Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-07-04
The Proper Manner of Sleeping In
Church.

Church.
Some vain persons having been so weak
and wicked rs to raise question upon
the merits of the case-yea, they have
gone so far as to say that sleeping in
church, so far from being a duty, is so alb
solutely, and to all intents and purposes, a
sin. They allege that the church was
built for the purpose of divine worship,
and it is an insult to our Creator to 90 to
sleep in it. They further allege that it is
disrespectful to the speaker and TO our
selves to do so. This is going dreadful
length, and only another Of the radical
and extreme tendencies of the age. What !
that a sin, which has existed in the church
from the days of the apostles themselves !!
even under Paul's preaching! You re-
member the striking example Of the
worthy young man Entychus, A sin, in
deed 1t is not sensible act in me to
waste time and arguments upon such vain
cavilers. The uniform practice of the
church Especially on warm ahernoons)
for eighteen hundred years is decisive.
Assuming, then, shat it is a duty let us
consider the manner of performing it. |
hold that, like all other Christian prac-
tees, there ought to be uniformity in the
manner. We find it in all the other parts
of the worship e., all sit while the ser
mon is being delivered-all stand or knee
when prayer is offered. Way, then,
should those who are engaged in offering
up sleep worship not conform to some one
attitude?
lst-lt is an improper manner Of per-
forming this duty to rod, and for the
plain reason that the worshiper attracts
too much attention. Now, we are every
where taught to avoid ostentatious display
in our worship. The Pharisees were con
demned for praying at the corners of the
streets, that they might be seen OF men.
On the same principle, the noddipg wor-
shipper is condemned, for he is making too
public display of his devotions- Those
in his immediate vicinity, instead Of at
tending to their own worship, are lost in
admiration Of the profound state in which
his devotional meditatons have placed
him. Peradventure they may envy his
condition and thereby break the tenth
commandment.
2d-Nor IS it proper to snore in the
performance Of his dNty-partly for the
foregoing reasons; bus mainly because it is
direct infraction Of the golden rule.
Suppose, for instance, that your next
neighbor is asleep; by your snoring he
will be disturbed, probably awakened.
This, you perceive, is not doing to others,
as You would that they should do to
you.
3d. deem it unchristan to sleep with
the head thrown back and the mouth wide
open. 1t is wrong to inJure ones health
while offering worship; and all physicians
admit that such a position is liable to pro-
duce sore throat and hoarseness. Besides,
flies sometimes get into the mouth on such
occasions aud by their injurious explora-
tons tickle the delicate membranes and
cause horrible sternutations and coughing,
which | am told are very injurious to
health.
4tb--To sleep with head resting on the
arms of the worshiper. and the face buried
up in the cuffs of the coat, is the most i'm
proper way of offering sleep worship.
First, because it is also injurious to health,
and IS altogether very unsafe way of
performing the duty; and second, and main
ly, because it is a 8in-a direct violation
of the Scriptures which command US to let
our light shine that men may profit by our
example. In this case it is impossible to
know whether the Christian worshper is
asleep or awake 1t is positive case of
lukewarmness; neither the one thing nor
the other
My cogitations have well nigh ex-
hausted the SUBJECT. Let me then say
that the only truly pious way of perform
ing the important duty of sleeping in
church is, to sit upright, face to the min
lister, e8chewing nodding, snoring and ex-
| rrassinns Of tho bod