The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-05-09
DUTKARDS TO DISCUSS
THE RIGHT TO DIVORCE
German Baptists Have Never
Yet Sanctioned It.
TO MEET IN ANNUAL SESSION
Convention at Pennsylvania Capital to
Begin Tomorrow-HoIy Kiss Question
Agitates Black and White Alike and
May Be Abolished.

HARRISBURG. Pa. May 9.-The ma
tionaI convention OF the German Baptists
of america, or Dunkards. as they are
called, will begin here tomorrow and con-
tinue until the end of the month. a
large advance guard has already arrived,
and by Monday next It is expected that
great crowds wiII be on hand A number
Of questions of much general interest will
come up for discussion, and as there is
considerable difference of opinion on some
of them, exciting debates are looked for.
The convention will be held at Paxtang
Park and in the fields adjacent, and to
properly accommodate tie large crowds
expected great buildings have been put
up. with an auditorium and dining payil-
ion. It is estimated that at least IS. GOO
DuDIards will be here to discuss the
ques tons that viii come VI fe= consid-
Grafton Many of those expected have
been residents of Pennsylvania, notably
Lancaster, York, Berks, Dauphin, Bucks,
Chester, Lehish, and Northampton eeun-
ties, who went West to engage in farm
ing, and all are prosperous. A special
train containing more than 300 of them
will arrive here tomorrow evening.
Delegates to Sleep in Tents,
Colonel Richardson and a force of men
from the State arsenal have put up 500
tents for sleeping. accommodations, and
these viii be used by those who come for
a days stay. Those who intend to stay
the entire week viii secure boarding in
the city. and everything in the way of a
boarding house VIII be filled Kansas,
Iowa. Michigan, California. Idaho, the
Dakotas, Oregon, Washington, Utah, and
many Central Western States and even
far-away India viii be represented by
some Of the best known Of the brethren.
Tomorrow the meetings for Sunday
school work viii begin and continue until
the 18th, but during the waek the stand
ing committee will meet at the building
erected for its aCcommods ton and con-
slider such questions as may be brought
up. The regular annual meeting will
commence on May Il, when the standing
COMMITTEES viii present the program and
announce the name OF the presiding off,
Ger, who is not known until that time
Divided on Insurance.
Among the questions to be settled are
some that have long pers,lexed the breth-
ren. notably that of whether it is right 10
be insured. Some OF the more worldly
of the Dunkards have yielded to the
Establishments of the insurance agent and
placed some insurance on their lives,
which is regarded By the others as sac
religious, and a resolution declaring it
wrong has been before the conventions
for several years, and the question stiIl
remains unsettled
Another subject fer discussion viii be
whether the converts among the women
in india can Use the ordinary covering
in prayer. Il IS part OF the faith Of the
church that q woman must cover her
head with a special prayer cloth when
praying.
At Variance on Color Line.
4 question which involves the color
line. is whether Dunkard can be a good
Duukard and refuse 20 bestow the holy
kiss on a eolored GanEard Whenever
they meet at their religious gatherings
the holy kiss Is an important rite. being
bestowed on one another. the men kissing
the men and the women kissing the
women There are some coI0red DRnkaTjls
in Maryland, the Ffrginias, Carolinas. end
other Southern States, and the white
Dunkards there objected to bestowIag tsc
holy kiss upon them
At the meeting in Lincoln, Neb. last
year the delegates got around the ques-
ton by adopting a resolution to the effect
that colcEed members should not insist
on the kiss, and should wait until the
white person made the first offer of the
kiss. This docs not suit the colored
brethren. and they think the rule Of the
Dunkard faith that all are equal was
broken BY tbs passage Of the resolution
IL is said that 50 strongly are the fac
tiUns at variance IN this question that
the holy kiss may be abolished alto
gether-
Want Divorce for InfdeIity.
Another question 70 be determined is
one to permit divorces when the charge