Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-11-29
THE DUNKERS.
\ PECULIAR pEOPhE, CHIEFLY
FOUND IN PENNSYLVANIA.
The Descendants OF German iicli-
Gious Refugees, ana Their Strange
Dress, Queer Ceremonies and
Quaint Ordinances.

1
, spite of tho railroad that runs through it,
shut i'll by surrounding hills and by
, low line of mountains digniiicd by the
name of Ephrata Ridge. The houses of
the town straggle along a broad road
/ which crosses the railroad near the sta
ton, dips away until it sweeps around
III curve over II bridge, past an old
! mill III trout of n br0ad-built red brick
house, and SO away into the country.
The houses, generally brick-built, in
many cases old-fashioned, are very COM
| Portable and home-like
Here one meets the bunker per Sc in
every by-road and lanc-men with long.
boards and flowing hair parted in tho
middle At the farm houses are pleasant,
! matronly faces, stamped with humility
and gcntleness, while IN air of almost
sanity simplicity is given by tho clear,
starched cap, the handkerchief crossed
on the breast, the white apron, and the
plain gray Or drab stuff of the dresses.
The style Of living of these good pco-
pie, their manners and customs, are of
the most primitive type. Their aim is to.
INITIATE the early Christians in their hab-
us oil life as well as their religious tenets..
There is absolutely no distinction of caste
among them.
lhcy scttlcd ut first near Philadelphia.
III II spot which has since been called
Germantown, from the various German
rchSious refugees who settled there in
The carly part Of the last century. The
sect Is now chiefly confined to central
ana western Pennsylvania, but has spread
10 other States, principally those of the
Northwest, though there are churches es.
tabiishcd in western Maryland, West Vir
gihia and North Carolina. Their dress
Is OF the simplest description, quaint and
old-fashioncd in its cut; they offer NO re-
sis'ancc to injuries; they observe no con-
lornlty with the world and its manners
and customs; they refuse to take oaths
IN courts OF law in these and manyf
Other ways resembling the Society OF
Friends.
Some of their religious ceremonies are
exceedingly curious. They celebrate the
Lords Supper after the manner of the
primitive Christians.
Inc FEAST begins about the time OF can
dle-hShting. The. men are seated upon
one side of the Westinghouse, the va
men upon the other. The first ceremony
Is that of the washing of feet. each sex
performing this duty for its own. Those
WHO arc to engage in the ordinance pres
entity enter the meeting, carrying tubs of
Iuhewarm water, and each member ON
inc front benches removes his or her
SHOES and stockings. 4 man on the mems
SIDE and 4 woman On the womcn's then
wash the feet one by one, taking the right
hahd OF each individual, as they finish
inc washing, and giving the kiss of peace.
Aitcr the ore who performs the washing
follows another, with long towel girdcd
around the waist, who wipes the feet lust
washed, ut tue same time giving the right
hand and the kiss of peace. AS
one bcachful has :hc ceremony performed.
1t gives place to another. While this
ceremony is being conducted, the minis
Ter or teachers make Il brief spcccl1Sr
read appropriate portions of Scripture re-
lating to the subject
TIE next ceremony is the supper itself.
Each third bench is so arranged that the
Dack eau be turned upon pivot at each
emu, s." rs to form the top of long table.
This Is covered with Il white cloth, and
presently brothers aud sisters enter, bear
ing large plates or bowls of soup, which
arc placed upon the tables. Three or
tour people help themselves out of the
same dish. After this the communion is
administered, and the whole ceremony is
concluded by the singing of hymns and
preaching. This the brethren hold is
the only true method of administering
the ordinance of the Last Supper, and
also mold that 1t Is similar to that cerc-
mony as celebrated in the earliest Chris
tian Church.
Another peculiar ordinance among
them is that of amounting the sick with
Oil, Ill accordance with the text in James.
V. II, The sick one calls upon the ED.
ers OF The meeting, and ut settled time
me ceremony is performed, In consists
OF pouring oil upon the head OF the sick
person, of laying hands upon them, and
praying over them.
Inc ordinance OF baptism is admins,
tered i'll running water and by threefold
immersion, the officiating minister then
laying his hands upon the recipient, who
stiii kneels III the water, and praying .
over him Or her.
inc ministers or teachers, who receive
no s'lpehu whatever, are elected by tho
votes Of the members of the church, he
who receives the largest number of votes
being pronounced elected. These cleo
.iohs are summoned by the elders of the
chlrch, who preside over them and re-
ccIve the votes of the people, either viva
yoce, III whispers, or by closed ballots,
4 no candidate has majority or if
there are q greater number of blank
votes cast than for any one candidate,
Inc election is pronounced void.
Such IS i brief and condensed account
OF these people, and Of their religious
customs and ordinances, They are called
Dunkers, or Thinkers, from the German
t'lhken, which may be Interpreted to dip,
81 probably to "sop" is a better equiva:
lent word. They assume for themselves
tine name Brethren on account of the
text, Matthew, xiii, s, "one is your
Master, even Christ, and al ye arc
brethren. They also sometimes call