The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-04-03
Behavior in Church.

minister to himself, Let me begin with
some things that are rot Of the highest
Importance, and which yet have an inhu-
ence for good or evil.
There" he continued musingly, ''is
the matter of behavior in church. If l
should speak to the people on this subject
with the plainness with which they some
times take me in hand, they would, 1 fear,
he not little offended. Applying crit
ical glass even Of low magnfying power,
there are, however, many defects TO be
seen. Here are some of the things l
would say, provided it were expedlent for
me to speak my mind.
81 should say first of all: My dear
sisters, do not use the house of God as
the place for the display Of dress or
adornment. Now please understand me.
I know tha, some of you are in moderate
circumstances. You have nothing better
than that which you must wear to church.
Your gown, your wrap is the only one
suitable to wear in public. am not
speaking to you, unless, as | suspect is at
times the case, you have put more than
you could really afford into these gar
ments TO make q brave show, and have
crampcd your benevoleuce accordingly.
But this is matter for you to settle with
your Maker, not with me.
"But there are some of you in easy
circumstances. You dress elaborately,
richly. But in the discharge of your
social duties you have opportunity for all
the display Of dress that you need. lam
putting the matter, you see, OH tie low
est level. Gods house is no place for
such display.
81 beg you wear tbither your plainest
garb, and dispense with all costly adorn-
ments. l can assure you that the atmos.
phere of richness which your elaborate
attire creates repels some, at least, from
the church. They think-pcrhaps
wrongly, perhaps richly-that their
presence in their enforced plaiuness of
dress is not desired.
81 am not arguing here the question of
social equality. simply bear my testi-
mony to what l know, namely that the
over, costly dressing of some Christian
women keeps their less favored sisters
from tn house Of God. 1t ought not to
do so but it does!
"It is not, however, to the ladies alone
that speak BY no means. Mr.. b,
if should visit you in your house, would
you, if my visit happened to be q little
protracted, yawn in my face, or tidget
about as if you were extremely uncom-
Portable, or draw out your watch every
few minutes to give me hint that time
is passing? You know you would not.
Whatever you might say Of me when l
was gone, you would hold your own
reputation for politeness in too much
regard to indulge in such conduct. Yet
you do all these ungracious things in
church, and seem to have no sense of
shame iu regard to them. And they are
not few that do likewise. Do you
know how it he ps the preacher to see
even one pair Of eyes fixed attentively
upon him? On the other hand, do you
know how it throws, as it we're, q wet
blanket over him when you 6dget and
yawn and snap your watch case in his
ear? Az, Bro. b, you have more
than once come near throwing me from
the track of my discourse. You have
taken the enthusiasm and glow all cut of
me. You did not mean to do anything
unbecoming a gentleman, much less
Christian. But you did. You allowed
yourself to forget those common courte-
sizes which one gentleman owes to anoth'
er, because you happened to be in the
church instead Of in your rarlor or mine.
Is this right, Bro. B.?
"Then, AM tempted to wonder" said
the minister to himself half sarcastical-
ly, half sorrowfully, "why time is reck-
ored to be so brief that there must be an
almost frenzied struggle into ovcrcoais
and wraps while the last hymn is being
sung or the last prayer being offered, or
even the solemn words of the bencdic-
ton descending. II can not take more
than one minute by the most elastic COM
putatiou, 10 put on the most refractory
outer garment. And another minute for
overshoes, if necessary. Can you net
afford these two minutes at the utmost,
after the service, rather than to steal
them from the sacred time of hymn or
benediction? There ought to be a rever-
ent pause for an appreciable time after
the service concludes before the hum Of
departure begins"
"!And thep," and the minister spoke
to himself with much feeling, "beware of
those moments of departure from the
church and of the homeward walk.
Then cometh the devil, and takcth away
the word out of their hearts, lest they
should believe and be saved Yes, you
may utter the friendly salutation, may
extend the cordial greeting and welcome,
you may make the kind inquiry. But
ycu should do it all in subordination to
the spirit of the hour; you should do it
so that s,uls may be won, not repclled
from the truth. That walk down the
aisle, on the homcward path-how often
along it have solemn impressions been
dis.ipatel? Th,re is no need OF sa1cti-