QUEEREST PEOPLE ON EARTH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 80

QUEEREST PEOPLE ON EARTH.

THINK THE* WORLD'S KNOWLEDGE IS A LIE. The queerest people on earth are probably the Amish. In certair parts of the United States men may be seen wearing lonfe black" b-ea-rds, wida-brimmed black I hats, and black clothes without buttons. I They are Amisihmen There are several ! thousands of thsm in America, and they are- constantly increasing in number Thsy can:© originally from Germany and Switzerland, driven out by religious persecution. They are described as" the most ignorant people in America. Education, it is said, is scorned. They resent all attempts to educate their children. They nev-ei read books or newspapers, and the -only way they receive news of the , outside \Kcrld is by hearsay. They have no conception of the sias of America. In fact, they have no conception of anything outside tbair own community Naturally, the Amishme.n are very clannish, especially on a, "meeting day." Each Sunday all the Amishmen in a certain district attend a meiettn& at th< .ninister's home, since it is considered a sin to have a church. These ministers aire elected from the congregation by lot annually. They do not knovr ont whit more than the members of their parish. If an Amd&hman believes that "he will be selected to act as minister he weeps copiously. Often he throws himself into 'hysterics. Another duty which falls to th© minister is to supply benches for his flock.' -These he places . in a semi-circle around his front door. ; At meeting tinvs h? taiea his place on the ! doorstep and designates where eacli mmber of ths congregation shall sit. Men, women, boy.«, and girl*, sit in different parts of the meeting place. The men sit j through the entire "lecture" with their chins in tlieii palms and their elbows on their knees. Soir-3 bf them sleep through the lecture, which lasts four hours, <nd communion, which laj-ts seven hours. — Dance After Church. — The minister npv-er preaches. He simply delivers a good heart-to-heart talk on the i sins and trans^i-e. s sion.s of his fellow men. After the lecture the congregation enter the house and partake of a feast provided by him. On the fame evening the young people dan« until 10 o'clock. At the communion service each man washes his neighbours feet, and if any membei of the elan has done anything wrong he must expiate it before he can enter into this ceremony. A minister lias been known to labour for four hours with one of his flock on account of the fact that his new buggy "sportec 1 " ? pa#-ent leather dashboard. Dashboards must hs removed, either by the horse's hoofs oi by the Amishmar himself as soon as he purchases the buggy. It is contrary to their religion to have such things*. The next important "social function. outside a "meeting" is a wedding. The highest honour which can be bestowed ui>on an Ami. e h lass is to be a bridesmaid. This is the height of ivery Amish girl's ambition. The wedding is unique, there being no regular ceremony. The bride and bridegroom are seated beside each other, with the minister in front. Here again he lectures them on the ways of an Amishinan. No ribbons, flowers, or Dresents are allowed to be given to the bride; Ribbons are tabooed by the sect a£ being '"loud." Only recently have marriage licenses been procured. They married for love, the courtship being a short one. Divorce is unknown. f — About " Flittings " and Funerals. — If an Amishman decides to move he notifies his neighbours, and they horses and carte to assist him. His goods are carried in. one load. "When he is established in his new home he Trust provide a feast. Aid. Amish funeral is the third function

fof importance in-- the cdendaa*. When a son •' dies, the father makes*- a casket out of a dry goods box ■ The b/)dy is put -inside and immediately interred in the cemetery The people living in th« district where the death taker- place meat at the cemetery and sing one weird, mournful song over the grave. After the services they return and enjoy a. big feast at th/j father's expense. Th© Amiah people live in the open air ; most of the time. Their houses are almost devoid of furnishings. A plain bedstead is all there is in a bedroom. Sheets and pillowslips are unknown. Tha windows ana devoid of curtains and the floors without carpels. The Amish women dress in purple, yellow, and bJack No corsets are allowed. A wife always wears a black bonnet, while the maiden wears a white cap. Tlve little boys and girls dress entirely in black, as do the growm-up men. They have no buttons on their clothes, everything being fastened with hooks and eyes The language the j'speak is neither German nor English, but seems to be a jargon concocted by themseJvee and used by themselves alone. They are "queer," but are a strong, sturdy, faithful people, and as good farmers as can be found in America.