The Republican., 1893-02-23
The punkards and the Amish.

The Dunkards and the Amish.
The Dunkards are such a pecu-
liar people, and are so little known
outside of their settlements, that |
thought it worth while to say some
thing about their religion, manners,
dress and business habits. Like
the Pilgrims, the Quakers and other
sects that have suffered for con-
science sake, they possess strongly
marked individuality. For years
nearly century they have main
tained their organization intact, al
though surrounded by a distinct
and ggi essive civilization. There
ligiou of these people is very singu-
lar, both in its tenets and its out
ward forms. Their creed teaches
triune immersion, and the public
washing OF feet, as an ordinance.
1t prohibits the wearing of parti-
| clothing. White, black, and neu-
trail tints, only, are permitted.
The Dunkards eschews the use of
jewelry, all mere adornments in
dress. The men wear Quaker-cut
coats, broad -brimmed hats, full
beard, Except the mustache) and
long hair. The dress of the woman
is a short-skirted gown, until lately,
generally of home-spun; a white
kerchief folded across the bosom
and shoulders, and a black sun
bonnet. The Dunkards are opposed
to Sunday schools, paid ministry,
revivSls, prsyer-meetings and mis-
sions. They are forbidden to send
their sons to college. They allow
no newspaper reporters at their
yearly meetings, nor any printed
account of proceedings. In their
intercourse with eacn other they
use only the first, or Christian name.
They never appear as litigants In
the courts: all disputes being set
tied within the church. Accepting,
literally. the command, "swear not
at all, ," they refuse to take Judicial
oaths. They are essentially an
agricultural people, rarely engaging
in trade, manufacture, or the so.
called professional pursuits. They
are proverbially honest. The Dun.
kard's word is as good as his bond,
and both are considered frst-class
security.
As religious society, the Dun
kards are fast dying out. Theil
language long ago degenerated from
German into Pennsylvania Dutch;
and the newspapers, the public
school, and modern modes of travel,
are surely supplanting the latter
with English. The last generation
or two have largely done away with
the dress and customs of theil
fathers, and the integrity of the
whole church structure is now me.
naced by the Progressive Dun.
kards," an offshoot of the old soci.
ETY., who believe in education, and
the claims of an advanced civiliza.
ton. On public days an occasional
specimen of the time Dunkard,
in his peculiar garb, may be seer
in the crowd at the County-seat,
but his presence is rare enough to
make him a curiosity.
Another German sect, known as
the Amish, compose smaller part
of the settlers of Somerset county
They resemble the Dunkards some
what in their creed and customs
but are more ignorant and narrow
minded. Their rigid ideas of dress
include even the prohibition of but
tons, and substitutes hooks and eye
They possess in high degree the
German thrift that results in the
accumulation of money and lands
One of their number, in the north
ern part of the county, was said to
be worth half million of dollars
Those of them who have not beer
absorbed by the more numerous anG
powerful sect of the Dunkards, are
fast losing their distinctive charac
teristics. They cannot endure the
friction of latter-day civilization. -
Il