The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-15
TIE DuNKARps, LOVE FEAsE
Peculiar Ceremonies of y Peculiar Sect
Communion Service md Feet WaahlnE.

LEBANON. Pa, Juno 1.-THE Dunkard Broths
rem. or German Baptists of eastern Pennsyls
Nania, TO. day concluded a series OF love feastsS
accompanied by tho quaint but impressive cero-
monies OF their primitive faith. In the three ad-
joining counties OF Lebanon. Lancaster. and
Berks there not less than 10000 members
OF this peculiar sect The eastern end Of Lebas
non county Is ade by common consent thetR
meeting centre, and here these love feast obs
servances have been conducted The first was
| held on May 81 and 30 near Rehrersburg, hfs
| teen miles to tho northeast, over the Boris
| county border. The second was hold on June
! 8 and 1. near Hedelburg. three miles south Of
| Myerstown. Lebanon county. The last one.
! which began yesterday and ended this evon-
| ing. was conducted near Schaferstown. eight
miles east OF this city. All three were marked
by an unprecedentedly large attendance, show
ing q rapid growth OF the ancient sect About
1000 persons attended the RehrersburE cole.
bration. Over 5000 were present at tho Heidols
burg meeting, and yesterday and to-day uU-
ward OF 2,l0o were gathered In the Maido0a
creek church, near Schafierstown.
| One love feast differs but little from the
| others. but all are interesting and even fasois
mating to a stranger. Tho only usual varie-
tions between the different feasts 10 merely In
| the members present and In minor Incidents
Preaching. exhortations psalm singing, feasts
communion distinctly separate observsnceS.
concluding with the ceremony Of mutual fees
washing. constitute the regular features q
| these solemn festivals
! To the outside spectator the first evidence Of
love feast gathering is the unwonted passage
OF farm vehicles. They como from all direcs
lions along the country roads. and include all
manner Of buckboards. bugGies. spring wage
ons. rockaways, and comfortable. capaoiou6
carriages The worthy brethren and sisters
in them are all dressed In uniformly plain.
homely suits OF sober brown. gray. or black.
sans buttons, braidng or binding. The differ-
ent garments are held together by hooks
and eyes. The sisters wear their hair
simply and modestly brushed across their
brows and knoted behind. underneath
severity plain bonnets OF brown or gray
cloth and dress In straight loose skirts
OF the same sober tints without runle or tuck
or pleat of any kind To wear gold ornaments
or feathers is to them worldly and sinful. and
they. therefore, eschew SUCH adornments az
snares OF the evil one. Their husbands, sons.
parted in the middle, aud long boards with
hair otherwise than IN the middle or to wear
bmousi aches WITHOUT full boards. would be as
Paris 6onncts or Woth 81 gowns
The Maidencreek church or meeting house
Is an enormous structure OF lwo stories. with
mitores provided with beds. cradles. aud nee
essary bedding. In the basement are cooking
from the common fund OF supplies contribs
uted by the congregation during the continue
the church hall proper, which occupies the
ground floor. are long benches elevated several
tns c II BsSops ST
the sessions, Tho benches for the congreRa::
capable Of Being overturned to serve as tables.
~. IN the walls are long rows OF hooks running
6retsFsn hang mt ther hats and aso their coats
In the warm season. broad aisle cunning
from the entrance doors to the Bish pops
the sisters. The brethren sit on the lett and
the sisters on the right. and the two sexes are
Yesterday morning all the roads, leading to.
ward Schatierstown were in ,whirl OF dust
later about 500 vehicles were hitched to the
posts outside the meeting house: and hundreds
sides OF the road for distance OF a mile
The services were opened at 10 o'clock With
Ing followed, and then another venerable elder
delivered discourse upon the necessity Of
sion OF the sermon came prayer and more
singing. when II recess was taken. Immedi-
ately the brethren and tho sisters wendell their
they sat at separate tables husbands and wives
and members of the same family eating apart.
afternoon and evening. An iptermission. OF
one one hour for supper nteryened between tho
lWO StSSlOHb AZ llc ClObo VI lue eNeUllE bOSS
sion the Dox,oIogy was sung by the entire, as
sMsm t PLACE; who then separated for the night:
others disposed themselves among The farm
houses and barns. sleeping In the latter on
straw and hay without any sense OF hardship;
services stint lar to those OF Yesterday. continu:
Ing. with nm hours intermisson at noon. until
L. VI. A hulf hours recess was then takens
in which tho brethren busted themselves Ia
G%1nverting the backs Of the seats int9 tables,
each table was provided with ten water bowls
and twenty tabespoGns. These preparations
ton. ana when perfect silence was obtained
proceeded to conduct "selt,eXamination ser;
then the Lords supper per-: was observed In the
CHARACTERISTIC Dunkard fashion. Large tin
s "a Fcs
bread, baked at Myerstowa; with IpI! plates Il
tho aroma Of tho meats and coffee niled the
church. Each set of ten brethren and ton sis:
ters, sitting at separate tables; ate soup out OF
the same tureen with SOD and spoon. All ate
heartily and with keen appetites.
the III Hc iSiG Kiss scoaCTded the supper: Each
brother imprinted, Q Kiss from his bearded
each sister similarly kissed her sister com.
panion sitting next her But the brothers did
not thus salute the sisters. nor the sisters thus
Alter this came, the communion, service,
Witch consists in the breaking Of S pnisayS1ed
Of unfermented wine modelled .etteE the
strictest possible construction OF the Gospel
formula. The Bishopsidistributed the bread.
which was passed from one brother TO the
other. each breaking OF portion. while Sis
tiers attended behind with bottles OF vino from
which they replenished the small cups. The
sis ers were not permitted to break the bread
for themselves. Tho Bishops broke the strips
for them.
Feet washing, considered among the Dunk-
ards TO ba the most solemn and significant rite
OF the entire service. was then observed. Dusk
settled down over the mblaGo. and score
OF diDRy oil lamps suspended from the ceiling.
were lighted The. brethren. many Of them
60. 20 and even 80 years old, white haired and
wSe ren Cpa b ana SSstS ana @
his turn in washing the feet OF five or six OF his
nearest neighbors in little bowl and wipinR
them with towel, giving each OF them q
kiss as no bathed his ieet and another kiss as
he wiped them. Among the sisters on the otheR
SIDE OF the aisle the same rule was pursued
While this ceremony was proceeding appros
PIRATE hymns were chanted by the rest OF the
congregation. Among these was the hymn:
Children of the Heavenly King,
while We journey Bwaetly sing