Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-01-23
Church Etiquette.


To-day is Sunday, and we fear that
many Of our readers who we take are
all church gOers, are not quite 50 per-
feet as they might be in church Ell
quette. For their benefit we make a
few extracts from the LynchbuTg
(Na.) AeUs, which Journal originates a
few rules governing those who attend
divine worship. Our cOtemporary re-
marks, co pQssdHt, s'that there is no
etiquette for any place ike the ETH
quette Of common sense; it avails
when the rules Of the Chesterfields
and Hiekmans often make one ridieu-
IOus. In entering church, then, with
a lady, preeede her when ascending
and descending stairs, a. also in seek
ing a seat. In one east it is especially
pOiite-you act as a sort pa shield to
her mOdesty. and then you save her
the confusion Of soliciting q pew. 1t
IS proper, if you are a believer. to
kneel or stand at prayer, according to
the custom Of the church. To disre-
gard these is vulgar-at least it shows
too much false pride, or too little rev.
erence for the requirements OF Chris
tianity. Excessive whispering dur
ing service is decidedly vulgar. 1t is
sometimes necessary to address an
undeTtOne remark to your companion
or companions, but seldom. Listen
to the servlce-especially the sermon.
In this age Of church opera, called mU-
sic, you eannOthelp hearing that part
/ Of the ceremony. 1t would wake up
Van Wrinkle. But the sermon YOU
may sleep over or disregard. It Is
wrong. AppeartO hear if you do not.
4 good way Is, when the minister is
dull, and you can't listen-which hap
pens often enough to make q rule-tO
study p~hrenolOgy; examining the
bumps OF heads before you. An hour
may be passed thus politely and
pleasantly If You chew tobacco, do
/ not use it in church. II T. ANNOYING
to those around you, and then the
sexton gives you Jesse. Never leave
church during service, unless 10 is alb
sOluteIy n~ecessary-as in sickness, 81
I house on fire, or e professional cali. 1t
is vulgar to come late. Sometimes it
is unavoidable; a person wishes to dis-
play a neW dress, Watch-chaiu, OF per-
haps a beau. 1t viii occur sometimes
that a poor goose wants to be driven
from his seat-then it is proper
& tfl0uZlA Al-Ds lEE-E tIASE- anu the
like excuse late coming, and the con-
gregatiOn endure them. ANY other
delay is uncomfortable. Dress as plain
Iy as possible. We don't mean that
a lady should appear in her morning
wrapper % a gentleman in his shirt
sleeves, A nice medium is the thing
mall matters-ladies should not be Ia
ken for milliRer's show eases nor gen
tlemen for bejewelled and Heck-tied
monkeys. \ plebeian GOES to church
to show fine clothes, an a~ristOCrat To
| show respect tOGOd. Ineutering and
I leaving the house, don't walk too slow
like the shOddies, nor too fast like the
bashfuls. In the one ease people ridi-
eule you for affection; in the other
7 there is danger OF knocking down the
pews or of running over somebody.
''Hasten slowly" When you look
around too much in church, people
think you want to show your profile,
or that you want to attract attention
to your style, or that you want to
marry, or tl1t, like poor wheat, there
/ is not weight enough about your head
to keep it still. Don't look too pious
in church. either-it IS rs suspicious as
too much levity. Religious worship
l is neither a Joke nor emetic. If you
feel extraordinarily devotional, begin
to think about putting something in
the treasury, and it viii shorten your
face quickly, and spread Oyer it the
pleasant look Of duty.