The times., 1899-09-24

! church will discuss their. case in open
meeting and vote will be taken whether
| or not to extend to the weak vessel
financial or other help. lazy Dunkard is
an abomination to the sect, but a sick and
worthy one is sometimes tenderly nursed
! through a generation.
! young man who proves his industry
and honesty of purpose can have almost
unlimited credit The colony is very proud
of the fact that it never lets one get IN
| uoorhouse, and to have one Of its mem
bers in a jail is unknown. They have no
! salaried preachers, and their places OF
/ worship are Puritanically plain, and their
! services are somewhat like the Quakers,
| quiet meditation being prime feature OF
their Sunday services.
The greatest religious events are the
| semi annual observances Of the Lords
| Supper, which is copied among the River
! Brethren even to minute details. The time
of day, the arrangement of the room, the
tables, the seats, and the food are all du-
/ plicated with religious fidelity. The bro
/ theirs and sisters wash one another's feet,
/ as the Master washed the feet of his dis
I ciples, the rite being performed with
touching simplicity and pious devotion
gentleman who was recently permit
! ted to look upon an observance OF the
| Lords Supper by the Brethren one evea-.
ing at Lordsburgh described it thus to the
writer: The room was large and square
indeed a Puritan meeting house in the
days of John Alden could not have beea
more severely plain, there being no car
pets, no upholstery, no comfort. no orna-
Inent On one side on cheap wooden
benches sat several score OF women in their
plain black gowns, with their little black
| bonnets close about their ears. None OF
them looked up, and each was wrapt in Sc
rious thought, and few wept in silence
On the other side of the room sat almost
as many bewhiskered and b back-coated
men equally serious and contemplative,
their broad brimmed hats hanging in rows
en- the whitewashed walls. At one end
of the room was a raised platform, upon
which sat four aged men, each with a
piodigious growtA of snow white whis-
kers, and clean-shaven upper lips. The
men on the floor were separated from the
women by long and narrow table, upon
which immaculate linen tablecloths had
been laid. A few invited visitors. upon
whom the oppressive silence had its ef-
feet, sat on one side
For half an hour no one spoke Then
one of the aged men on the platform rose
with deliberation and announced in slow,
measured accents that the Lords Supper
| would be observed in imitation of that
last night of the Master In Jerusalem
Several men and women went out, present.
| ly reappearing each with a small tub OF
water and towels. The men then in turn
washed one another's feet. The women did
likewise among thmselves. The brothers
one after another removed their boots and
stockings and each awaited the moment CT
his own footwashing When the office had
been performed for him, each rose in his
bare feet and girding himself about with
a towel tas in the gospels, knelt and
washed and wiped the feet of his next
brother on the right, saying reverently:
This do l humbly and affectionately for
my brother in Christ, as the Master did,
When the feet washing ended and the
shoes had been put on, there was brief
period of silent prayer The towels and
tubs were removed in silence, and the older
sisters brought In steaming bowls OF lamb
soup and dishes heaped with slices or
bread The brothers sat with downcast
eyes while the sisters arranged the food on
the white clothed tables. At a signal the
benches were carried to the sides Of the ia
bles and the sisters at their table and the
brothers at theirs sat down 10 commemo-
rate the symbolic Last Supper.
Not a sound was heard but that Of the
spoons and the earthen bowls as the as
semblage proceeded with the sacred feast.
Four persons ate from each bowl. AS each
one finished there was another silent pray
er. AT signal everyone rose from the
benches. The brothers turned TO one an
other and silently extended the right hand
of fellowship and at the same time sa-
luted each other with the kiss OF brother
hood. the same rite being performed at the