Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-09-26
PECULIAR SECT.
The SchwsnkfsIdsrs Sect and Their
Peculiar Ceremonies.


Philadelphia. Pa. Sept. 24.-Apple
butter day was celebrated by the
Schwenkfelders OF Pennsylvania In
theT meeting houses at Hosensask
and elsewhere. Among the deyout
members OF the sect the occasion IA
known as "Gedaechtnisg tag" or
memorial day. Its popular name re.
fers to the most conspicuous feature
oil the MONDAY repast that is a regu.
lar part of the services. The Pennsyl-
vania Schwenkfeiders are known far
and VIDE as the makers OF the best
apple butter in the world, and this
year by reason OF the large crop
OF apples In southeastern Pennsyl.
vania, the memorial celebration was
n CONSPICUOUS success.
Because of tho prominence the
Schwenkfelders have attained
through their thrift and Industry
their quaint yearly festival arouses
the interest of thousands OF persons
outside their fold. In many OF the
rural communities the occasion is a
Esliday, and from the larger towns
and cities come relatives and friends
to spend the autumn day among the
picturesque hills and valleys In the
vicinity OF the Perkiomen.
| Although primarily religious
festival, the Gedaechtnisz tag celebra.
ton also partakes largely of the ma
ture Of treat family reunion. for, as
a result OF the church's rigid watch
over the matrimonial affairs OF it's
adherents, the membership today is
restricted almost entirely to the de.
scendants of the Schwenkfeldcr fam.
HES that crossed the Atlantic and
settled In Pennsylvania early in the
eighteenth century While they mum.
her fewer than l.500 persons In all,
| they include the most prosperous
families to he found In the rich ag-
ricultural section in which they re-
side. ,xS0xl
Their farms. the largest and best
| In this section OF the state, have been
| bequeathed from generation to gen.
| GRAFTON. and each succeeding owner
has sought to enhance his heritage
by keeping IN touch with the most
|
seduously guarding against changing
the ancient customs OF their faith.
the Schwenkfelders never oppose
real progress. as some OF the other
Pennsylvania German sects. One OF
the most successful cooperative ag-
ricultura organizations In the United
| States IL the Worcester Farmers
union in Montgomery county. which
| was organized and Is largely con-
troiled by Schwenkfelders. The union
has nearly a thousand members with
| la q distance of twenty miles of Wor-
| cestsr. Slv
All farm supplies are purchased
q. wholesale by the union and then
distributed among the members.
Weekly meetings are held in the
unions own building and there Is an
Interchange amcng members of opin-
ions concerning agricultural topics.
while at frequent intervals lectures
or scientific farming are delivered
by men who are authorities In their
lines. sH
Although the smallest of the many
sects that ned TO America TO escape
persecution In Europe. the Schwenk.
folders organization Is the only one
that sets apart annually a day on
which the members meet to give
thanks for their release from the re-
ligious thralldom OF the old world
This Is the purpose Of their Gedaecht-
nisz tag, for On September "a. 1874,
the first Schwenkfelders. who landed
at Philadelphia two days before, held
thanksgiving service In recognition
OF their safe arrival.
Ever since their founder Ca ,per
Schwenfelders Won Ossig, MI
esian nobleman of the sixteenth cert
fury. had disagreed with Luther over
the nature of the sacraments and
therefore decided to discontinue both
baptism and communion until their
purpose should be better understood,
his followers had been subjected to
ridicule, Imprisonment and death un-
der Catholic ard Protestant rulers.
Finally they e:nigrated In a body 10
America In 1894
After their Thanksgiving service
on September "a. 1894. a meal con-
sisting OF bread. butter. apple butter
and cider was served. Annually since
that time the Schwenkfeldcrs meet
on September "a to celebrate their
Gedaechtnlsz tag and between the
morning and afternoon a repast Is
served similar to that OF 1874. except
that the apple butter is more p!enti-
full and water Is substituted for cider.