Excerpt from Holsinger's History of the Tunkers and the Brethren Church: Embracing the Church of the Brethren, the Tunkers, the Seventh-Day German Baptist Church, the German Baptist Church, the Old German Baptists, and the Brethren Church

Forty-nve years ago I became a member of the Church of the Brethren as it was then known. Among those who did not belong to the same denomination, the members were called Dunkards, especially among those who were not friendly to their cause. Besides these names I knew no other. I was then in full harmony with the teachings of the church as far as I knew, with a few exceptions. I was told that the gospel of Christ was our only creed and discipline. My father was a minister in the church, and his father was a minister. Hence, I had every opportunity of knowing the customs and practices as well as the sentiments of the church, and can safely say that, taking all together, I was in harmony with the average membership. With the gospel peculiarities of the church I was in full sympathy. Among those may be enumerated Faith, Repent ance, Triune Immersion, Laying On of Hands, Feet-washing, Lord's Supper, Communion, Anointing, Salutation, Anti-war, Anti-slavery, Non swearing, Non-conformity from all sinful fashions and customs. I set out to serve the Lord in good faith.

In a few things, however, I did not agree with the average member ship of that day. For instance, I never could see that education was a dangerous thing, and had a great thirsting for more of it. I always pre ferred to hear a man preach who knew more than myself, which did not require anything uncommon. I was never much afraid of Sunday-schools, although I never had attended a Sunday-school regularly. I believed in plainness of attire, but never accepted the uniformity theory. I worked along without jarring with the congregations in which I lived or the officers under whom I served for more than fifteen years.

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