The Osceola times., 1886-09-11
BUSY IN CHURCH.
How Clergy and People Smoked
and Took Snuff.

Amongst the 'things not generally
known to the present generation is
that smoking has been indulgcd in in
the churches of Great Britain. in var
ious parts OF the continent -particu-
larly in the Netherlands in South
America. 1t is nevertheless true. 1t
must not, however, be inferred from
this statement that the practice was so
general amongst the male portion of
the congregation as il is in the "Smok-
ing concerts of our day, or that the
fairer sex participated in the "wocd"
dnring the performance of Divine wor-
ship. The practice prevailed, let us
hope, to only very limited extent:
but that it had been carried
ON in church during the delivery
Of the sermon, in the church immcdi-
ately after service, and in the vestry
during the holding of service. and at
other times, there is reliable evidence
20 prove. In England and Scotland.
smoking in religious cdihccs was prac-
ticed more or less during the greater
portion Of last century, if not the whole
OF it, and down into the present century.
In Dutch and South American churches.
smoking has been INDUCED in down TO
very recent period Snuh-taking in
churches is a practice which is common
throughout the European continent. 1t
has also prevailed in the churches of
both England and Scotland for % long
period; but the snufl-takcrs in places Of
worship Of to-day are not so dcmonstra-
tive as were those of "the good old
times Of wh'chwe read and hear about,
but fail to realize.
Readers of Sir Walter Scott NAV re-
member that mention is made IN The
Heart OF Midlothiaua' of a smoker of
considerable local importance. named
Duncan of Knockduuder. OF him it is
written; $50 soon as the congregation
were seated after prayers, and the clcr-
gyman had read his text. the gracious
Duncan, after rummaging the leathern
purse which hung in front Of his petit
coat. produced "a short tobacco-pipc
made of iron, and observed almost
aloud: 4 hac forgotten my spleuchan
(tobacco-pouclD. Lachl1n. gang down
20 the clachan aud bring meup penny
worth of twist. Six arms, the nearest
within reach, presented. with an obcdi-
ent start, rs many tobaccoloUches TO
the man of office. lie made choice of
one with a nod Of acknowledgment
filed his pipe, lighted it with the assis-
tancc of his pi.tol-1int, and smoked
with infinite composure during the
whole time Of the sermon. At the end
OF the discourse, he knocked the ashes
out of his Pipe, replaced il in his spor-
ran, returned the tobaccopouch to its
owner, and joined in the prayer with
dcccncy and attention.
IN volume of letters written by Rev
John Disney, Of Swindcrby, Lincoln
shire. to James Granger, is a commu-
nication bearing the date December l3,
1873. in which this passage occurs:
"rhe affair happened in st. Mary's
Church, in Nottingham, when Arch
bishop Blackburn. of York, was there
on q visitation The Archbishop had
ordered some OF the apparitors, orother
attendants, to bring him pipes and to-
bacco and some liquor into the yestry
for his rcfrcshment after the fatigue
of confirmation. And thi, coming to
Mr.. Disncy's cars, he forbade their be-
ing brought ththcr. and with bccom-
ing spirit demonstrated with the Arch
bishop upon the improperly Of his c,Nn-
duct at the same time telling his Gracc
that his vcStry should not be converted
into smoking-room.' Mr.. Disney
was grandfather 10 the writer Of the
letter above quoted; and was the vicar
of Nottingham; local writers, however,
who refer to this matter attribute this
desire 10 drink and smoke in St Mary
to Rev. DR.. Richard Reynolds, who
was cOnsecrated to the biShopcric of
Lincoln in 1928, and died in l1li.
Rev $. Parr, LID, was an everlasting
smoker. Morning, noon and night,
might he have been seen cnvcloped in
clouds Of tobacco-smoke. Neither time
nor place seemed 10 him to be inappro-
pirate for the indulgence. When he was
perpetual curate of IIatton, in Warwick
Shire (l7S3-90), he regularly smoked in
the YoStry whilst the congregation were
singing, Immediately before the delivery
of his sermon. For this purpose, the
hymns selected were lengthy. The doc
tor frequently remarked: "My people
ike long hymns; but | prefer a long
pipe' In all probability, his pipes on
such occasions (to be somewhat in
character with the placc) were Of the
kind known as 'churchwardens. y Rev.
Robert Hall. the distinguished Baptist
preacher, INDUCED in profuse smoking
IN the intervals of public worship,
y woll-known writer TO periodical 1t
eraturo tells ne that only last autumn
he spent n few hours at Edam, one of
the so-callcd Dead Cities of the Iuydor
Iec, though quietly active and bust
ling little place, and a great center OF
the Dutch cheesc-tradc. The minister,
in pointing out and explaining the
various matters OF interest about the in
serior smoked a cigar and offered our
Informant one.
Respecting the practice of smoking
in churches in South America. Mr.. j.
M. Cowper, of Canterbury, writes: 81
remember three instances of smoking
in church in Lima. Peru. In the church
OF La Merccd, saw layman surrept-
fionsly enjoying his cigar while service
was polup on In the xestry of the