The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-16
THE ORIGIN OF CHURCH PEws.
They Minister to Luxurious and Ex.
elusive Tastes.
From the New York Observer.

elusive Tastes.
From the New York Observer
So far as is known, pews were first plac-
ed in English churches by the Norman
mobiles, but it is certain that for manv gen.
erations these private boxes for worship
pers were neither numerous, nor, indeed,
allowed to any but persons of the highest
rank Formerly the people sat on rude
three-legged stools. placed irregularly
around the room; the next step was to
wooden benches without any back Even
to the close of the Plantaganet period
Christians of all degrees, with few ex-
ceptlons, were content to be placed on an
even footing (or sitting in the house of
God. In Mirks instructions for Parish
Priests he makes no mention of pews,
and enjoins the laity when In church to
remain on their knees and abstain from
kneeling against pillars and walls; but the
Book of Nature" by Russell, a "sum
TYNE wythe Duke Umfrey of Gloucester, "
work like the instructions" which was
published in the first half of the fifteenth
century, directs the chamberlain of a
great man to take due care for the ar
rangements of his patrons pew:
Prince or prelate if he be or any other po-
tentate,
Ere he enter into church, be 1t early or
late,
Perceive all things for his pew that it be
made preparate;
Both cushion, carpet and curtain, beads
and book, forget not that.
At the commencement of the seven
teenth century pews had become compare
lively common, for in 1911 the following
curious entry is found in St. Margaret S
Church accounts: Item, paid to Good
wye Wells for salt to destroy the fleas in
the church warden's pew, 3D." The sew
enteenth century, which witnessed so
many changes in ecclesiastical matters,
saw pews come into such vogue that a
modish person would as soon have gone to
church without his proper garniture of
point lace as have sat through a service
on the old-fashioned stool, or even more
modern bench At Chalderton, 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 a view of the congreSa-
ton. AT Merstham and Mickleham, in
Surrey were pews raised some feet above
the level of the damp floor, comfortably
fitted and supplied with fireplace and
table by no means an unusual arrange
ment for people of quality" Such, no
doubt were the pews which caused Bishop
Corbin of Norwich to eXclaim; Stately
pews are now become tabernacles, with
curtains and rings and diVans of luxury;
there wants nothing but beds and pillows
to hear the word of God on. We have
easements and locks and keys and cush-
ions. and for these we love the church. l
will not guess what is done with them VINO
sit. stand. or lie asleep at prayers, COM
muuion, etc, but this 1 dare say, they are
either to hide some vice or to proclaim one;
to hide disorder or to proclaim pride
ID In, Norfolk
new was erected by a shepherd in the nave
to afford accommodation for strangers and
wedding PARTIES. 1t bears at the southwest
angle a skeleton carved in wood "a cheer
| full and suggestive ornamentation), with
| this inscription:
For Couples joined in Wedlock; and my
That stranger is: This Seate I did in
tende,
But built at the cost and charge of Ste
phen Crisbee.
All YOU that doe this Place pass by,
AS you are now even so was l.
Remember Death, for you must dye,
And as l am soc shall you bee.
Ammo Domini, 1910.
In the reign of Queen Anne, Sir Christie
pher Wren demonstrated against the
| 'sstatelv new" but Vainly; the sentiments
| strongly dominant. The pews of many
| churches of that and a somewhat later
| date were so high as to hide those within
| -perhaps. as Bishop Corbin complained, TO
enable the occupants to take comtorta-
BILE nap when the sermon was too long OF
prosv. 1t might have been device OF the
| Puritans. as it was said, to avoid beng
| seen bv the officers, who reported those
who did not stand when the name of Jesus
was pronounced. The services at that time
were very much protracted, often occupy
| ing two or three hours, and Switfs pithy
| allusion was doubtless pertinent;
bedstead of the native wood,
| Compact of timber many load,
| Such as our ancestors dld use
| Was metamorphosed into peWs
which still their ancient nature keep
nv lodging folks disposed to sleep.
With tbe reign of Charles I, the various
roe sons for Tightening the sides OF the
news disappeared, and from the civil war
| they gradually declined to their present
| HIGHT In one of the elegant Presbyterian
churches of a Western city number or
! the large. square pews, ranged along the
| walls on either side. were handsomely fur-
| risbed with easy chairs and tables, CIV
| iro a very sumptuous appearance, but
! his occasioned so much unfavorable com
mont that this disposition of the space was
| changed. The pews of the churches IN tle
old colonial days. certainly were OF we
! saverest description; their high, straight
| hacks and narrow seats were not cdlcu-
lated to afford attraction 70
Lodging folks disposed to sleep.
|
In Nicaragua no private person may