Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-11-01

olC odUDttIi, tlu DUN IOoI Ill tuO
fields. A religion destitute of homes
| ty has not much to commend it. Let
me not be understood as saying that
there is no sincerity in the Church.
On the contrary, in the Church Of
England are some earnest, able, sin
cere, God fearing men, who are labor
ing zealously for the promotion of the
| Christian religion, but the abuses of
the system are glaring, and unless
they are rectifed will bring dry rot to
the Church.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCOTCH IRISH.
There are no people more tenacious
of old customs than the Scotch and
their brethren, the Scotch Irish; |
have been much amused by the stories
told by individuals here. In the Pres
byterian churches the paraphrasiacal
Psalms are still used, and probably
will be used so long as there is
Scotchman on the face of the earth.
One energetic and wide awake young
minister, Rev. Mr.. Hannay, having
built up a flourishing Sunday School,
introduced the American Sunday
School songs such as are sung every
Sabbath by the thousands of children
in the United States. The gunpowder
plot in the time of Guy Fawkes could
not have produced greater consterna-
ton. Church meetings were held, the
innovation denounced as most hetero-
dox and dangerous to the peace, sta
bility and welfare of the church. 1t
was the opening of the foodgate which
would let in error, and eventually
swamp the church. Rev. Mr.. Hannay
is man of pluck, and he determined
to carry out what he had begun
The children were all on his side.
They liked the lively, stirring songs,
the rich melodies of the new better
than the slow dragging of the old.
The war became exceedingly fierce
and ended in the secession of one-half
of the church.
But others came in to make their
places good, and the result has been
the building up of one of the largest
congregations in Belfast. | took the
opportunity to visit this school-com-
posed of 400 scholars-one main
school and four branches. On Thursday
evening last the five schools assem-
bled in Ulster Hall. building more
capaciouS than your own Music Hall,
and surprising it in beauty. 1t was
an anniversary meeting and the school
came with a great variety of banners.
Five thousand people were present
every inch OF standing room occupied.
1t was glorious singing-l400 voices
not given with the vigor and anima-
ton characteristic of that in the Unit
ed States, but such as never before
was heard in Belfast. The papers
the next morning were loud in their
praise. 1t was called unique af,
fairw Something new" Rev. Mr.
Hannay, by his persistence, has broken
the crust. His Sabbath school will be
more popular than ever.
: One feature of the evening was the
distribution of refreshments, in con.
nection with which | have to narrate
an incident which will show that not
withstanding the great emigration
from Ireland the native wit has not
departed. Mr.. Hannay, although a
young man, is quite bald headed. II
so happened that the refreshments rar
short and he informed hungry mass
) of boys that he had nothing to give
, them unless he gave them his hand
? kerchief.
2 Couldn't you give US lock of youl
D hair ?" was the ready question of al
urchin before him, which set the house
t in a roar at the reverend gentleman
D expense.
: The Scotch are noted for their stric
q observance of the Sabbath in some
! things, while they seem to be who'll,
o oblivious to their inconsistency il
{ others. At hotels in Scotland tn
e waiter will ask you with solemn coun
G tenance on Saturday afternoon wha
d you will have for your dinner on Sun
t day. If you wish for roast beef o
roast chicken, or anything roasted 0
J. boiled; it must he cooked Saturda
$ evening. You can have a chop 0
: steak cooked on Sunday, anythin
d fried or broiled, but nothing roasted
: | am not able to understand why the
V should draw judicial line between
+ fry and roast, between boil and
J. broil. .. .
" A gentleman informs me that
o friend of his was travelling among tn
" Scotch and passed the Sabbath in on
| Of the large towns where the day
kept with great strictness. His frien
N is an accomplished organist, and sea
d ed himself at piano-forte and con
5. menced playing music suitable for th
N day. The landlord was behind b
R. bar in his shirt sleeves dealing oil
ID whisky to thirsty crowd, when, hea
d. ing the tones of the piano he rushe
y up stairs in a state of terrible excit
p ment, exclaiming:
IN ''Hush! hush mani Have ye fo
IN got what day it is? Do ye not kno
e, ye are breaking the Sabbath I? N
ut neighbors will think | have gone stal
mad if permit snch doings in N
ne house on the holy day.
If 1t is all right and proper to Sc
I'd whisky-to get gloriously drunk G
er Sunday, but to play sacred meloe
or On a piano-forte is an unpardonab
in desecration of the day.