The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-10-14
CHURCH ETIQUETTE.
a Few Points Furnished by the
Rev. Bob Burdette.
The Pious Humorist's Characteristic Reply
to an Editorial ouostion-Somo Good
ChurSfscs To Go to on Sultry
SuEnmcr Sundays.

Upon receiving a request for few
points on church etiquette the editor OF
Che Sunday-School Times forwarded 1t
go Mr.. Durdcttc. His characteristic re-
ply is now published to the everlasting
Confusion of certain guilty souls, and
we fear tho utter Indifference of others
whose coat-of-mail is too closely fitted
to be disturbed by tho severest blows.
Among tho many good things said arc
these:
How shall VIC behave ourselves in
church? Oh, we'll, it depends somewhat
on the church wo attend. Each has its
own rules, carefully codifed, for the
guidance Of tho members in their atti-
tude toward each other and toward
strangers who may seek to worship
with them. These rules are hung up
in the pcws, on tho walls Of tho church,
on the front Of tho pulpit, over the
choir, everywhere, in plain sight. They
are not printed on cardboard, b,A ~ge
made plain upon tables, that k5s saay
run that readeth it," and t'sTo 20 just
what he wants to do sornOae&Aes. The
regular occupants Of the pcws, by man.
ner, by expression of countenance, by
significant gesture and action, translate
these unwritten rules SO clearly that
every man may hear them speak in his
own language, and "the wayfaring men,
though fools, need not err therein"
Tho next timo your journey leaves
you stranded in tho great and delightful
city of New Chicorkadelphia on the Sab
bath day, possibly your UNCONVENTIONAL
nrlfOranCn will load fA -,
the imposing cdiiice of Saint Dives Of
'Giltedge. 1 have gone to that church
occasionally on hot Sundays in July,
when was fearful of sun-strolle, and
couldn't afford to put leo on my head
The suggestions hero are Scriptural in
form, and are so uplifting that the ordi-
nary man is so buoycd up that he finds
it almost impossible to sit down:
"The earth is tho Lords, for he made
it; but this pew is mine, for pay S7OO a
year for it.
"The poor We have always with you,
but you can got away from them little
while on Sunday.
Gas bird that VANDERBILT from her
nest, SO is n stranger who VANDERBILT
into church without an invitation.
Give mo neither poverty nor pow
erty.
''The rich and poor meet together, but
not on the same day.
"'But as for tho mighty man, no had
the earth Dob 22:S).
blessed is tho man that considercth
the poor a nuisance.
cit is cold day for the stranger.
lie that giveth his seat to stranger,
of surety he shall smart for it."
Or it may be that you will be led
into the church of ST. Greedy Ownself,
whence you will probably run before
you get through reading the tablet.
Come early, and secure your own pew
before any ono else can get into it.
"Count your hymn-books carefully,
the first thing.
eff one is missing-the old ono with
the backs torn off, crane your neck in
various directions, looking into the
lneighboring pews for it.
eff you can not find it, take the best
ono within reach, in place Of it. This
Z lis q Christian duty. Paul says: If any
provide not for his own, he is worse than
an infldel.'
"Hold ono hymn-book in your hand,
and sit on the others until the rest OF
your family arrives. Look pious all tho
time. If you see any one looking
around for hymn-book, bow your head
on the back of tho pew in meditation,
and they won't disturb you. Besides II
is proper attitude and that is what you
arc here for.
"When your family is supplied, il
there is one book over, hide it under
the cushion. If you lend it you may
never see 1t again.