The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1898-04-09
NORMAN MOBILES RESPONSE
BILE FOR FIRST ONES.
Pews Became the Fashson-Assumed
Proportions of Such Extravaganza and
Luxury That the Only Thing Lacking
Seemed to BE "A Bed.

ldllN dAOuhu lHN ICClhy IN l4NAI SLCB
was to wooden benches, without any
back. Even to the close of the Plan
tagenet period Christians of all degrees
with few exceptions were content to
be placed on an even footi' G Tor sit
ting in the house of God. In Mirk's
instructions for Parish Priests he
makes no mention of pews, and en-
joins the laity when in church to re-
main on their knees and abstain from
leaning against pillars and walls; but
the Book of Nature" by Russell,
sum tyne wythe Duke Umfrew of
Gloucester" a work like the 'Instruc-
tions," which was published in the first
half of the fifteenth century, directs
the chamberlain Of a great man to take
due care for the arrangements of his
patrons pew.
Prince or prelate if he UA or any other
pOtentate,
Ere he enter into church, be it early
or late,
Perceive all things fCy his pew that it
be made ~preparate;
Both cushion, carpet and curtain, beads
and book, forget not that.
At he commencement of the even
teenth century pewe had become com
paratively common, for in 1911 the fol-
lowing curious entry is found in st.
Margaret's church accounts: Item,
paid to Goodwyfe Wells, for salt to de-
stroy the fleas in the churchwarden's
pew, Sd" The seventeenth 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 to have sat through a service
on the old fashioned stool or even more
modern bench. At Chalderton, Eng
land, is a pew six feet high, with glass
windows in the door to enable the occu-
pants 10 see the preacher and other
windows in the side to afford a view OF
the congregation. At Merstham and
Mickelham, in Surrey, We're pews raised
some feet above the level of the damn
floor, comfortably fitted and supplied
with a fireplace and table, by no means
an unusual arrangement 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 t
hear the word of God on. We hav,
easements and locks and keys and cush
ions, and for these we love the church
| will not guess what is done will
them who sit, stand, or lie asleep a
prayers, communion, etc, but this
dare say, they are either to hide SOM
vice or to proclaim one; to hide disor
der or to proclaim pride"
In Little Benjamin church, Norfolk
a pew was erected by a shepherd il
the nave to afford accommodation 70
strangers and wedding parties.
bears at the southwest corner a skele
ton carved in wood "a cheerful an
suggestive ornamentation), with thi
inscription:
For couples Joined in wedlock; and m
That stranger is; this seate l did in
tende,
But, built at the cost and charge O
Stephen Crisbee,
All IUI ina uOt lHlo pldIC pass ny,
AS you are now even so was |,
Remember death, for you must dye,
And as | am soc shall you bee.
Ammo Domini 1910.
In the reign of Queen Anne Sir Chris
topher Wren demonstrated against tn,
STATELY pew" but vainly, the senti
ments of the rich and lordly occupant
were too strongly dominant. The pew
OF many churches of that and a some
what later date were so high as to hid,
those Within-perhaps, as Bishop Cor
bin explained, to enable the occupants
to take a comfortable nap when thu
ermon was too long or prosy. 1t nigh
have been a device of the puritans, al
it was said, to avoid being seen by the
officers, who reported those who did no
stand when the name of Jesus was pro,
nounced. The services at that time
were very much protracted, often occu.
pying two or three hours, and Swift's
pithy allusion was doubtless peril
nent:
A bedstead of the native wood,
Compact of timber, many a load,
Such as our ancestors did use,
Was metamorphosed into pews,
Which still their ancient nature keen
By lodging folk disposed to sleep.
With the reign of Charles | the vari-
Gus reasons for frightening the sides
of the pews disappeared, and from the
civil war they gradually declined to
their present height. In one of the
elegant Presbyterian churches of a
Western city a number of the large
square pews, ranged along the walls on
either side, were handsomely furnished
with easy chairs and tables, giving a
very sumptuous appearance, but this
occasioned so much ~unfavorable com,
ment thai this disposition of the space
was changed. The pews of the
churches in the old colonial DAYS Ger.
tainly were of the severest description
their high, straight backs and narrow
seats were not calculated 10 afford at,
traction to lodging folk disposed n
Sleep
A wagging tongue oftes spoils a lot
OF nice, sweet silence.