The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-12-24
AN ODD REGULATION.
HOW THE HOUSE OF COMMONS GETS
MEMBERS TO PRAYERS.

Tho house OF commons is UNIQUE
among the legislatures of the world i'm
having no complete accommodation for
its members. There are altogether GRO
members of tho house, and there are
exactly 40 seats, of which only 800
are on the floor. The speaker takes the
chair at o'clock, except OH Wednes-
days, and unless the house has agreed
to what are called morning sittings,''
which begin at 3 o. clock Three O'Clock
is sufficiently late in the afternoon,
judging by the example of other legis-
latures, but it is too early for the men
OF business, the practicing lawyers and
the men of fashion, who still form so
large factor in the membership of par
lament 1t is rarely therefore that
there are more than few members in
attendance at that hour. Another rea-
son tor this abstension may be that
this is the hour of devotion. Each sit
ting of the house is begun by the sol
emn reading of prayers by tho speakers
chaplain, at present the well known
Archdeacon Farrar. Those who attend
prayers reap an immediate and earthly
reward. On tho large table that stands
in front Of tho speakers chair there is
box which contains number Of cards
with the word Prayers" printed upon
them.
Tho member who has attended pray
ers writes his name on this card and
thereafter places it III tho small slot
which is at tho back of each seat i'll the
house. and for that particular evening.
that seat is his. He may leave tho seat
for hours, but he is entitled to it when
ever he returns and can cXpel any per-
son who may have taken it during his
absence. There are only two classes of
persons i'll tho house who have any set
tied rights with regard to seats The
front bench on tho right hand sido of
the speakers chair is called tho treas
ury bench, and on this sit tho various
members of the existing administration.
The bench Immediately opposite is call
ed tho front opposition bench, and on
this sit the members of tho previous
administration
There are, it will no thus easily I'M
dcrstood. two peculiaritios under these
circumstances about the attendance at
prayers. First, tho gentlemen usually
present are not always those most dis
tinguished for their picty Tho caustic
editor of Truth has taken in recent
years to laying the foundation stones of
nonconformist places of worship, but
nobody would be less likely to set up
claim for special piety than Mr.. Labou-
chere. Nevertheless, every night of
the week Mr.. Labouchere listens with
plous attention to tho ministrations of
the chaplain. The secret reason is that
the fist seat on the front bench below
tho gangway is a place peculiarly we'll
suited for the guerrilla that is ever OH
the watch for the moment to make an
onslaught on wicked administration,
and Mr.. Labouchere, as the chief of the
guerrillas, is especially fond of this seat
and has occupied it for years. This
incumbency, though sanctified by so
many years of usage, has still to DO won
by regular attendance at every even
ing's prayers. The rulo is inhexiblc,
except in the cases already mentioned,
that scat can be held only for one
night, and that then it shall be won by
attendance at prayers. The second pc
culiarity is that the men who arc most
III want of the assistance Of prayers, as
having the heaviest responsibility upon
their shoulders-the members of tho adj
ministration and the leaders of parties
AFRO always conspicuously absent.
just before prayers are begun the
procession of the speaker to his place
in the house takes place. Enough Of
the old ceremonial still exists to mako
this quaint and interesting spectacle.
The speaker still wears tho large, full
bottomed wig of state occasions, is
dressed in a short tailed coat, covered
by q sweeping robe, wears knee breeches
and low shoes with large buckles. Be-
hind and before him is a small cohort
of attendants sergeant-at- arms
bearing the mace, the chaplain with
prayerbook in hand, the trainbearer
holding up tho train and two OF three
other attendants, the exact purpose of
whom it is impossible to tell beyond
the desire to make the procession more
imposing in point of numbers. The
rgeant-at-arms, like the speaker, is
arrayed in knee breeches, with low
shoes. He carries a sword by his side,
but is allowed to dispense with the wig.
The ceremonial is made more imposing
by the policemen and attendants, who
shout along the corridors which sepa-
rate the speakers house from the house
of commons: Speaker! Speakerl' a
shout which has strange, indefinable
effect, however often heard, and stirs
the blood somewhat as tho dreams Of
De Quincy were moved by the recol-
lection of the Roman consul passing