Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1859-03-26
Sunday in Eofner Times. b 81


The Puritan Sabbath in The villages Of New
England commenced on Saturday afternoon.
No labor was performed on ihe evening which
preceded the Lords Day. Early on Sund Az
the blowing of horn IN some places an
nounesd that the hour OF worship was at
hand. La other villages q dag was hung ont
OF tho rude building occupied by the Church.
At Cambridge Grnm WAS beat in military
style at Salem bell indicated the opulenee
OF that settlement. 80
y ne public religious services commenced
at nine in the morning. a1d occupied from
SIX to eight hours, divided BY an intertnissiion
OF one hour for dinner. The ps6pls collected
quite punetually, as the law compelled their
attendance, and there was heavy fine for
any one that rode too fast to msetings. The
sexton called npon the minister and escorted
him 70 church in the same fashion that the
sheriff sSl nov conducts che Judge inte our State
courts. there were - pegs in ths church,
and the congregation had places assigned.
them upon the rnde benches, at the annual
town meeting, according to their sge, ilnpor>,
tance and social standing. A person was
fined if he occupied the seat of another
Our local histories reveal that pride, envy and
jealousy were active passions among the men
OF olden times, and it was delicate and diff
cult business to seat the meeting house as il
was quantity called.
Many of the early churches OF New Eng,
land had two ciergymen-one was called the
Pastor; the other, the Teacher. The sab.
bath services were as follows: The congre,
CATION assembled at an early hour-neyeF la
Ter than nine O'clock. After PRAYER. a chan.
ter from the bible was read BY one of the
ministers, and 'sxpounded' a. length. In
many of the churches however, the Bible was
not read at all, and it took years of agitation
to carry that Innovation A psalm in metre
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 introS
ductory services.
The baptisms cases of church discipline.
and collections, always took place in the sf-
ternosn. The 'loDg' prayer usually occupied
from an hour to an hour and a half, and many
OF the sermons of this period make from
hundred to hundred and fifty pages. There
was q contribution every Sunday, preceded by
an appeal from one of the deacons. The
boxes were not carried round, but the con.
gregation arose and proceeded 10 the dsacon's
seat and deposited their offerings. Tie mag
istrates and brief gentlemen walked up first,
the elders next, aud then followed the scomt
mon people, This ceremony occupied much
time. Besides the money given, persons
brought various useful articles aud goods as
offerings. The collections were distributed
by the descons to the ministers and the poor.
The trials Of ecclesiastical offenders, at the
close of the services, often afforded much ex>
otement and amusement, for some offences, a
particular dress was worn and the confess
siOns' of the offender was heard with much
interest. Oftentimes the public service was
continued until after the benediotion, the
ministers passed out of the church, bowing 10
the people on both sides of the aisle, as they
all sat in silence until the clergymen and
their families had gone out Few persons,
we Imagine, would be willing to go back 10
these Sunday ceremonies of the Puritan Sab
bath. 1t is wise to adopt the religious insti>
tutions of each age to the customs of the Pc
riod aud the usages of the same.
Boston Transcript