The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-11-23
QUAINT OLD TIME WAYS.
Eighteenth Century Meeting House
and Funeral Regulations.

anu II
Diving into the old records of one of
the most charming cities of our common
wealth, Northampton, we find much of
deep interest as revealing customs and
habits of olden time. No fire was found
in "the meeting house" in olden time, and
comparatively recently foot stoves were
carried to church, as were tallow candles
to the evening meetings. In 1877 the i'm
portant vital question at a legal town
meeting was, Shall men and their wives
be seated together in pewsT and the vote
WAS an emphatic "No!'
In 1144, about the beginning Of JOna-
than Edwards trouble in the parish, it
was voted not ''to pay the charge of bring
his daughter from Brookheld." In 1913
this appears on the town records: Tax
ing into consideration the difficulty Mr..
Edwards hath laborcd under this year
and some time past with respect to his
firewood, the town voted that those per-
sons who have not this year. brought him
a load of wood might have liberty be-
tween this time and next Tuesday night
to bring each one his load of wood" If
there was not suficiency of wood by
that time, the town then voted, the Sc
lectmen should see that the deficiency
was met at the cost of the town.
Later, in 1IS9. we find in the warrant
for town meeting this entry: ITO pro-
cure fircwood for the Rev. Mr.. Williams;
to choose Il committee to seat the meet
ing house." \ most serious business to
decide who should take preference in the
broad aislcs. The "nigger pew" well re-
mcmbered by the writer, caused no trou-
BILE to said officer, as that was readily
accepted by the "colored brethren" like
cows in the stable, who went dutifully to
their separate stalls.
Not only the living had special rules
governing their conduct, but the rules
about the dead were very quaint, as by
this report of Il committee, May II, 1850,
to whom had been referred the conduct
of funerals. as follows:
"WhcreaS, 1t is the opinion of this
town that funerals ought to be conducted
with great dcccncy and dCcorum in order
to impress on rising and risen generations
the Importance Of the awful solcmnity,
and to render the house of mourning bet
tcr than the house OF fcaSting, be it
therefore recommended to all the inhab-
itants Of this town to observe the follow
ing regulations ut funerals:
'First--That the relatives of the deccas-
ed follow next the corpse, two and two
SeCODG-If tie deceased was male
person the males to follow next the
moUrncrs, two and two, and the women
after them, two and two; but if the de-
ceased was Il woman. then the women
are to follow next the mourncrs and the
mon after them.
''Third--ThCsc on horseback are to fol-
low in after the foot folks, horses two
and two, and the carriages are to follow
in the rear of the procession. And it is
requested that no person walk or ride on
either side the procession from the house
to the grave"
Ten of the prominent men Of the city
were appointed and requested to attend
at funerals and to regulate the procession
thus recommended until the same shall
become habitual to the people. In 1Il5
the question was raised in the annual
town meeting "if the town would be at
the expense of coloring the meeting
house, and it passed in the negatiyc9"
Evidently they thought that nature would
do it without expense. Not till 1I49 were
the forts and Notifications of the town
demolished and the timber and boards
sold for the benfit of the town. Laws
were passed relative to the schooling of
boys and the amount of wood they should
bring to the schOolhousc. Girls We're OF
no account in those days.-Springhcld
Republican.