The Saint Paul globe., 1900-04-15

mer and hoods or fascinators in winter.
not even the plainest kind of hat being
permitted. Their bonnets are often made
of rich material as silk or satin. Their
dresses are made with a plain round
waist and full skirt, and they usually
wear large aprons and kerchief or a
frill of lace around the neck. They are
forbidden all jewelry except the plain
wedding ring, and even that Is seldom
seen. The sisters must not pray, par
take OF the Lords supper or take part
In any religious rite with uncovered
head; therefore they all have white caps.
made just as our grandmothers
made their nightcaps. The married sis
ters wear them constantly, while the
maidens only don them while attending
religious service. When the men, as
well as the women, meet they greet each
other with the holy kiss" OF course
they do not greet the opposite sex in
that way lin public.
Divorces or separations are almost unc
heard OF among the Dunkard people. but
II such q thing does occur neither party
Is allowed to marry again as long as the
other Is living, and remain In the church.
The receipts OF q justice Of the peacs
in Dunkard community are slim indeed,
as all neighborhood MISUNDERSTANDING
that can possibly be settled by the mem
bers of the church are adjusted at spe-
cial meetings called for that purpose
No one but members are permitted TO
attend these meetings. They never go
to law If possible to avoid 1t, and reruse
to take part in war.
Little attention Is paid to politics or to
the higher education OF their children. "A
common school education Is deemed all
sufficient and when we consider the very
ordinary life they live perhaps 1t is.
Their ministers receive ne salary, they
with the rest toillng through the week
for the maintenance of their families and
apparently devotfng little time to study
for their religious duties of the Sabbath
their mode of supplying the demand for
ministers being quite different from
other sects
The officers of the church will call a
meeting and there vote for the one
among them they deem the most fitting
to lead and retain them in the straight
and narrow way. There is quite little
electioneering among them for their ia
vorites. and the one receiving the high
est number of votes is declared called"
to the ministry. They usually choose
men who have reached middle life and
who have been exemplary members OF
the flock, although they may not have
the least ability as an exhorter, but if
the Lord has Called them through the
people they consider it their bounden
duty to obey. They use tri-immersion in
their baptismal rites, and I have known
them to go twelve miles so as to per-
form that rite in a natural stream or
body of water 1t is from their mode Of
baptism they get their name-Tunkers.
meaning dippers. being the original
name, then changed to Dunkers, but at
the present time they are known as
Dunkards or German Baptists. They do
not believe in the baptism of Infants.
Every fall, after the gathering inaeoE
the harvest, they hold what Is called
their annual communion meeting. They
prepare for this annual 'love feast" two
or three large beexes for the supper. At
the beginning of the service, which Is al
ways held In the evening, the members
take their places at the tables. the men
on one side OF the house and the women
on the other, as at all their services.
The tables are spread with pure white
cloths, and served in the simplest way
is broth. bread, meat and water (no deli
eacies of any kind being served at this
meaD, one basin of broth serving four
persons, from which each dips.
They also have the ceremonial feet
washing and give the holy kiss, after
which the sacrament is administered
During each ceremonial rite some elder
reads their ScripturaI authority for so
doing The row upon row of sisters, with
their white-capped heads; the brothers,
with their solemn bearing, together with
the impressive ceremony itself. leaves
an impression one will not soon forget.
Taking 1t all in all, there is little to
cendole and great deal to commend the
lives and religion Of this sect.
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