Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1856-10-14
4analpba DaIIsp STIR.
.KANAWHA c. H.:
ftrssbrtsrlan Church.

The Republican published, short
time since, the action of the Presbyteri-
an congregation Of Charleston-abolish7
ing the, old system of. private property
and exclusive seats in their Church, and
making the pews perfectly free and conf
= mon to all. + III s,4s,e - 81 4 j
II now Only remains for tho Star to
chronicle how admirably the change has
worked No longerh has any one, who de-
: sircs 10 hear the Gospel preached, 70
Ieayc The Church for want Of a seat,
when the pews are5 many Of. them, half
empty c6r, if he dare to enter, when fe
Is not asked, have his peace of mind dis
Iurbed and his attention distracted dur-
ing His devotions by the constantly re-
> curing apprehension, that he is an IN
=. trudeYr upon the private and exclusive
! rights bf others. g.,<& %:' -. = fi..,I
Indeed it is a lofely sight to see GODS
: creatures quietly entering His house Of
: worship, and without disorder or eonfu-
:. sion, each selecting whatever vacant
sea. he prefers where he can feel, mean
while, his equal rights. to occupy and
worship, undisturbed by .apprehensions
from within, or by the cold reserve or
freezing looks from withortswhich tell
him he is q tresspasser on thesrights Of
: ,thers, and that his room would be more
acceptable than his company. 4 q
Whoever went to church, where the
3 pe,ssl are private property, and took a
seat .anaSked, because nobody would
ask him, without experiencing some of
these unpleasant feelings ? And how
copd any one with such'feelings, enter,
with an undivided mind, heartily into the
religious exercises Of the occasion p
Certainly nosone of. delicate. sensibility,
unless he be more than human, OF his
mind subjectto other laws ethan those
that ordinarily govern the mental action
Of ADAMS fallen race. i. -, II
Now, under the free system, there is
np:longer any need Of Sexton pacing up
and down the aisles to show people the
right seats, and some times putting their
intothe wrong pew" =. rTs5.
There is now mo longer any need for
tie congregation, though seated with
their backs to the door, to turn their
faces that way too, to watch the entering
:. crowd, lest sperchance some stranger
pass without an invitation to take an
empty seat. Nor is there longer need
that the gentleman proprietor and occu-
pantGofthe pew should sit like sentry al
:. tile pew door, and ever and anon grab hat
and cane and rush out with such haste
and obsequiousness as might endanger
Both his CAVITY and solemnity, in order
that such ladies and strangers. as he
might choose totadmit may come in.
In SO great a change and sudden, il
was hardly to be expected, that nothing
in word or deed should have occurred to
mar, at least for a little while, the exist
ing harmony. Yet nothing Of the
Kind is known to have occurred. 4
- / But on the contrary, peace. order, ease
and freedom have distinguished the
change and, attest its value. And not
only so, but these characteristics indi-
III cate mot less certainly, in the congrega-
ton, the existence of Christian graces
than the proprieties of a refined ciHiliza-
ton. ~ r. 49,. r.. - 4.