The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-18
That Peculiar Sect.

corrections. and also some explanations.
happen TO know much concerning the
Durkards, for have been preaching among
then twenty-five years
tsually attend these annual conferences,
but ould not do so this year. Vet was daily
furnished with correct reports Of the meet
ing It Harrisonburg. ....--
Ylu fail to get the correct idea concern
ing he decision in regard to gold watches.
TheDunkards have always held that the
WEAVING of gold, diamonds, or any other
ornaments intended merely for display. is
plaiily and clearly forbidden in the script
ures On this point their views are not
onlycorrect. but you will find the some
doctrine clearly taught in the discipline of
the Methodist Episcopal church. At the
HariSonburg meeting a query was received
from one Of the state conferences
asking whether the wearing of gold watches
should be included among the ornaments
forbidden in the Scriptures. 1t was legi-
innate question, aud yet little difficult to
decide This conference, however, decided
that as the gold case, covering the move
ments, was worn solely as an ornament, it
should therefore be classed with forbidden
articles. To one not in sympathy with
plain attire among christians this may seem
ike foolish question. But as in law, SO
in religion, even Insignificant questions,
when pressed, must be decided according to
the law governing that class of questions.
You also misrepresent the meeting in
regard to riding habits" among the sisters.
In some localities some of the indiscreet
sisters seem to have adopted riding habits,
or attire, that gave them much the appear
ance of men. The conference decided that
it was not becoming for christian women
TO thus attire themselves, but that they
should dress as becometh women possessing
christian modesty. On this point / think
that the conference made a very sensible
decision, for this thing of ladies copying
after men in their appearance on public
highways is not IN good keeping with the
high type of womannood.
The Dunkards have always held that the
dress of a christian should be plain, neat
ard healthy, and, perhaps, there is no people
on the globe that adhereS more closely to
these rules in their attire than do the
100000 members of that religious body,
and l apprehend that all thinking men will
admit, with me, that if there were much
more plainness among other denominations
that the world would be a great deal better
off. Foolish and unhealthy dressing is one
of the greatest evils among the American
people, and l think that the Dunkards
should be commended for encouraging
plainneSs among their members. Concern
ing the use of tobacco, they are making
every reasonable effort to discourage the
habit among their own members and chill
dren. The use of it has almost entirely dis
appeared from among their ministers, and
is rapidly disappearing from among the
laitY. In some of their colleges no pupil is
permitted to use tobacco in any shape
while attending the school. Their position
against the sale and use of Intoxicating
liquors is still more radical.
This paragraph in your editorial certainly
does our people great injustice,
"The Dunkard religion seems to be very
solemn thing. 1t shuts the sunlight out of
ones life 1t fills ones mind with gloomy
thoughts and is productive of long faces. 1t
makes the young cid before time has
marked their faces with wrinkles or touched
their hair with gray"
have Travelled and preached among the
Dunkards from the valleys of Virginia to
Kansas, and from the great lakes on the
north to the gulf on the south, and believe
them to be the most happy, the most healthy,
and the most informally wealthy of
any religious class OF people on the
American continent You cannot find a
religious body of people who enjoy more of
the sunshine OF life, are more prosperous
and build up better communities In their
lives they leave out just enough of the
nonsense of fashionable living to make the
rest of life successful and enjoyable. If
ever you happen at Dayton, O., Just call on
JIG Va bAO ASeSAAb6 0A0hd40os AIT DLCI6 dT6
many OF them near that place, and
tell him that you want to see
the home-life of the Dunkards,
and he will show you more fine Dunkard
communities, fine farm houses, barns, gar
dens, school houses and healthy men, happy
families and lovely women than you ever
dreamed of. The talk about their religion
filling ones mind with gloomy thoughts
Our people are settling in Florida, but
Gnnropia thnU lil-alu tO sat
tie here until there are better schools They
will not settle where they cannot educate
their children. Most of them are tillers of
the soil, and wherever they settle they build
up prosperous and wealthy communities,
and for this reason they are much sought
after by western railroad companies who
desire to have their lands settled. They do
not NEEDLE in politics, but are strong pro-
Mbitionists The following is brief sum
mary of their faith and practice:
They recognize tSe New Testament as the
only infallible rule of faith and practice.
And maintain that the sovereign, I'M
merited, unsolicited grace of God is the
only source of pardon, and
That the vicarious sufferingS and merito-
rious works of Christ are the only price of
pardon
That faith, repentance and baptism are
conditions of pardon, and hence for the re-
mission of sins.
That Urine immersion or dipping the can
dldate three times face-forward is christian
baptism:
That feet-washing, as taught in John
10 Is divine command to be observed In
the church:
That the Lords supper is a full meal, and,
IN connection with the communion, should
be taken in the evening, or after the close
of the day:
That the salutation of the holy kiss, or
KISS Of charity, is binding upon the follow
erS of Christ:
That war and retaliation are contrary to
the spirit and self-denying principles of the
religion of Jesus Christ:
mat non-conformity to the world in
Dress, customs, daily walk and conversation
Is essential to true holiness and christian
piety.
They maintain that in public worship, or
Ienglous exercies, christians should appear
as ~ directed In Cor. XII, 4, 5.
They also advocate the scriptural duty of
amounting the sick with oil in the name of
the Lord.
= will further add that they have their
colleges, publishing houses, tract society,
missionary boards, both domestic and for
elgn, and in pushing forward the work of
christian reform have enough to keep their
hearts, hands and heads busy. You will
ma them good neighbors, intelligent, full
ol life and enterprise. As they are
taught to dress plainly, the women
are not annoyed by the ever
changing fashions, nor are they
spending thair time and rnonav ar nlacac IF