The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-05-29
ANNUAL bunker
CONFERENCE

Inc DuuheE oluSAdliS
known as the Church of the Breth
rem. meets today in its 201st annual
conference at Harrisonburg, Va. This
conference is the supreme body of the
church, controlling its affairs in every
part of the world The general con-
ference of no other church in Chris
tendon can show so great proper
tionate attendance as is shown by the
Dunkers But little over one hundred
thousand strong, perhaps twenty
thousand of their members coming
from all parts of the United States
and from all quarters of the globe,
will be on hand to attend the confer
ence.
Great preparations have been made
for their accommodation. A huge tab
ernacle with a seating capacity of
about fifteen thousand, dining rooms
where thousands can be fed at sim
gle sitting, lunch counters hundreds
of feet long, and many other struc-
lures have been erected especially for
the occasion. The conference con-
ducts all these places itself, the pro-
fits going into the general church
fund.
The Dunkers are, as they term
themselves, peculiar people. Their
straight-laced views are as rigid as
were those of the Puritans. This will
be shown in a question that will be
brought up before the conference as
to whether the students of the church
schools have a right to take part in
intercollegiate baseball contests. AL
ready the church has expressed itself
against its members going to fairs,
lawn parties and similar places. The
rolling of tenpins has been regarded
as contrary to the spirit of the
church, even though the alleys on
which the bowling is done are free,
and the bowlers do not even bowl for
the sugar.
The annual conference is a remark
able organization. It's dictum is final
in all things. 1t is as powerful in the
affairs of the bunker church as the
Council of Nice, which promulgated
to famous Nicene Greed. was power
full In It's day. The government of the
church is we'll planned for representa-
tive control. The congregation is the
lowest body 1t may embrace three or
four churches, but it is still the con-
gregation The district is second in
rank. 1t is made up of dozen or
more congregations. 1t acts upon
those matters passed on to it by the
congregations. and in turn passes
matters of general interest on to the
annual conference. When that body
speaks the last word has been said.
Hard on Youngsters.
One of the hardest questions con-
fronting the church is the matter of
dress. For years it has been trying
to stem the tide of growing inclina-
ton on the part of its younger mem
bers to depart from its teachings in
the matter OF personal adornment.
Especially is this tendency marked In
the cities and towns. The rules OF
the church are positive against the
women wearing hats The wearing
of a hat. if persisted in, will bring the
wearer before the council meeting,
and if full repentance is not there
manifested communication Will
follow. Likewise. it is absolutely
wear the little bobbinet cap, known
as the prayer covering" The male
applicants for church membership
who wears mustache is promptly
told that he can not become a mem
Der until he shaves it off or grows
full beard. The wearing Of gold
either in the form of a watch, chain
or a ring, is prohibited among the
members, the ground for this being
the scriptural passage which ad
monishes Christians not to be given
to the wearing of gold, the braidine
of the hair or to following after the
vain fashions of the world. Refusa
to hear the church on these matter!
is sufficient ground for excommunica
ton.
This matter has often been brough
before the annual conference and tina
body has taken some action in con
nection Herewith, but 1t has not We
found the way effectively to curb thu
tendency of the younger element II
the church to cross the line of de
marcation in matters of dress. 1t /
claimed that many OF their member