The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1863-11-11
After the Sermon.

From tho article in the last AHontic, on
the Puritan Minister" wo extract the fol.
lowing
The sermon is over Tho more dcmoraL
ilod among tho little boys, whose sleepy
cyoB have been moro than once admonished
hy the harc's-iout wand of the cunstables-
the sharp paw in used for the boys, the soft
fur IL kept for tho smooth foreheads of
drowsy maidens look up thoroughly yawak.
cned now. Bright eyes glance from beneath
silk or tiffany hoods, for little intcrudo is
coming. Many things may happen in this
pause after the sermon. Questions may be
asked of the elders now, which the elders
may answer If they can. Some lay brother
may exercise" on text of Scripture.
rather scvcro exercise it sometimes turns
out. Candidates for the church may be
proposed. A baptism may tako place If
it be the proper month, tho laws against
prolaning tho Sabbath may be read or, far
more exciting new marriage may bo pub.
lishcd. Or darker scene may follow, and
an offending magistrate may bo requested
to stand upon II bench, in his worse gar
mcnts, with a foul linen cap drawn close to
his eyes, and acknowledge his sins before
the piouS people who rcvcrcncod him 80
latoly.
These things done, u deacon says, impress
Sivcly, Brethren, now there is timo for
contribution; wherefore, as God has pros
perod you so freely offer" Then the pco-
pie in tho galleries come down and march
two abreast, "up one aisle and down the
other, passing before the desk, where, in
u long pew" sit the elders and deacons.
Ono ot these holds u moncy.box, into which
the worshipors put their offerings, usually
varying from one to iivo shlliugs, accord.
ing to their ability and goodwill. Some
give paper pledges instead and others give |
other valuablcs, such az "a fair gilt Gun. |
with II cover for the communion service. |
Then comes psalm, read line after line, by |
some ono appointed out of the Bay Psalm |
Book, and sung by the people. These
psalms arc sung, regularly through, four |
every Sunday, and ten tunes compose the |
whole vocal range of the congregation. |
Then come the words, " Blessed arc thew
who hear tho word of tho Lord and keep it."
and thon tho bcnedicton.
And then the reverend divine descends !
from his desk and walks down tho aisle.
bowling gravely right and left to his people. |
not ono ot whom stirs till the minister has |
gone out and then tho assembly disperse. |
each TO his own home, unloss II be some
who have come from distance, and STAY to
eat their cold pork and peas in the meeting |
house.
Koll aside the panorama of tho three hours
Sunday service of two centuries ago, lest
that which was not called woarisomo to the
passing prove wearisome in the dclineation
now. II needed all this accumulation of
small details to show how widely tho cxter.
nails of New England church.going have
changed since those early DAYS. But what
must have been the daily life of that Puritan
minister for whom this cxhaustng service
was but ono portion of the task of lie
Truly they were "pious and painful preach
ers' then, as | have read upon stone in
the old Watcrtown graveyard; "princely
preachers Cotton Mathcr calls them. Mr..
Mather, III addition to preaching on Sun
day, and holding his ordinary lecture on
Thursday, preached thrice week besides,
on "Wednesday and Thursday early in the
morning, and on Saturday afternoon. He
also held daily lecture in his house, which
was at last abandoned, as being too much
thronged and frequent occasional days oc.
Cured in which he would spend six hours
- IN the word and in prayer" On his voy-
age to this country, he being accompanied
by two other ministers, they commonly had
three sermons "a day--ono after every meal.
lie was universal scholar aud walking
library; he studied twelve hours a dav.
and said he liked to Sweeten his mouth with
a piece OF Calvin before he went TO sleep.
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