Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-10
A COLONIAL SABBATH.

When you read what Sunday meant to the
boys and girls in o.den times, won't you
be glad that you are living now instead OF
then?
Sunday, or Sabbath as 1t was called, be-
gan at sunset Saturday afternoon. Every
body started then to get ready for the Sab
BATH Work was stopped, the children 5
play hushed and Sunday really began.
In the morning everybody was up early,
as late breakfasts were not the fashion
then as they are now. The little work that
was necessary to be done was done quietly
and quickly, and every member of the fam
fly made ready for meeting.
There were no bells on the churches and
no clocks in the houses. AS the settlements
were small, a man stood upon the church
steps and beat drum for the service. The
people were ready dressed and waiting
The women seized their Bibles and the men
their muskets Qest Indians steal in upon
them). and the procession started to the
meeting house. There was no hurry, no
talking; the men and women quietly taking
their places on one side Of the house, and
the children were all put together on the
other.
Then the good elder rose and gave out the
hymn. Few people owned hymn books, so
the elder read one line at time, the people
singing it to some good. old tune. The
elder read another line, which the people
sang, until the whole hymn was learned
"A
singing, and after another hymn, came the
sermon.
And such a sermon! Three. four hours
in length The people would have been
greatly shocked at our modern haif-hour
sermon. Perhaps you are thinking that the
Mercys, Providences, Experiences and the
Thankfuls were having a good time over In
the childrens portion of the church. with
no mothers to keep them from whispering
or peeping over into the pews benind
them3 NOT n bit of it For there was q
church officer created especially for them
He was called the "tithng man. and he
stood behind the children to watch thas
none played or got into mischief In his
hand was long pole. On one end OF 1t
was a little deer or squirrel tail. on the
other a hard knot. If the tithiDg man spied
any one nodding he stepped down the aisle
and tickled the sleeper's face with the FUR
end of the pole. If he spied any one play
ing or laughing he whisked around the fur
end of the pole and. before the cuprit was
aware of 1t, tap, tap came the knot end
down on the youthful sinners head. No
child ever cared to feel that sensation
twice. 1t was sure to start the tears and
leave a hard headache besides. The tithing
man had another duty, to watch the hour
glass on the preachers desk. Hour glasses
were used instead of clocks, and as soon
as the sand in the glass was out, over the
glass was turned that it might MI again:
When at last the long sermon was ended,
the people, stiff, cold and tired, gathered
up their foot stoves Qor no fires were In
the meeting houses), made their way home
ward to spend the rest of the day in prayer,
studying the catechsm and reading relig-
ions books One cannot blame the chill
dren for rejoicing when, at sunset, Saboath
was over and they were allowed to en1ey
themselves in their own natural way. one
little boy, who no doubt voiced the opinion
of ALI the children of that period. when the
minister asked him what part of Sunday he
liked best, replied 1.-The end of 1t.