Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-05-12
AN OLD SABBATH.
HOW OUR PIOUS FORSPATHBRS WOR-
SHIPPED GOD.
Passing by the Whipping Post to Sit IN Painful
High-Backsd Psws Prayers That Lasted
Half an Hour With the COngrega-
ton Standing Up.
on,oninL rmes On Bu..ard's Bay.

Colonial Times on Bu--drd's Bay.
Let MS turn away from the whipping
nost and enter into the new meeting house
on a Sunday morning Of June in the year
iii.
Along the highways, the green lanes
and field paths, and from the boat land
inus come the wOrshippers in family
groups, followed by their dogs. Some are
IN foot some are on horeeback, the wife
riding on a pillioa bshind her husband
their Youngest child on the saddle in front
Of him: all are of one blood and Of one
faith Young men ere carrying their
hest bomespun coats on their arms
and Young women are carrying their
bsst shoes in their hands, intending to put
hem on before they enter the meeting
bonse His Msiesty's justice OF the peace
comes in a dusty shay, drawn by stun
Iimbed mare that refuses to quicken heT
ga;t Notwithstanding her masters repeat
81 ohiurgstions, accompanied by jerk OF
the reins, TO "Git along, yer old dunno
toadr' The people exchange greetings
with each other as they arrive at the doors'
and when the squire alights they salute
him respectfully, for no man except the
minister is considered to be his peer.
We enter by the great door, whose face
is covered with all kinds Of announcements
to the public. Opposite 10 us as we enter
stands the pulpit, lofty and formidable IN
appearance. There is large window be-
hind it, and steep staircase Leading up 10
its entrance. When the minister has as
cended the stairs and shut the pulpit door
behind him he is entirely lost to sight.
At the foot of the pulpit and facing the
congregation are the seats of the descons.
BEFORE them stands the communion table,
which is not served on sacrament day
Nth unfermented wine, rs we know from
an order of the church at Milton, IN May,
1874 THAT the deacons be desired to pro-
vide good Canary wine for the Commun-
ion Table"
Next TO the pulpit is the pew of the mill
ister's wife. Out Of it narrow door opens
into closet under the pulpit, in which
the towns broom, the demijOhn of Canary
wine and the pewter bapizing'bssin and
communion fsgozs and cups are kept.
From this pew a line of square pews runs
along the walls of the house around to the
other side of the pulpit. They are OF
clearest oak, whose beauty is not COW
cred by paints. They were made with
the best skill of the village carpenters
They are topped by balustrades, AND
ara so high that when the congrega-
tiOn is seated few heads only appear
in sight above them. Seats are hung
by hinges on three sides Of Zach pew, ard
are lifted when the worshippsrs stand mp
tor long prayers, permitting them to lean
against me partitions, where they got some
assistance in standirg The pews are the
upper seats Of the synagogue. The lower
,lats are two ranges of benches in the CEN
tire Of the house, fronting the pulpit and
,enarated by the great alley. In the fore
seats of these ranges elderly people and
hose who are nard of hearing are seated.
he hind seats are occupied by younger
persons. Of the same rank are certain
eats in the galleries, reached by stairs In
the corners Of the house.
Rowland Thacher is the minister. h
came from Harvard College to this Sc
elu6ed town more than thirty years ago,
snd here he has stayed, occupied in
prsachiug, farming, buryipg and repre-
sentipg All the scholastic learning OF the
community. 1t is said that he is not ''as
vonpg rs he used to be-" but hs in still
tble 10 sympathize in the fortunes and
misfortunes of his flock. He had been
poorly pai3 for his labors; his salary has
slwsYs been small and always In arrears,
aud even now the town is owing him that
of last year. NtvlrthelesT, with a cheer
tul countenance he appears ct the parapet
of the pulpit, and stretching out his
hands as signal for the congregation to
stand mp, he begins the services with a
prayer 80 minutes long
When Il is ended the seats in the pews
are let fall, making noise like an irregu'
lar discharge of muskets, there is shut
fling of feet on the sarded floor, an uneasy
settling Of the congregation in the seats,
and at last everybody is still. Daring the
stiffness Mr.. Thachar appears again and
announces . psalm to be sung. There are
not many psalm books in the house, there
is no choir and but little knowledge O.
music. But there is Deacon William
Blsckmer, of Blackmsr's pond, who has s
strong voice, and for that reason has beer
appointed to read and tune the psalms il
meeting He stands on the pulpit
stairs with pine pitch-pipt
ia hand. He blows the key note, recite;
two lines of the psalm, adjusts mis- voice,
which is somwhst rsspy by reason of too
many shoutings to his oxen yesterday
nd thep he starts away. The congrega'
ton Joins in an arducus pursuit 1t lag:
behind, lis tones are dresdfully discord-
ant. Some dogs sitting in the alleys utteI
cries of distress, and Mr.. Thatche, 8 collie
living at the pulpit door, bowls psthetically
~ the music. But Deacon Blackmer, a
in duty bound keeps on his winding way
by turns reciti1g and starting, until al
the psalm is worked off; and the congrega
ton relapses into quiet.
From this condition il is summoned by &
signal to stand up while Mr.. Thacher be-
comes more large in prayer" This pray
er is an important part of the service Il
bas a systematic beginning, middle snd
end. 1t takes alternately the form OF s
petit and a narration, and includes
within it's sweep Noah, Abraham, the an
cient Hebrews. the sick and afflicted of thi
parish, and His Majesty King George tn,
Third. When it's long-drawn end is reach
ed there is another slsmming of seats an6
and another shutting of feet on the sande6
floor.
In the hush that follows Thomas Ssmp
son, son of Ichabod, doorkeeper, floor
sweeper, grave-digger, is seen going up the
pulpit stairs. His earlier duty was bsat
ing the town drum to announce meeting
time. Now and then he has swept the
Westinghouse floor, and has sifted fresh
sand upon it. He also has provided cold
water for the felocious custom of baptizing
babies in the meeting house on the first
Sunday after their birth, however inclem.
mt the weather or perilous the journey
thither; a cruel custom as we now estimate
the value of infant life. John Cotton, min.
ister at Hampton, wrote in his diary: BE.
Z ! &. IL.