The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1891-09-04

voices, this being due to the fact that it
is sacred to use only on the occasion OF
the observance of the ordinance of "foot-
washin'," and the metre is such rough
heterogeneous mixture that it cannot be
sung even by an uncultivated tongue
without previous practice.
The morning service having ended, ex-
ercises for the administration of the two
rites were announced to begin at 2
o'clock; the congregation was dismissed
and dinner was served in the shade of the
surrounding trees. At the appointed
hour, the congregation, most OF them
drawn by spirit of curiosity, some of
them having come some distance, began
gathering in the church. The ministers
had not yet arrived. Theprecentor, as
sisted by stray voices here and there,
sang few hymns to entertain the con-
gregation. For an hour and half, the
audience patiently waited, during which
time two members bore in and set under
the table used as a Bible stand two large
buckets of water. Finally the minister
appeared, bearing two tin pals Gin the
vernacular of the culinary department
known as ''dishpans'O and two long linen
towels. One of the pans contained the
articles of the sacrament-bread on
plain earthenware plate, two common
glass tumblers and wine in pint whisky
o. Mo IL 80 {I,a CT y.nI
evidently been caused by their inability
to procure these articles near the church.
The sacrament was administered in a
manner somewhat similar to that observ-
ed in other churches, except that persons
of other faiths were rigidly excluded, on
the ground, the minister said, that Christ
did not permit others to join Him and His
disciples when they instituted the ordi-
nance of the sacrament.
The ordinance of ''foot-washin" came
next. Preceding the rite, the following
hymn was ''lined" and sung, and it will
give still further idea of the crude state
of thought and literature in this church.
In reading it, one is reminded of the Bay
State Psalm Book used $50 years ago:
When Christ the Lord was here below,
He did for us examples show,
And if you would his precepts keep,
Y on must attend to washin' feet.
The Lord who made the earth ana sky,
He rose and laid his garments by; sa
He washed their feet to show that we
Must always kind and humble be.
And when on that night He was betrayed,
He for us all a pattern laid,
And soon as supper He did eat,
He rose and washed His brothers feet.
Peter said, "Lord, this should not be-
Thou shouldst not stoop to wash me-"
The minister read those first two lines
of the last stanza, but the leader could
not lift the tune over that "Peter
said," etc. and preserve it intact and, af-
5er several earnest efforts, the two lines,
The leader and the tune all sank into pen
jent silence.
The ceremony of the rite followed. The
audience sat in quiet curiosity. One of
The ministers arose and, in a supposed
precise imitation of the manner of Christ,
IS related in the 18th chapter of John,
;,
himself with a towel, which was piece
If linen about six feet in length, one end
If which was drawn around his body and
led in a knot, the remainder, about three
eet in length, flowing loose. One of the
women took the other towel and girded
herself likewise. The brother minister
emoved his shoes and socks and his feet
we're washed and "wiped off again. The
owel was then given to him, he girded
himself and reciprocated the. service.
The towel was then transferred to the
aymen, who removed their coats, girded
themselves and did as the preachers had
lone. The women sat in circle, with
heir backs to the audience and modestly
ried to conceal their feet.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the
minister conducting the exercises resum-
ID his coat, sat down on one corner of the
able and, as it is said Christ did, deliver
ID homily to the members upon the ne
essity of observing this ordinance of the
hurch.
One peculiar theological term that de-
erves mention is the speaking of the
,read of the sacrament as the sscorn-
,ody" of Christ. Now, at first, this is
unintelligible, but when one re-
members that in the Bible wheat is call
d corn, and that the bread of the rite is
made of flour and does symbolic the
'ody of Christ, he sees the meaning and
'rigin of the term ''corn-body.''
1t is said that religion must be judg-
ID by the kind of men it makes This
icing true, the Hardshell Baptist religion
las some points in its favor. In matters
# honesty, truthfulness, hospitality and
,indred virtues, its adherents are consci-
ntious and above censure; and their re-
igion makes light the way when they
walk through the dark s'valley of the
hadow of death.n Aside from it's effect
IN education land the progress of its devo-
ees, there is no reason why one should
idicule it, for the maintenance of the
yirtues and consolation in death are the
i'm of all religions, strictly speaking.
New Orleans Times Democrat.
Mr. Balfour's land purchase bill, which
$ practically the plan proposed by John
Bright in 1870, provides for the issuing
~ government of $l65, 0O0,O 900 bonds at
"a per cent. for buying the land of
irish landlords and selling il to tenants