Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1851-12-25
The New England Country Church.

~@eso@~-@~
From "Dream L;fe.'' an unpublished
soork of TX. Marvel, author Of Reeve.
ries Of u Bachelor. .-l s-.-r,a s u.
"The country church is square old
building Of wood. without paint or deco
ration. and of that genuine Puritanic
stamp which is now fast giving way to
Greek porticos and cockney towers. II
stands upon hill. with little church,
yard in its rear, where one or two sickly
looking trees keep watch and ward over
the vagrant sheep that Craze among the
graves. Bramble bushes seem to thrive
ON the bodies below and there il no
flower in the little yard. save few gold
en-rods. which faunt their gaudy and in
odorous color under the lee of the north-
ern wall. ,~d e
New England country-livers have as
yet been very little inoculated with the
sentiment of beauty even the doorstep
to the church is rude fiat stone, that
shows not single stroke of the hammer.
Within, the simplicity is even more Sc.
we're. Brown galleries run around three
sides Of the old building. supported by
timbers. on which you still trace. under
the stains from the leaky roof. the deep
scoring of the woodman's axe. Below,
the implanted pews are ranged in square
forms. and by age have gained the color
of those fragmentary wrecks Of cigar box.
es, which you see upon the top shelves
in the bar-rooms of county taysrns. The
minister's desk is lofty. and has once been
honored with coating o: paint; as we'll
as the huge sounding. board. which. to
your great amazement. protrudes from
the wall, at very dangerous angle of
in .lination. over the speakers head. AS
the Squire's pew is the place of honor,
10 the right Of the pulpit. You nave a
little tremnr yourself at sight OF the hea-
w sounding board, and cannot forbear
lndulging in quiet feeling OF relief when
the last prayer is said. ~
There are in the Squire's pew, long
faded crimson cushions. which. it seems
to you, must date back nearly to the
commencement of the Christian era in
this country. There are also sunday old
thumb worn copies Of DR.. Dwight's Ver-
sion Of the Palms Of David, appointed
to be sung in churches. BY authority Of
the General Association of the State Of
Connecticut The sides of DR.. Dwight
Version are. you observe, sadly warped
and weather stained land from some stray
figures which appear on a fy-leaf. you
are constrained to think that the squire
has some time employed quiet interval
Of the service with reckoning up the con.
tents of the old stocking leg at home.
"The parson is stout man, remarkable
in your opinion, chiefly, for a yellowish-
brown wig. a strong nasal tene. and oc.
casional violent thumps upon the little
dingy, red velvet cushion, studded with
brass lacks, at the top Of the desk. You
do not altogether admire his style; and
by the time he has entered upon his
I! 'Fourtlly.' you give your attention. in
despair. to new reading 1t must be the
twenlieth) Of the preface to DR.. Dwights
Version OF the Psalms"
"Thc singing has a charm for you.
There is long. thin faced, fax haired
man, who carries tuning fork in his
waisicoat pocket, and who lead the choir.
HIS position is in the very front rank Of
gallery benches facing the desk; and by
the time the old parson has read two
verses Of the psalm, the country choris-
ter turns ronnd 70 his little group Of aid:
consisting Of the blacksmith, carrOty.
headed school-master. two women in
snuff coIored silks and girl in pink bon.
net. 10 announce the tune.
! This bsing done 10 an antborikxliys