The Washington herald., 1907-07-15
SUMNER CHURCHES In CITIES
Now NOnpewholders Can Worship
Without Waiting.
Regular Minister Away and There
Are Plenty OF Good sittings.
Few Pevvs ROped Of.

If you are a churchgoer in New York
you must have noticed the difference be-
tween the summer atmosphere OF the
churches and that Of the regular church
season" said man, who has tried both,
in the New York sun. The regular min
lister is already away. The young assist
ants are in charge.
You enter the church and walk into
any pew that suits your fancy. There is
no wait at the gates OF the temple. as is
the case from about the twentieth Sunday
after Trinity on 20 the close OF what is
known as the church calendar.
"A few Of the pews are roped OF in the
more fashionable places. but there is a.
plenty Of good sittings elsewhere. The
ushers are not in evidence, and If you see
nj to meander down the main aisle, or
any other, while the preliminary service
is being read no one appears to warn YOU
to wait
You viii notice that the volume OF the
choir has diminished, and the organist
has quit his stool in order 10 give the as
sistant an opportunity OF keeping the
organ pipes from becoming rusty. You
don't have 10 carry your prayer book and
hymnal TO the summer service.
Many Of the regular sitters have kind
y left their books in the pew racks. If
perchance the pew which you have en-
tered should have none in the rack the
sitter TO your right or left will probably
offer to share his book with you.
IF you were an attendant at the same
church during the church calendar yoU
viii recall that II you had no prayer book
or hymnal Of your own you had TO rely
upon your memory in order to partici-
pate in the service. An explanation is
not far 70 seek. The worshiper who
shares the book with you In the summer
season is stranger OF a summer attend
ant The regular attendant, who is now
away, does not offer TO share his prayer
book or hymnaI.
In the leafy month Of June, or in the
two months following, you may If you Sc
desire speak 10 anybody in the church
after the service. You may learn, II
you are curious, the history Of the church.
the habits and customs Of the absent
minister, the names of the highest pew
holders You may loiter about the chan
eel and examine the rered0s for the altar.
IF you were an attendant during the
cHuICH Calendar, DuI not peWh0lder, you
viii recall how different it was then, say
on Easter. Then you wandered up to look
at the flowers; you were confronted by
an usher on guard who told you TO move
on. You Will recall how, IL you made an
inquiry. the information was extended in
a frigid manner.
Il am regular attendant at such a
church as l am talking about. and while
have been communicant there for
five years in all thas time I have never
had an usher or any officer of the church
utter a single syllable to me except when
made bold TO plump a question bluntly.
Then the reply was concealed
Il remember that I once had the pre-
sumption 10 make this statement to the
preacher in charge. and he said to me:
These people are all business men.
They haven't much time TO be social Or
they perhaps think you are a busy man
and do not want to have your time in
terrupteS
He thought he had explained it. He
meant to be just