Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 September 1902 — Dunkards In Indiana. [ARTICLE]

Dunkards In Indiana.

,» . . - ?- & jv I The annual report of the Dunkar-ds or German Baptists made before the general assembly at Winona, Tuesday, shows that Indiana leads all states in the number of churches, and is pushing Pennsylvania close for first place in -total bers. Jasper county has a comparatively largo number of this seot, although during the laßt few years many Dunkarde "have migrated from this county to North and South Dakota. There are forty five ohnrchee in good standing in Indiana this year, and they have a membership of 4,500 Pennsylvania has forty chnrohes and about 4,500 membership and Ohio comes third with twentyseven cbarches. The largest congregation in the church is at Pittsburg. It numbers 450 members. Other states m which the chnrch has a strong hold are California, Oregon, Washington, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Nebraska and lowa. The total membersh’p is approximately 17,000.. The derivation of the word “Donkard” was one of the interesting points brought out at the session Tuesday. It is claimed that the early German people, seeing this seot baptize, called them “tunkers,” or dippers as they baptize three times. Tne English speaking people could not give the German pronunciation, and made it “danker.” This was corrupted into “Dunkard.”