Foot Washing

This was made in 1949 and this is where I went to the 'foot washings' and other things. This is where voting was done. During WWII the women made mattresses and comforters or quilts. The government agency furnished all the supplies for the projects. This is where I saw the first 'tacking' done on quilts.

From my childhood memories...Just remember as you read this it is written as how it seemed to me as a child. I often wonder how I would see it now if I went to an old fashion foot washing.

Now we 'Observe The Lord's Supper' or 'Take the Sacrament' and I do not think the washing of the feet is done anymore. At the little church in Ponca (we always said Ponkey) it was just plain foot washing. That was one night that the children did not spread a pallet (a quilt put down to lay on) in front of the stage because that was a sure way to get wet or a wash pan up the side of your head.

Someone always made the unleavened bread and made two large round pieces. One was for the women and one for the men. This bread was not browned because it would have been so hard it would surely have broken some teeth. Grape juice was used for the wine.

Service always started with song service, prayer requests and testimony. The preacher always preached the same sermon about the Lord's Supper and at the end he would ask that each person search their heart very carefully because to eat or drink unworthily was to doom your soul to hell.

As children we would get off to ourselves and wonder why so and so did not partake of the 'foot washing.'

The women got on one side of the stage and the men got on the other side with a pan of water and a towel. The preacher (not minister as we say now) woud read the scripture and pass the bread and each person would take a small piece. After the bread then came the cup of wine and each person was to take a sip from the same cup. I remember one time they tried to put a lady at the end of the line that dipped snuff but she would have none of that she got to the cup first. I saw a lady or two wipe the rim of the cup before drinking. Kids do not miss a thing and they wonder about it.

After the bread and wine would come washing of the feet and some would 'get happy' and kick water every which way and have the area all around wet. This would have no place in the churches of today because of the fine carpet and the ladies with their fine stockings but back then it did not matter.

I can just see this in my mind now and hear the songs and the 'hell fire and brimstone preacher.'

Recent picture of the old Ponca Church House,
where the foot washing took place. I remember it well. Dale Ramsey

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