Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-08-24
SIrEPINGIN CHURCH.

,r,;tsr in the New York Observer of this
y makes The following remarks on this sub
pct: rrsst svmnstbv With .,o.,.
-, ,bst the tendency is one of my trials but
-. have few times in church known the
..r, .n- Of that oyerpOwering drowsiness which is
a. irresistible as the lull of opium or chIoro-
~, upon the senses. But it has been yery
:. ..f;euerally the tendency is within our con-
,-or-thst is, of those of US who are not com.
lied to work hard or to carry the labors of
he ve,k almost into the Sabbath. If we choose
20 break the Sabbath on Saturday, by over
t;rinr ourselves or keeping late hours on Satur-
d,y night, Of course we must expect to be sleep
~; in church But whose fault il it! Then
viii many. Sunday being leisure day, more
time is given to eating and drinking, instes
q .,tiny on the well-known principle that
rbsn We do not work we need less food Also,
,boss who rellly desire to avoid being sleepy
should take light meal at noon and more food
,ster in the day, for it is almost impossible to
IN down quietly after full meal and keep
mind and body awake.
Another sOpori6c is dull preaching. But
freouently the fault is as much with the hearer
As the preacher; a want of interest apparent in
the hearer discourages and throws a pail over
his best efforts. Still IL must be confessed
there is a soothing effect in monOtonous voice,
ia unEarying tones, which it is hard to resist
But one Of the chief causes of drowsiness
lies in the state of the atmosphere in the
church. The subject of ventilation is worn
thread dbare and yet il is little understood To
seal up a room almost hermetically and confine
people in it, is the true mode-it is an economi-
eel method of manufacturing carbOnic acid
gss Finally some discover that they suffer
from il, and wake up to the Importance of ven
tiIation. LO, a hole is cut in the ceiling ssOb,
how admirably our church is ventilated. How
mach better L fee" D" Certainly, a little better,
but the chief point, a supply of fresh air, has
been quite overlooked. There is a way of let
ting the air out, but no way Of letting it in. A
hsh suffers in stagnant water. Give me run
ming water he says. So you cut an outlet to
his pond but no inlet. What will the fish saw
70 your wisdom,
''In summer, when the sexton can omen the
windows, there may be supply of air, but
eften these arrangements are incomplete
Either the windows will only open partially or
merely the lower part, so that those sitting
rear are incommoded by draughts We have
lad in the papers moving address to the
"se1tant OF the meetin u.s." entreatiDg for
"peEer are" but sections are much abused
and long suffering race. If the church be too
hot or too cOld too wet or too dry. all the blame
lies with the sexton. But he cannot manufac-
ture oxygen 10 order, or send ii into an ex-
haastet receiver without proper apparatus
Give him windows opening at top and bottom
fOr summer, and proper warming facilities In
winter, and, for hh own peace, he will do we'll
Furnaces are abused, too, and unjustly.
True, there are some that cannot be too much
spoken against, but they are good and philoso-
lhical If properly constructed full supply
Of warm air mot heat is all that is needed. and
aehurch may be as well ventilated with warm
air as with cold, so that it be pure and album
dant If there be way for it to pass of, when
exhausted, the process is complete. But the
usual construction of furnaces Is family. Placed
IN the eellsr, the only supply of air to be
warmed often comes from the cellar, and the
quantity Is limited, so that the air passing ND
Is oTerheSted and seems already scOrched AMI
exhausted before 1t reaches the people who are
20 brea.he it.
There are churches in our city, and every-
where else. in which the only supply of air l.
IRON small cellar, where furnsce is built.
Without any communication with the external
az. We know OF enc church where there il
sT enough, ard where a crowded congregation
= constantly refreshed by the breath of life.
Iaey keep awake Perhaps they think it is
iae preacher; perhaps he takes ali the glory to
himself Let him try preaching in the black
noie Of Calcutta, and see if he deserves all the
credit