Smyrna times., 1904-07-06
..Smyrna Fifty Years Retrospective Notes..
By NICHOLAS WATKINS.
@@@@@gg@g@@@@@@g@gg@g o@

were advanced, improvements were
made, streets opened, foot pavements
laid, and street lamps lighted, though
it was considered by some of the
townspeOple as unreasonable to tax
them as much as fifty cents a year for
the privilege of voting at the town
elections.
There were three churches-Episco-
pal, Methodist and Presbyterian, in
Smyrna fifty years ago, each we'll
attended, the Methodists being pre-
dominant. There was only one short
series of meetings held at the
Friends Meeting house during the
writer's residence in the town, which
he had the honor to attend. At this
meeting lady addressed the assem-
bly,, her subject being "The Care and
Training of Children" There were
but few Friends in Smyrna at that
time, and their meeting house was
usually occupied as school house, so
that the theme of her address was
quite appropriate. This is possibly
the last series of meetings held by the
Friends Society in Smyrna, and con-
sequently is deemed as worthy of men
tion.
Custom at Asbury NJ E. Church.
The Asbury NJ. E. Church had a
large congregation, both sexes, not
wlthstanding that upon entering its
portals the ''chaff'' was sifted from the
"W heat'-the ladies filed to the right
and the men to the left-being in this
manner seated, apart, and perhaps dis
consulate. This was an iron-clad
rule, aud there was no deviation from
1t, no matter how crowded the seats Oh
one side might be, or how empty on
the other; so that it is easy to assume
that if a young gent" had comfort
ably sit himself in pew on the ladies
side, there would have been, by
reason of his scandalous conduct.
irrepressible indignation among the
pillars" and the offender landed
IN the street, with hat mashed and
Sunday clothes rumpled. Happily
the young people fifty years ago were
well schOOled, they knew their places
much better than the ''lamb that went
where Mary went" particularly when
they went to school, and providential-
ly there was not an occasion for dis
turbance of the kind suggested. 1t is
a wonder though, that there were not
a large number of cross eyed folks in
the town, because while literally obev-
the rule and wishing to appear as
looking right ahead, how could they
avoid looking likewise askant and
askew?
An Alarm OF Fire Endanger Church.
One Sunday, about noon, Just be-
fore the close of the service at the
church, in 1854, there was an alarm of
ire, and smoke in large volume was
issuing from building next to. or
very near to the church edifice. Manv
men ran for the fire engine. some.
where in the nelghbOrhood of "Whop.
PIN, others rushed to the burning
building and worked hard to uuench
the flames. The engine was disabled
ana could not be used, and much time
was lost by the men in a fru1tless
effort to bring it into reouisition
On this occasion ladies' contributed
buckets, formed a line, and worked
with the men in conveying water, and
after perhaps an hours hard work the
ire was extinguished. having been ,
to the back building of the
house In which it originated, and il is
believed that chiefly through the ef.
Orts OF the ladies much valuable prom {
9rty was saved from destruction. Not
lady tainted, but all worked heroic
llly, and, though with wet and he. !
skirts, were quite bannv Z
when they discovered the result of s
nelr iabors. Among these ladies were q
eVeral who attended the DANCING I
chool, of which mention will present. {
y be made. This incident is related G
o exhibit the real worth of the girls '
Who figured in society in the way back Z
lays. And, further, it may not be out t
# place to remark that at the fire the a
neI and women, being outside of ,ts f
Jurisdiction, were not separated ac- b
ordlng to the rules of the church. S
Social Interests in the Early Fiftles. c
lu the early ifties, the town had =,
'lthin its bounds a goodly number of
ighly accomplished young ladies. =