The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-07
SEASON OF LOVE FEASTS.
Foot Washing Among tho strangely CARRIED
Pennsylvania Sects.

EpHRATA. Pa. June 6-This is the season for
love feasts among the strangely CARRIED sects
Of this part OF Pennsylvania The kitchens Of
many meeting houses are sending out savory
odors OF lamb broth, and thousands OF these
people who do not mingle with the world are
coming together to shake hands to break bread
to sit down and renew fraternal greetings and
friendships, to pass the holy kiss and to wash
one anothers feet in love and humility. Once
year at least these scots with many names
assemble for love feast Many also assemble
having been preserved and cared for all winter
and for the prosperity OF their lands. They
come to meeting and remain all day.
Tho Bishops who travel about have plain
quarters in the dormitory OF the meeting
houses. There is room also for the infant
children. All the family come to the love
feasts. The women folks prepare the meals.
and the food is served in abundance. All
travellers. wayfarers tramps. homeless peo-
pie and gypsies are made welcome out under
the trees and fed. The worshlppers. how
ever. dine alone in the meeting house
Easements. and many of their religious
festivals are private. including the holy kiss
and the foot washing. When the holy kiss is
passed. one woman kisses the woman sitting
next to her She then turns her face and
kisses the next and so on pew after pew. The
men who sit together do the same thing. A
rigid examination is first made to see that no
brother sister bears Ill will to another.
Their special communion service and ordi-
nance of feet washing is very devout and at
the same time interesting rite.
These people. many Of whom own the finest
hear a,i' 70 the customs of our Lord and His
Apostles, their ways. habits and methods OF
sanctioned in the Four Gospels is their doc
trine absolutely They say that It is true that
hot, sandy countries Of tho East; but they
add that it. was iina',y establiShed by or Lord
Cries ITO to teach the lesson Of humiity' and
That, inasmuch as the Lord did it to the least Of
h fcfh he go aa la wash
These farmers do not allow tho rush OF
pIoughing and planting and other pressing and
trluous work to keep them from love feasts,
No matter what farmer Is worth In lands;
coroGs and cattle: he r t his shoes and and
upon his knees on the bare hpor and performs
er he knows. vi hose daily pay is hardly 80 cents
day for thirteen hours work in the fields.
are private for mem bers OF these scots not that
they are but that the Of
rites, only, the right loot IS exposed and
eeT M ass TSGf hs sn BskoP m wnHnK t
{eet q The men GENERALLY r, the owners Of
The aged wives OF the elders in the adjoining
room are blessed and encouraged by the
foot washing for the women folks. Each re-
moves a s shoe ca; and sticking uomits TO the
again. A wooden or earthen basin is used,
The mistress in humility washes the feet of her
maidservants. They grid themselves with
towels even as did our Lord. They pour water
into basin. such as our Lord must have used.
wash the feet and dry them with the towels
with which they are girded. st. John xiii. to
II, is read.
The love feasts of the spring have one other
specially i'm pressive feature. The worshippers
pass cups of water and small pieces of bread
Then they exchange their portions Of bread
and water with one another and then eat and
drink While some features of the love feast
are exceedingly solemn, yet they soon become
genial