremony, and they p
form it with the utmost solemnity, resardi
it as an humble confession that they have
betrayed c -lrist many times by their S
against him. After this ceremony the bre
- is broken and the cup prepared by Fatl
, Henrici. He blesses both, and all partake
20 silence Then they pass one by one from
great hall, and the celebration Of tho sac
, ment is sfinished.--Economy tPa-l Cor. n
Ecrk Herald.
lre Cint to tho Newly vaccinnted.
OF GIVE got a good ripe vaccination sore
'ree my left arm" said friend to Bilkins, Il
Aed every clumsy idiot l meet jostles against t
sai' aforesaid arm and raises the scab and
:, nm tenper, and that reminds me, Bilkins
49, give YOU . pointer. When you get va
and mated bare your strong right arm for
. az saving but sore operation, and, as you K
to the right, clumsy pedestrians can't posi-
Q, run against the vaccinated limb, and Bill
made up his mind he had got strai
ISS, pointer. Express.
Comfort Under the Waistband
rta ,ail NJ tho stou, ch ,,,ust ha