The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1886-03-10
CHURCH MANNERS.
A Few Suggestions as to How We should
DepOrt Ourselves when In the Lords
House.

Deport Ourselves when IN the LORDS
House.
1. If your pew be rented and some
stranger be in it, never show him out,
nor allow your countenance to exhibit
the least regret at his being in your
seat In your heart thank God that he
is there; and no matter if he comes in
rags, keep him there, and let no men,
Der of your family take his place. Find
seat among those who know you.
Those who are near you and discover
your condition will make room for you
rapidly.
2. If it is a free church, put
Yourself in the hands of an usher,
| and say not one word. Sit down
| where he seats YOU. He has studied the
church and knows best. Ii you insist
| upon seating yourself, you may enter a
| pew in which YOU will leave only one
vacancy; then if a man and his wife
come and wish to sit together, you sep
| arate them. If there be anything
| special in your case, as hardness of
| hearing, or a weak limb, then you
should inform the usher and let him Sc
| lect your seat
5. In dressing for the church. pre-
pare yourself 10 throw off youT wrap
| pings when you enter the pew. If you
have on clothing to protect you against
| the cold, and enter q church warmed
| with stove or register, you will soon
| become uncomfortable and restless.
| Study how You are to be as comfort
| able in the church as in your own
| house, and do not let any false mod
esty prevent YOU from rising to pull oil
| your oyercoat, or sacque, or shawl.
4. Take care how youus fans. Nine
tenths of tanning is unnecessary. You
! would be more comfortable if YOU
would sit still and be quiet. The most
of tanning is in an expression OF gen.
eral business of temper. Moreover, il
may annoy your neighbor. We heard
| a physician say ''that he thought that 8
large amount of the prevalent neural
| Ola was due to the Use of fans in church,
and fell. not on those who famed, but
upon some of their neighbors. We
| have often heard the remark: Il got
little good of the sermon yesterday, be-
cause of the lady next to me, who
| famed me till Twas almost in shiVer."
What would you think of your min
lister if he should fan himself while
! preaching?
5. Conform to the usages of the con-
gregation; stand when they stand:
kneel when they kneel. If you are &
stranger, do not make haste to change
yous position. Do not rise, nor sit
nor kneel, until you discover what is
done in the congregation In youl
church it NAV be different. You may
be accustomed to kneel just after the
singing of HYMN. But some Sunday
NAV find YOU in church where the con
gregation might, after the singing o.
the HYMN and before the prayer. con
tinue standing until they had repeated
the creed. 1t would be awkward fol
you to sit down or kneel, and be com
PEELED to rise and repeat the creed, OIL
keep in posture that would make yOu
conspicuous.
6. Be attentive 70 strangers. If YOU
are settled m a church, keep supply
of hymn-books and Bibles, and hanC
| them TO those who are strangers. Elk
tend your hand to the stranger ut tht
close of the service. Invite him t.
come again and occupy your pew
Offer to make him acquainted witt
your pastor. 1t is no excuse for yol
to say .'that you do not know him.
That is the very reason for speaking t.
him in church.
Z. Lastly. Do not commence t
gather up your outer garments unit
the entire service has been concluded
A short time since we were in one o
the best known churches in America
whose popular pastor closed the serv
ice by saying: Now let us close b
singing the long-measnre doxology
pronounce the benediction and resum
our overcoats." The programme
struck us as correct, and its intimatiol
as practical, but we greatly regret tn
state of church manners which mad
the pastor think such thing appro
propriate DR.. C. +. Deems, u
Pulpit Treasury.