The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-05-18
for tke Dolae Girfle.
communi ,atsd for the Portage County Democrat
The Old Meeting House.
BY MRS t. G. SPRINGER.

That old white meeting house. see it yet,
just as it stood in the calm Sabbath morning
air. its slender, taDering spire pointing to the
Heaven beyond; ;zits sweet toned bell calling,
as with the voice of an evangei, to the worn
and wearied of earth, Come t. the house of
PRAYER 7 IS ..
1t was simple and uupretendiEg struet ture.
built in an early day by the hardy pioneers,
with no grandeur of architectural design, or
pomp of elaborate carving or gliding. TO chal-
lenge the admiration of the passing stranger.
But tn child born and reared in the country,
and who had never had au opportunity of
comparing it with more imposing edi6ces it
presented itself as an object of peculiar beauty
and yeneration. .v
aisles; with what reverence watched Father
Bonney as he slowly assembled the steep. wood.
en stairs and entered the solemn looking pull
pit on whose cushions OF faded green damask
lay the well worn. leather covered Bible; with
what delight caught the inspiring notes of
those grand old anthems as they came floating
down from the high gallery, wondering in
childish simplicity if the Jutiean shepherds, as
they sat by the dimpling waves Of Galilee.
under Bethlehem's starry skies, ever listened
to more rapturous strains than those
With what intense curiosity would |, in
spite of the admonitory frowns of my pious
grandmother, sit and gaze at the quaint stucco
figures that ornamented the center of the lofty
ceiling, and from which depended the swaying
chandelier, shuddering meanwhile with imag-
mary terror at the awful peril to which the
skillful workman was exposed, while adding
those wondrous decorations.
What an air of holy quiet reigned through
I out the place. The very flies buzzed against
the window panes with a iuling, dreamy muir
mur and the wandering sheep that came close
to the broad stone steps to crop the tempting
herbage. swung their tinkling bells with a
subdued and softened cadence, quite in keep
ing With the sacred day.
When those Sabhaths came round in which
: were commemorated the death and sufferings
of the cruci6ed Redeemer. how would my ea-
fger eyes kindle at sight of the little round
communion table. with its snowy linen cover
ing, its tall urn. and glittering goblets 10 which
was poured the sacramental wine, and its
: shining, antique platters, on which lay the
broken bread.-that fitting emblem of the
bruised and broken body of our dying Lord
:, Looking back through the dim and shadowy
. Past. how vividly can recall the forms that
once occupied the narrow. straight-backed
pews. Venerable fathers. from whose pure
u lips sweet words of comfort, counsel and re-
: proof fell like heavenly mama; mothers in Is
u rae, whose sanity brows were radiant with ths
% beauty of holiness. They have, all passed
y away With godly Father Bonney they
: have crossed the mysterious river, and entered
3 the Canaan of Rest; freed from the conflict
= lof earth, they are NOW striking their goldel
" harps under the shadow. Of the waving palm
:. that crown the heights of Immortality !!
The old meeting house, too, is changed-th
: rude furnishings that so won my heart in child
hood, have been swept entirely away. Th
: primitive pulpit, with it's plain, unpainted seal
. and hangings of faded green damask. has bee
N, superseded by the modern desk, with its ele
|e giant SOFA, lis crimson vefVet cushl0ns, an
as richly embossed Bible; costly lamps fash thei
:. brilliant rays on the walls once illumined b.
the swinging chandelier; the long, bare aisle
ld that echoed the sturdy tread of manhood an
Its the musical patter Of childish feet are covere
re, with soft yielding carpets, that give hack n
e sound; and heavy blinds that are never swun
back ward to admit the free loving sunshine
shadow the windows through which used t
catch stray glimpses of the summer swallow
- as they wheeled along in their circling Fight
or sought the refuge OF their nests beneath tn
shelter of the friendly caves. ri. - e.
ayI Nothing remains nnaitered around the dea
Mecca of my infant pilgrimage. save the he;
e inward pointing spire. and tie sweet voice
'n; bell that rings out its Sabbath summons {
faithfully and solemnly still as in the days
! q yore 7as.-- ..-'ss--.. -
But from that humble church what beaut
AT fui lessons of piety have been sown in ii
hearts of those children who Fat with me witt
eo- in its walls; lessons that like good seed wi
ia spring up ard bear fiut to make glad II
garden of God long after the blue skies sh,
oe over arch it, and the rocky summit on whit
it is based, shall have forever passed away