The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1854-01-18

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would be standing 10 my position tonight. Zap
pause and laughter. How much the people
valued their ministers, in their new country-iu
Massachusetts and Connecticut-you can imagine
when it is known that they could not get along
without two ministers to each church. In the
first six churches of Connecticut there were Ten
preachers. Each church, if possible, had teach
er and preacher. The teacher was professor
of Theology, and his business was to indoctrinate.
The other was the revival minister, as we under
stand the term. The doctor put the powder down.
and the other touched it off. Applause and
laughter. In those grand old times, besides the
Sabbath sermons and weekday lectures, the busi-
ness of the minister was to go from house to
house. and lecture the inmates. Now, however,
ihat business is entirely transferred to women.
| Renewed applause and laughter It was ex-
pected, too, that he would address himself SO
thoroughly to every individual that each would
stand in fear of God and the minister. However,
let it not be supposed because Clergyman were
earnest and devout religious ministers, thai they
were men devoid of humor. The man is not half
a man who has not streak of that in him. TAp-
plause and laughter.] l recollect even SO late as
in my day. that the old sort of ministers of Con-
necticut could crack a joke and smoke tobacco in
an accomplished manner. reeellect that when
they used to meet at my fathers house, pipes and
tobacco were set out, and other creature comforts
in proportion, which were never seen there at any
other time. Laughter
In those times it is to be supposed that Proyi-
dence wnked at those things, for certainly thew
did not know any better. recollect too, the ex
Plosions of human thunder called laughter, which
could be heard in the room filled with smoke and
| where it was supposed the ministers were and
if any of you had been listening as was, you
would have said that every mothers son of them
was Dutchman. [Applause and laughter.
When the services were all ever for which thew
had met, they were accustomed. not unfrequently,
not only to run each other with their Jokes, but
with their horses. [Laughter.] have mention
ed that that was not altogether their fault for it is
said that ministers sons were accustomed to ride
the horses of clergymen visiting their fathers
houses. The horses were not of poor breed.
| either, and the horses getting into bad habits under
the tutllage OF the boys, would keep up the habits
with their masters on their backs. 1t was doubt
less the boys fault and not the clergymen's
Laughter. ] recollect once that Doctor Back
US. of Bethlehem, on returning from nv fathers
house to his home, was attempted. to be passed bv
a man. The doctor had no idea of being beaten.
and II he was, he meant that the man should do it
WE'LL The man finally saw that it was impossible
to overtake him, and hallooed at the top of his
voice, DIR. Backus, you a if the devil was
after you."= The doctor, looking around over his
shoulder at the man. said in reply, 81 believe he
is" [Great applause and aughter.l
The time would fnil me were to attempt to
exhaust this department of ministerial Offices
The other part, their sacred Offices their quiet
Sabbaths, their ministerial cut garments, and other
peculiariiies. l believe you have been thoroughly
acquainted with. Those men had volcanic hearts
they had not little, but great deal of the
feeling that is human. In country whore the
people are SO inclined, no man can be made wei
come in families, and become endeared to them,
unless he be every inch man. Loud applause
This was emphaticaIy the old, the middIe-aged,
aud the young minister of New England. They
addressed themselves ever on the side of human
ty they had read all that WIS good, and they
rejected all that did not become them as men,
Applause. There is no class more dear, more
venerated in their memory than the line of the
ministers of New England. They were men of
intense activity of mind. Shut up in colonial Sc
ciusions. is it not wonderful that their minds
should have grasped advanced ideas in theology
and metaphysics They thus encouraged in them
selves and the people habits of close thinking, and
if theology and other abstract subjects did not
form the themes for their til ught, it would be
other matters of importance, and worthy of their
attention.
4 have observed sometimes that mountains were
exceedingly rugged when we were on them, but,
when viewed at little distance, blue in the light
OF the autumnal sun, there was no ruggedness
and thus it is that we lock back upon old New
Englands customs. Her Sabbaths-we shall
never have them again. I not but think of
those Sabbaths, where the clear sunlight ilumi-
mated the day, so quiet and STILL when the sound
of the church-bell was the only sound that could
be heard. They were pleasant days, though
eatechized boys may have painful "reminiscences
connected with the subject. have had myself
some painful remembrances upon that point: and
YET after all. II were asked what of all things
mad rlade the deepest impression on my memory,
should say New England Sabbath morning. /
do not say that should relish these old ideas of
church-going and sitting for two mortal hours of a
Winters morning without fire in the room-for
stove in church, in those days. was understood
to be desecration, even if such thing as stove
was then conceived Of But they had what thew
called Sabbath-d house. recol'ect that thew
had one In Salisbury, Conn.,. though it has since
been put to other uses. There, after church. the
members OF The flock would repair, and eat their
gingerbread and douohnnt nreparato,v to t,L;,. .
second meal of sermon.
When it was first proposed to introduce stoves
in the church of my native place, Litchfeld in
Connecticut, there was a violent opposition made
to it. A man said to one good old deacon-T row.
bridge, call him /" Deacon Trowbridge, why do
you objectto q stove!' 6 Cause it's desecration.
said the Deacon, " WE'LL" said the man. :. bpt
does not Aunt Polly (that was the Deaeon,s wife, \
bring foot stove with her?" Well never
thought of that" sold the deacon the question