The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-31

twice = year. usually IN the spring and
autumn. After the communion has taken
place. the ceremony Of feet washing ls per.
formed. Tho doacons bring in vessels Of
water and the mem bers proceed to wash and
wipe one nnother's feet and to give the kiss Of
peace the sexes separating for this purpose
The members OF this religious body make no
recourse to litigation. When difficulties arise
between brethren they are settled by arbitra.
tion. andthose who refuse TO submit to this
method OF settlement arc accommodated
The Mennonites do not accept public Offices
except in connection with tho management Of
schools More than third OF them are
found in Pennsylvania, but they are also
strons in Ohio. Indiana Illinois, and
Kansas There are twelve branches OF Men.
nonites. but only one seems to call for
special notice. This is the Bruederhoei
founded by jacob Huter Of InnsprucK in the
TyroL IIutcr was burned at the stake In 1894
He organized a society on communicate prln.
cirles. which are still adhered to- tho men,
bers having all things in common. His iol-
lowers wore driven from Moravia into Hun.
gary. thence to Roumanl,. and In 1863 to
Russia The entire community came to the
United States from Russia In 1879. They speak
German. and their books. which are in manu-
script. are written In that language. They
have but 352 commandments, all OF whom are
settled in three counties in South Dakota
The list OF curious American scots Is by no
means exhausted. and a word perhaps should
he said about tho Schwenkieldlans. the disci-
pies of Kaspar Won Schwenkfeld a German
noblcman. born In The fifteenth century who
differed from other reformers OF the period on
number Of points concerning the Lords
supper the efficacy Of the external word, and
Christ's human nature. ITo held for instance.
that tho human nature OF Christ was not q
created substance. but that. being associated
with the divine essence. It had a mat stc dig
nifty OF it's own. Schwenkfold did not form .
separate sect. but his followers did so
after his death, taking his name. Early
In the eighteenth century they were scat
tered by persecution, and some fed to
Denmark. whence thov came to this coun-
try near the close OF tho first half Of that
century. They settled In nsylvania, whore
n remnant OF them still exists They celebrate
the arrival from Denmark annually. making 10
a kind OF festival. Among tho customs pecu-
liar to tho Schwenkicldlans Is service OF
prayer and exhortation over newly born in-
fnnts, repeated In church when he mother and
child appear. The church organ lgations There
are only fou- OF them-are congregational In
government. each electing It's minister an
nually by lot We come finally TO tho equally
obscure sect variously designated as the Tom.
pie society," the FRIENDS oil the temple. ana
Hofrmanites. The Rev. Christopher Hoffman.
President OF the Temple Colonies in Palestine.
and author Of most OF its literature appears to
be its principal leader. The Friends Of
the Temple have for their chief object
the gathering OF tho people OF God
In Palestine. To this end they con.
stitute temples or spiritual communal
ties In various countries. and these assist In
the construction OF the Temrle in the Holy
Land, which IL to become n centre for regener-
nted humanity. In 1874 the. Temple Society
ses snnn bed four colonies In Palestinenat
cost OF these colonies has heen betrayed, in
larRe part, by voluntary contribution from the
four American organizations. three OF which
are IN New York and one in Kansas. We
should have been glad to draw also from this
storehcuse OF religious Information some facts
about the Quakers the Moravians. the River
Brethren. the Spiritualists. the TheOsophlcal
society. the Society for Ethical Culture. and
The salvation Army. But for these and many
other Interesting facts. we must refer tho
reader to DR.. Carrolps remarkable com pilation-
NJ. W. Il.