The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-03-10
Sunday in Former Days.

! Sunday in Former Days.
The Puritan Sabbath in the villages
of New England commenced on Satur-
day afternoon. Nolabor was performed on
the evenings which preceded the Lord S
Day. Early on Sunday morning the
blowing of horn in some places an
nounced that the hour of worship was at
hand. In other villages flag was hung
out of the rude building occupied by the
church. At Cambridge a drum was
beat in military style; at Salem bell
indicated the opulence of that settlement.
The public religious services usually
commenced at nine o'clock in the morn
ing, and usually occupied from six to
eight hours, divided by an intermission
of one hour for dinner. The people col
lected quite punctually.k and the law
compelled their attendance, and there
was heavy fine for any one who rode
too fast to meeting The sexton called
upon the minister and escorted him to
church in the same fashion t,,lat the
sheriff now conducts the Judge into our
State Courts.
There were no pews in the church,
and the congregation had places assign
ed them upon the rude benches, at the
annual town meetings, &C cording to their
age, importance, and social standing. A
person was fined, if he occupied the
seat of another. O UT local history re-
veals that pride, envy and jealousy were
active passions among the men of olden
times, and it was delicate and difficult
business to :" seat the NEE tinghouse," as
it was quantity called.
Many of the early churches of New
England had two clergymen-one, who
was called the pastor; the other the
Teacher. The Sabbath services were
as follows: The congregation assembled
at an early hour-never later than o
o'clock. After prayer, a chapter of the
Bible was read by one of the ministers,
and expounded" at length. In many
of the churches, however, the bible was
not read at all, and it took years of agi-
tation to carry that innovation"
A psalm in meter was next sung.
which was dictated, line by line, to the
congregation this service was usually
performed by one of the deacons. The
preacher did not take part in the intro
ductory services. The baptisms, cases
of church discipline, and collections, al
ways took place in the afternoon. The
4" long" prayer usually occupied from an
hour to an hour and half, and many of
the sermons of this period make from a
hundred to hundred and fifty pages
There was contribution every Sunday,
which was always preceded by re-
marks from one of the deacons. The
boxes were not carried around, but the
congregation proceeded to the dea-
cons seat, and deposited their offerings.
The magistrate and "brief gentlemen"
walked up first, the elders next, and
then the " common people, the cere-
mony occupies much time. Besides the
money given, persons brought various
useful articles and goods as offerings.-
The collections were distributed by the
deacons to the ministers aud the poor.
The trials of ecclesiastical offenders,
at the close of the services, often afforded
much excitement and amusement for
some offences a particular dress was
worn, and the confessions of the Of
fender were heard with much interest.
Oftentimes the public services were
continued until after sunset. After the
- - IL - '-s-'-~- s>aesad out of
the church, bowling to the people on
both sides of the aisle, as they sat in ST.
lence until tie clergymen and their fam
lilies had gone out Few persons, we
imagine, would be willing to go back to
these Sunday ceremonies of the Puritan
..n Do, .1sanseript.
Plate and Cane TO Mr.. Giddings.
,,u-st,,..Ess.
The MaScrs. Cali iawalarS of this city