The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1898-02-04

ORIGIN OF CHURCH PEws,

ORIGIN OF CHURCH PEws.
New York Observer.
So far as Is known. pcws were irst
placed in English churches by the
Norman mobiles. hut IL Is certain that
for many generations these private
boxcs for ,worshippcrss were neither
numerous, nor, indeed. allowed toany I
but persons OF the highest rank. For.
mcrly the people sat on rude, three
legged stools, placed irrcgularly about
the room; the next step was to wood
en- benches withWt any back. Even
to the close of the Plantaganet period
Christians of all degrees, with few
exceptions, wcIe content to be placed
on an even footing in the house Of
God. ,fFF 4v5.rI sr-Eg |
In Mirk's Instructions for Parish
Priests" he makes no mcntiun Of
pcws, and cnjoins the laity when in
church to remain on their knees and
abstain from knccling against pillars
and walls, hut. the "Book OF Nature"
by Russell, a ''sum TYNE wythc Duke
Umfrcy, Of Gloucester Il work like
the instructions, which was pub
lishcd in the FIRST half of the fifteenth
century, directs the chamberlain Of a
great man to take due care for the ar
iangcmcnts of his patrons pew:
Prince or prelate II he be, or any other pc
tentate,
Ere he enter into church, be ,iteariy or be IT
late, ..-. .....t
Perceive AL things for his pew, that it be
made preparate;
Both cuscion.,carp and curtain, beads and
book, forget not that.
f" At tile commenccmcnt " the sew
cntcenth Century pews had ebecomc
comparatively common for in 1911 the
following curious entry is found in
st. Margarets church accounts: "Itcm
paid to Goodwyfe Wells for salt To de-
stroy the ilcas in the church warden'S
pew, Cd" The seventeenth century,
which witnessed so many changes in
h ecclesiastical nmttcrs, saw pews come
q, into Sncll vogue that u modislI person
would as soon have COMO ~ church
without his proper garnitnrc Of point
lace as to have sat through Il service
on the old-faslioned stool, or. even
more modern bench. At Chaldcrton,
England, is a pew six feet high, with
glass windows in the door to enable
the occupants to see the preacher,and
other windows In the side to afford Il
view Of the congregation. At Mcrs-
than and Mickleham, In Surrey, were
pcws raised some feet above tho level
OF the damp floor, comfortably fitted
81 and supplied with Il fireplace and ta-
bic, by no means an unusual arrange
ment for people Of equality" Such,
no doubt, were the pews which caused
Bishop Corbin, Of Norwich, to cx-
claim: "Statcly pcws are now be-
come tabernacles, with curtains and
rings and diyans of luxury; there
wants nothing but beds and pillows
to hear the word Of God on. We
have easements and locks and keys
g. and cushions, and for these VIC love
the church. I will not guess what i.
done with those who sit, stand or liz
asleep at prayers, communion, etc.
but this dare say, they are either t
hide some vice or to proclaim one; Il
hide disorder or to proclaim pride"
In Little Benjamin church, Norfolk
apew was erected by a shepard in TIN
nave to afford accommodation 70
strangers and wedding parties. ]
bears at the southwest corner a stclc
ton carved in wood Ia cheerful ant
suggestive ornamentation) with tn
inscriptions:
For Couples Joined in wedlock; ana
Friend
That stranger Is: This Seate l did intend,
But built ut the cost and charge of Stephc
Crisbee.
All yon that doe this place pass by
I AS you are now, even so was 1.
Remember Death, for you mast dye,
Aud us | am, soc shall you be.
s- Ammo Domni, 1910
In the reign OF Queen Anne, 81
Christopher Wren demonstrate
against the "stately pew" but vaiLll
the sentiments Of the rich and lordl
occupants were too strongly domI
+, ant. The Dews of many churches {
that and a somewhat later date WEI
n so high as to hide those within-pc
o.. haps, as Bishop Corbin complained, t
enable the occupants to take u con
Portable nap when the sermon was Il,
long or p''osy. 1t might have been
device Of the Purtans, as it was salt
TO avoid being seen by the officer
who reported those who did not stan
when the name OF Jesus was pr
noanccd. The services at that tin
were very much pr0tracted, often o
cupying two or three hours, nm
Swift's pithy allusion was doubtlc.
pertinent: ..n. ...ids.I..3
bedsteadaf the native wood.
Compact Of timber many II load,
sVch us our ancestors did use,
Was metamorphoscd into pews,
Which still their ancient nature keep,
BY lodging folks disposed to sleep.
With the reign of Charles |, the y
rious reasons for heiglltcning Il
sides otctlso pews disappeared, al
from the civil war they gradually