Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 November 1888 — RELIGIOUS FEET-WASHING. [ARTICLE]

RELIGIOUS FEET-WASHING.

Description of a Ceremony Still Practiced by the Mebnonltos. Twenty three Alennonites of the new reformed cliuroh held'llieir annual celebration of Die Lord's supper ind feet-washing recently in Baltimore, Aid. Air. Jae.otr Lehm; i it,: = fro'.in Chn in bershurg,/ 1 ’a., preached and gave the , oir.munion. Mr. Henry Shoemaker read chapters from the Bjble" Mr. Lehman explained why "they washed feeL lie said it was llotje ns sym- - Indie of keeping-the body pure, Abe feel behig easily de.liled by pulling them in'o that which detiles. It was also emblematic of humility. It represented a spirHHltll WflbWng'j s Un pAplrtiiied Ihnt they would not vole or have anything to do with knv-making, while they were good citizens and olteyed the laws. <l>ne of their principles is never lo go t?>' law. Fifteen women, dressed in their neat, small, white linen caps, and ten men took pit their shoes, socksand stockings and wash d each oihgr's feet. The feet of the older ones were washed first. Air. Henry Shoemaker girded himself with a white towel, anoPwfiS busily engaged for some fifteen washing the men’s feet. The men sat on one side and the women on the other side of the hall. The Mennpnitcs differ from the- Dunkat'ds, or German Baptises, in not baptizing by immersion, anti in some other respects. There are only twenty-five members in Baltimore and Baltimore county, but in Pennsylvania the}' constitute a large denomimvtion. They claim to follow the direction of Jesus, that he washed his disciples’ feet, so they should wash each others’ feet.