Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-12-13


tion,. however, only added to the
dominance of the bane. The Clio
rious and Protestant Revolution
rendered it permanent; until, save
in its cathedrals, and not, perhaps,
escaping entirely in all Of them,
the Church Of England became u
perfect pewdom.
Pews are, however, only the ag-
grayated degree and most offensive
form of what is, under all forms
and in every degree, an otfense
against Christian brotherhood. 1t
is easy, perhaps, to show that, as
the sermon became the center of
inspiration to the chnrch-goers, the
pew was deemed essential to the
church interior. The ascetic Fakir,
we are told, in his state Of devout
Information, needs merely a cup
bard to be put away in while the
mold gathers upon him; the reyel-
ers around the Golden Calf must
have needed little more than room
to skip; bhe old-fashioned, man oil
| prayer needs little else than space
/ to bmeel; and so the sermon-bibber
requires snug place where he can
sit "under" the object Of his more
immediate devotion, or yield-if he
yield to any-to the drOwsy god
But t he first downward step was
taken when squire, or parson, OF
franklin was allowed to call a
square yard Of the sacred floor his
own.
Diceret haec mea sunt, veteres migrate cOlOni,
The usurping lord of the surface
proceeded to entrench himself in
his newly-gctten domain, and his
pew was his castle. Then, OF
course, came door with brass plate
and lock and key; and, with the
increase of civilization, stove, with
poker, shovel, and tongs, an um,
brella-stand, or sofa, or bell-pull
might follow in due order.
But quite in the end Of the sew
enteenth century we have the first
account of pewrents. This, thC
latest triumph of abuse, may be
said to have rivitel the whole in.
iquily with the sure links of mon
4 eyed interest. Pew-rents are t.
Professionalism what the sale Of in,
dulgences was to the Papacy. An(
| when things are at their worst they
mend. Here, then, we hope tht
reawakening spirit Of free brother
hood viii find the remedy; for We
believe there is hardly an instance
on record of the substitution o.
the 0Gertory having failed wherever
it has had fair trial, whereas
there are instances out of number
of the resoprce of pew-rents having
left The church to dilapiaation anC
( the incumbent to threadbare de
pendcRoy, Nor is this otherwisr
than as it should be, if the onc
appeals to the principle Of CHART,
and the other to that Of mammon
OF the endless bickering and rival
~, which the latter system foster
among ihe congregation, we vii
cite only one instance, because tn
humor Of it sheds 9 balm amids
/, the ill-odor Of its unch lfitableness
\ A sources consent was asked b
erect o seat behind his own into tn
7 dignity of a pew; but it was foun,
, that the new pew, being backed b,
! the church wall, would afford n
rest literally for the soles of tn
+ feet of the tenant but by thei
= projecting under the squire's sea
. who, on making the discover!
Q Indignantly resisted such a gros
E infringement of his rights, 9as HI
grandfather had always placed hi
- hat under the seat of that yer
G pew"
tits proprietorship, however qua
/. ifel, in which all such fretful eyi
: begin, and by keeping out the righI
8 of the individual we can alone COZ
a serve the rights of all. 1t is tw
b centuries ago-quite in the infanc
c Of this gigantic abuse of later day
y that George Herbert says; "A
9 equal are within the churches gate
C His words express, indeed, ii
n whole theory Of English commo
e law on the subject. The area
e The church floor ut piscibus aequo
g is the equal freehold of all the pa
'e ish IL may b. curtailed, usurpel