Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1860-01-03

Sunday In Former Times.
The Puritan Sabbath in the villages Of
New England, commenced on Saturday
afternoon. No labor was performed on
i the evening which proceeded the Lords
Day. Early on Sunday morning the
blowing of horn in some places an
nounced that the hour Of worship was al
hand. In other villages a. flag was hung
out of the rude building occupied by the
Church. At Cambridge drum was beat
in military style. At Salem bell indi-
Gated the opulence of that settlement
The public religious services usually
commenced at 9 IN the morning, and oc-
cupied from six to eight hours, divided by
an intermission of one hour for dinner
The people collected quite punctually, as
the law compelled their attendance, and
there was heavy fine for any one that
rode to fast too meetings. The sexton
called upon the minister and escorted him
| to church in the same manner that the
Sheriff now conducts the Judge into our
tEState Courts. There were no pews il
the church, and the congregation had
places assigned them upon rude benches,
at the annual meeting, according to their
age, Importance and social stasadfng. A
person was fined if he occupied the seat
Of another. Our local histories revealed
that pride, envy and jealousy were active
passions among the men of olden times,
and it was delicate and difficult business
to aseat the meeting house, 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 al
an early hour-neyer later than nine
oiclock. After prayer, a chapter from
! the Bible was read by one Of the minis
tiers, and 'sexpounded's at 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 congregations
this service was usually performed by one
of the deacons.s The preacher did not
ttake part in this Introductory services.
Thebaptism, cases of church discipline
and collections, always took place in the
afternoon The "long" prayer usually
occupied from an hour to an hour and a
half, and many of the sermons of this pc
4 riod make from a hundred to a hundred
and fifty pages. There was contribu-
]tion every Sunday, proceeded by an ap-
peal from one of the deacons. The boxes
we're not carried around, but the congre-
cation arose and proceeded to the dea-
Icons seat, and deposited their offerings
/ The mag agistrates and ssbriet gentlemen
walked up first, the eldest next, and ther
esllez:ea the sseoas.assa;l esalss Feere;
I ls6Dy occupied much time. Besides thu
hDney given, persons brought various
useful articlessand goods as offerings
The collections were distribated by the
deacons to the ministers end the poor.
4 The trials ofecclesiastical offenders, u
the close of the servicea often afforded
much excitement and amusement; fol
jsdme offenses particular dress was worn
/ and the, sseonfessions" of the offenders
were heard with much interest. Often
time the public services were continued
uEtil after sunset. After the benediction
the ministers passed out of the church
bowling to the people on both sides of thf
aisle, as they sat in silence until the cler
Egyman and their families had gone out
Few persons, we imagine, would be will
ling to go back to these Sunday eeremo
nies ofthe Puritan Sabbath. Its wise t
adopt the religious institutions of eael
age to the customs Of the period and th'
usages of the same.-Bostoa Transcript