San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-01-02
A PECULIAR PEOPLE.
THE HARMONlSTS AND THEIR CELE-
BRATlON OF THE LORDS SUPPER.

The Singular Religious Sect of Economy,
Pa.-Some PecuIiarities of Belief and
Practice-Music ON the Sacramental
Day-Dippins the Sop.
Every one has heard of the Harmonists or
Economics Their fame is world wide. The
story of how, to escape religious persecution,
they fled from their German Faderland to
this country and established here in 1906 a
theocratic, communistic religious society
upon the principle of holding all things in
common, is a 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
commemorated in one of the poems Of Lord
Byron.
A close intimacy with their religious lead
ers and a residence of many years in their
immediate vicinity have given me unusual
opportunities for the observance of these
things The frequent misrepresentation OF
them by newspaper and magazine correspond
ents have aroused in the breast Of the Hnr-
monist leaders desire that they shall be
truthfully stated. 1t is owing to this combi-
nation of circumstances that l am able to
give a 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 a twelvemonth, and that it il
direct violation of his wish and will to keep
it Oftener. 1t 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 I'M
usual Importance to the scriptural 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 enjoinsd by our
Saviour in his sermon on the Mount, as re-
corded by st. M 4tthew v, %, "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 go thy way; first be reconclled
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 relig-
iouS observance. 1t is an occasion of joy, not
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 i'll all their other social and religious
observances. Father George Rapp. tho
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 it's cult
walton 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, liveliest 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 on the street again,
awakening the echoes of the sleepy, grass
grown old town, and blowing as though, like
the winds in poor King Lears time, they
would "crack their cheeks" From house to
house they go, arOusing the inmates and
summOning them to church. where all are re-
quired to assemble to hear sermon from
Father Jacob Henrici, the venerable man
who has been the absolute civil and religious
head of the commmity-its prophet, priest
and klng-for more than twenty years past
DIPPING THE SOP.
After the preaching comes the observance
of the sacrament. This does not take place
in the church, but in q large public hal
specially erected for such purposes Only
members of the society are permitted to COM
municate or even to be present. The Har-
monists do not confine 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 well as
in the preparation of them, they strive to
initiate as closely as possible those partalien
of by the Saviour and his disciples when they
ate the Passover for the last time Unlcav-