The Savannah morning news., 1904-08-14

son Black, rector of St. Bartholomew's
Episcopal Church in Brooklyn. N. Y.
Young Black entered West Point in
1885, but did not graduate, preferring
to be a soldier of Christ, rather than
of his country. His choice has proven
a wise one, as he has steadily risen
until he is now rector of one of the
largest and most active churches in
BROOKLYN.
The Eagle of that city publishes the
following account of the church and
its woman sexton, which will interest
the Morning News readers, as well as
Rev. Mr. Blacks old Georgia friends:
"A. Hewes, Sexton" is the inscrip-
ton upon a card affixed to one of the
doors of St. Bartholomew Episcopal
Church in this borough, a picturesque
ivy-grown edifice in the Hill section.
Inquire for the sexton and tall Scotch
woman appears and asks what she can
do for You. In this age women are
making their way in nearly every pro-
fessiOn and trade, from lawyer to car
penter: but the woman sexton is some
thing of a novelty. But the spOtless
church, the dignity, strength and look
of thorough reliability stamped on the
face of the feminine sexton impress
the visitor and the well-brushed pew
cushions. the dustless book racks,
clean tesselated pavement of the
church and shining windows prove that
she is capable and Industrious and I'M
derstands her business.
'Ye can see the buttons, can't ye?"
she asked in broad Scotch, as the Wis
itor's eye glanced down admringly at
the pew cushions That's what some
people say about my cushions; it is
ma that We can't see the buttons for
the dust. ] feel as if 1 was just in
my glory in this church; 1 love it
and 1 love TO take care of it. How
do I light it? With my long pole, all
these gasiers I do it as handy as
can be. This is a big church, for all
people call it the Little Church on
Pacific Street There's $50 peWs in it.
1t seats hundreds of people. It's
fine church for a wedding party 1t
sort of decorates itself. and then it
has such a fine aisle for the party to
walk in. Do l stay around by the
door when the wedding parties come
in? Eth, of course. A woman can do
mOny things for a wedding party, such
as setting the brides train right just
as she goes up the aisle, or helping
the rest of the party. How do do
with funerals? I'm here just the same.
Sometimes it is funerals and weddings
the same day. 1 had a wedding here
last week and a. funeral here yester-
weddings make when the jardins must
be brought in-the dishes 1 call them
and some of the flowers has to be
planted with ground and some with
water!"
Mrs. Hewes had been sitting in one
of the pews while she chatted with her
visitor, and now she suggested an in
spection Of the church.
Il dinna forget the first time after
-. 4I.g
indicating the marble floor of the chan
lection stood and looked down at it.
They could see the pattern of the
stones, and they were men quite long
in the church too, yet never had seen
the pattern before"
The sexton speaks in a dialect which
at once indicates her nationality, for
she is a Paisley woman. and in that
Scottish town her twelve children were
born.
DO you use a carpet sweeper, Mrs.
Hewes?" asked the visitor, looking over
the big area of floor in the church
proper.
Nay, nay" was the answer. IT
sweep the dust out of each pew into
the aisle, then I get down on my hands
and knees and take it up with a whisk
broom. I first brush off every pew
cushion and turn 1t down..
Through wide halls and vestibules
and into infant school and dult chill
drens Sunday-school rooms, auxiliary
guild, robing and choir rooms and pas
tors study. the sexton led the way,
and every place was as clean as Spot
less Town. st. Bartholmews Church
and annex are seldom untenanted
Sunday services and Sunday schools
choir rehearsals, and sewing circles
cooking schools and altar guild meet
ings, saints day services, weddings
and funerals, rehearsals for weddings
early morning communion services,
fairs and vestry meetings follow each
other so closely that but few hours
out of the twenty-four are unoccupied.
Yet the woman sexton is equal to the
demand made upon her, She has faith
fully performed all the duties of the
position during the past two years that
her name has appeared upon the card
on the church door.
"I used an initial instead Of my
Christian name" she said, because
nobody can tell by looking whether
the name is meant for Anna
or Andrew. and some folks have not
yet become used to a woman sexton"
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