Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-06-28
M1istellaueuns &eading.
SOCIETY AND CHURCH MANNERS.

When we are to make one of social
gathering at a friends house, we are careful
to be on hand at the time appointed. We
would not think Of entering party after
the music had begun, or of going to din
ing after the other guests had sat down to
! the table. How much less a breach OF good
manners is it to be behind at church, to en-
ter the house of God after the solemn ser
vice to his name has begun? Those good
men and women who are habitually "a lit
tie late" at the sanctuary would not, for the
same reasons, be guilty of the same discour-
tesy anywhere else. There is no reasonable
excuse for constant tardiness in church 60
| ing. No disrespect for the service is intend.
ed. But the thOughtless, negligent spirit
which allows it is itself disrespectful and
dshonorable to all concerned.
Were we invited to a neighbor's home to
hear his daughter play, or his son recite GER
| tain pieces, we should feel bound to give at
tention. 'Twould be due to our neighbor
and to our own acceptance of his invitation,
| to listen to the music or the recitation. We
should think it quite out of taste to be look
ing idly about and manifesting entire indif-
ference to the exercise. And to betake us to
talking and laughing with those sitting by,
to quite turn away from all attention to the
friends effort to entertain us-that would
be regarded, and would be positive insult
to our neighbor and to the whole transac--
ton. Such a violation of all etiquette and
decorum, no we'll bred man would or could
be guilty of. Is it becoming, then, to sit in
Gods house, when his messenger is speak
ing to us, staring listlessly and vacantly
around? ? Is it a seemly thing, when the
minister of God labors not merely to enter
tain but to instruct us, to show, by our de-
meanor, the utmost Indifference to all that
is being said, and to pass the time in chat
ting and jesting, exchanging trivial and
even jovial observations? What less is this
than to despise the Most High and express
our contempt to his face? AS well turn the
house of God, as his temple of old was turn
ed, into place of buying and selling as in
to place for diversion. Who, of all the
weekly worshippers at God House, would
at a social meeting be found asleep What
are the habits and circumstances that one
would be willing to plead as extenuating
such behavior "in cOmpany"? How is it,
then, that good men are ready opardon and
even justify themselves for taking a nap in
church? How is it that, oftentimes, the
drowsy feelings are at once accepted as the
inevitable, and one is seen willingly COM
posed to slumber
When, in company, one is addressing
us-relating an incident or making even
dry statement-We do not take off our eyes
or attention to see every new accession to
the party. For respect to him who is ad-
dressing us, we repress our curiosity II 1T
stir in us. But at church not man,
not a child, can enter after service has
begun, but we must see who the party is and
where he finds seat. Such anxious turn
ing and twisting of heads and necks are
seen nowhere else as at church, during the
preaching. Few ministers have not had as
good occasion to do as Henry Clay Dean is
said to have done once. Observing hispeo-
pie again and again turning to see the new
comers, he stopped in his sermon and said,
"NoW you listen to me and l will tell you
who the people are, as each one comes in!"
And so he did,
Is not God more than man? Is not his
house and its assemblies more than our
neighbours house and any assembly that can
gather there? Are not bad manners, that
are SO iealously avoided in society, to be
more stunned and put far from US, in the
sanctuary of the Lord? Every intelligent
person, old or young as we'll, knows what
is decorous and seemly at church, as what
is becoming in society. And not to know
how to behave ourselves in the house OF God
is to treat Him with irreverence. Nothing
that is unseemly there is trifing. TO be ILL
behaved there is to be vain or profane
person. For every idle word and deed, for
every sort of depol tI.ent out OF keeping
with the holy place, rlel shall give account
in the day Of judgme: Negative SINS"
says Prof. Phelps, "are. >inetimes most in
tensely sinful Heedless sins are sometimes
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