The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1860-04-19
miscellaneous
'The Old Nee ting House, - Old
Churches, &c.

We sec it mentioned, that in Lisbon,
Ct, there is q church edfce more than
a hundred years old. 1t has never been
repaired upon the inside, nor were the
pews ever painted or remodeled. The
pulpit is on the side of the house in
stead Of the end, and there is a sound
ing board over it, and the deacons' seat
is directly in front The pews are the
old fashioned, square kind, and the gal
lery is the old style; with the tything
mems seats in conspicuous places The
audience are descendants Of the former
worsbipers there; and the house, the
pastor, and the people present probably,
on Sundays, as good specimen of the
worship of the "fathers" as can be found
eztant in New England. There are
very few of these old meeting houses
yet left, most Of them having been re-
placed by edi6ces built in the modern
style, though almost every one of mid
die age, especially if "raised' in the
country, will remember the old meet
iug-house with the parsonage close by,
the "singing-saats" opposite the pulpit;
the sounding board over head, and the
long faced deacOns seated below, with
the baptismal font, &c. There was
much Of true piety and unaffected de-
votional feeling in the congregations
worshipping in these Puritanic meeting
houses; and we hope that it is also true,
that the modern worshipers, who have
taken their places, have not degenerat-
ed in this respect.
Speaking Of old church buildings,
the Christ Church in Cambridge, which
is considered a model in architecture,
(the design was brought from Italy,)
was built in 1850, and is therefore
nearly a hundred years old, During
the revolutionary war, the building was
turned into a barracks, and its beautiful
organ demolished-melted into bullets.
1t has been occasionally repaired, new
pews put in, &C., and though of course
it bears marks of age, it is mtilI a fine
building, and so symmetrical or we'll
proportioned a one it all its parts, that
its architectural beauty is sure to attract
the attention of strangers, who pass
near it.
tits stated that the very oldest church
cdifoo now standing in the United States
is one near Smithfeld, Isle of Wight
county, Va. 1t was built in the reign
of Charles l. between the years 1880
and 1886. The brick, lime and timber
were imported from England. The
timber is English oak, and was framed
in England. The structure is of brick,
erected in the most substantial manner.
The mortar has become so hardened
that it will strike fire in collision with
steel. The old Lutheran Church in
Winchester, Va, lately destroyed by
FIRE, was built in 1854. 1t was oooupi-
ed during the Revolution by British
Hessian prisoners, and was one Of the
old relics which every one desired to
have hold on as long as it possibly
could.
1t may be mentioned as an interesting
fact in this connection, that the old
church edifce in which the Pilgrims
worshiped when at Leyden, from 1909
to 1920, is said to be still standing,
though it has been enlarged in one di-
rection. The old stone paved floor, the
oaken pews, aud the pulpit of the same
material, and the sounding board above
it, still remain as when Robinson and his
followers made use Of them.