The Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1850-1852, 1851-10-16

! 'N~"' '"e iEpht uu v oi Tie cbarrh, ttOpt'
The old horse block. iu native dignity,
where the husband. viii, their m mstron,y
wives made il sieppin, stone between
'heir own house aed the house of God
riding ur one after the other. on saddles
and p'lions, unloading and passing viii,
a slow and serious step toward, the
church door The horse block was aii
important arpendage ~ all meeting hou.
scs before Tie introduction OF pleasure
wagons il was composed Of AN enor.
nous fat .te',e, raised on pillars, with
steps at eacl, end, to aid both male aud
female in mounting and dismounling
from their horses. About elk rods from
the church door stood the terrific appa-
raius for Furnishing the disturLcrs Of
public worship or the wilful neglect of
attendance on the Lords day a, the
Sanctuary. Th. apparatus for church
discipline, though simple, wa, an object
Of great terror to the juveniles Of The
parish.
This machine, considered in BY gone
days asa religious nppcndasc 10 deter
from violations Of the Sabbath.
1t was composed Of q large square
post about eigh, feet in length, placed
firmly in the earth, with IA large mor,ice
near ille gtound to receive the ends Of n
couple Of plank about eight feet in
length, and nine inches in width, placed
onel above the other, the tws edges to.
geiher, with round lholes between, of
sufficient size to snusly clasp the ancles
OF the little transgressor, who was so
unfortunate as to laugh OF whisper in
the gallery. This moral machinery
was termed the 'town stocks" The
post wns termed the whipping post, for
the punishment of old offenders, such as
absentces from Sundays worship; who
If unable to pay a fine Of FIVE shiIlings
were brought forth by the church war.
dens, his arms placed around said post
and fastened by chord, and the back
made bare, to receive the number OF
stripes, adjuds"d him by the magistrate.
l never had the satisfaction, or rather
the modification but once TO see the in.
Fiction Of this religious puni.hment.-
This was 76 years ago, and inflicted on
a poor middle ageh man. His crime
was -attendace at church, for three
successive Sundays, withou, rendering
reasonable excuse for such wicked
omission, and was sentenced to receive
ten stripes on the bare back, and be
confined one hour in the stocks.
As u further illustration, I will relate
the following well authenticated fact
In the town of Ashford, near the birth
place Of the wriicr,---a man was con-
vic,ed Of the crime Of neg!eciing the
public worship Of God in the Sanciury
on Sundays, and was brought forth TO
the public whipping post to receive his
punishment, his arms tied around the
said post, and his back laid bare ready
to receive the reward of his sinful o.
mission. A stranger passing by at the
time and seeing a crowd assembled, rode
up and enquircd Of bys,ander, the
cause Of the gathering, and was inform
ed Of hi, crime and his sentence that
the convict was heathen man, and q
violator of the Sabbath act, for which
sinful neglect, lac was sentenced to re-
cicve ten lashes on lis naked back.
The stranger replied as follows: 'Ye
men Of Ashford, you are serving God
rs the devil helps you. DO you think
10 whip the grace Of God into the man:
Jesus Christ las no soldiers in his ar
my but volunteers" +. &.
Cas'lc,on, Sept 80. 1851.