The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-06-11

Jesus Christ is the son of God, and
that he has brought from heaven IA
saving Gospel?' "Dost thou willingly
renounce Satan, with all his pernicious
ways, aud all the sinful pleasures of
the wJrld?n Dost thou covenant with
, God in Christ Jesus To be faithful until
death?" Then the administrator pro-
ceeds: upon this, thy confession of
f3lth which thou hast made before
God and these witnesses, thou shalt,
for the remission of sius, be baptized in
the name of the Father bending the
applicant forward until he is wholly
Immersed and of the Son dipping
him again and o. the Holy Ghost,
dipping him the third time" After
this, and while the applicant is yet
kneelng, the administrator laws hands
on the applicants head aud offers up
short prayer To God in his behalf.
Baptism makes the recipient mem
Der OF the church. and is never repeated
for the same individual. Excommuui-
ga ion does not impair the validity of
baptism, 50 that, they can he received
again on proper repentance and reform
a,lon without the re-aduinistration of
baptism.
FEET WASHING.
Next in order is the ordinance of
feet washing. The authority is from
the in i1ent of Christ washing dis
ciples' Ieet, narrated III John xii. They
believe the commands in verses l4th
aud 18th To be as literally binding es
the commands elsewhere for the OF
sercance of communion; it is observed
as a preparation for the Love Feast,
and Communion.
The brethren rise from supper, which
is on the table, grid themselves with a
towel, pour water into ba>iu, wash
each others feet and wipe them with
the towel wherewlth they are girded.
after the example set by Christ him
self. Brethren wash the feet OF the
brethren. and the sisters their sisters
feet, after which they partake of the
supper. Everything is done decently
and in order.
LOVE FEAST.
Before Christ instituted the Cou-
munion, on the night of his betrayal.
be first partook of a supper with his
disciples. This is their authority for
the Love Feast The only requirement
+
is the salutaliOn of the kiss, which, they
clam, was observed by the apostles
and the Christian Churches following
them. The brethren salute each other,
and sisters salute sisters. The sexes do
not interchange salutaiious.
COMMUNION.
/ The sisters have their heads covered
nj na i,rn \,
I uncovered. Thanks are given both for
the bread and wine. The minister
breaks the bread to the brethren and
they to each other. The minister breaks
to the sisters, but they do not break to
each other, the same difference is
observed in passing the wine. The
communion and its attendant ordinan-
/ ces are always observed at night, as
this was the hour of t cir Institution.
1t is observed usually ouce year III
! every church.
AMOUNTING THE SICK.
I This consists in the laying on of
hands and amounting the sick with
OIL. James V, 18th and 18th verses. 1t
/ Is done only at the request Of the sick
Z person, and always By al elder if one
is within reach, but if not, then ty a
munster. Two are required to performs
/ this ceremony
CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
! The government is republican in
form; each church has its council, to
/ which all matters of differences and
4 questions of difficulty must be sub
( mitted. Ii not settled here they are
D 4 ;.@ II
districts, generally, includeabout TWEEN
/ ty churches, and the council is com
/ posed of delegates from each church.
II not settled here, and il is matter
/ OF general interest, it is taken To the
national council or conference, but nc
local matter is allowed to come up lie.
fore that body. In some cases the ua-
I tional council appoints persons to con-
fer with the local councils
The natiOnal council is composed OF
two delegates from each district; one
OF the two serves on the standing COM
mittee, which has important offices to
perform, and the other attends more
particularly TO the matters before the
conference. Though these delegates
constitute the official conference, OPP.
portunity is given to all members pres
ent to 81 eak aud participate IN the
/ proceedings.
In the lower councils all matters are
decided 10y vote, and sisters are allow.
ed the same privileges as the brethren
in this respect, tut in the national con.
ference the discussions are by common
consent, and the sisters do not partici
pate in the official deliberations.
The special object of this National
Conference is to decide matters fol
which scripture texts can't be found
A clerk keeps careful record of all
the proceedings aud at the close the
record is printed and sent to each
church, and becomes final authority
so far as advice is concerned, on all
subjects considered.
MODE OF WORSHIP.
Meeting generally opens with sing.
ing and prayer; chapter is read, then
/ preaching. The services are closed by
| singing and prayer; they do not Use
/ the benediction. The Lords prayer is
repeated at the end of each prayer.
During the services the sisters are re-
( quireu to have their heads covered
with plain covering. The men keep
their heads uncovered.
MINISTERS AND ELDERS.
Ministers are selected by the vote OF
the whole church, brethren and sisters,
regardless fage. After he has labored
long enough to give full proof of his
ministry he is then advanced to the
second degree, and is given the
privilege to make and fill appoint
ments, baptize and solemnize marriages.