Ellsworth American., 1907-02-13
SUNDAY IN MY BOYHOOD.
Recollections of Eben NJ. Hamor,
Eden's "Grand Old MAN..
[From Pine Tree Endeavorer.l


ligious meetings on Mount Desert island
when was boy. l will say that Elder
Enoch Hunting, who peached for the
town of Eden and for the Eden Baptist
church fifteen years, Rev. Micah Strick-
land, who preached for the Congregational
church OF Mount Desert a number of
years, and Elder Calvin L. Cary, who was
pastor Of the Mount Desert Baptist
church for many years, and Elders Rich,
Bedell, Roundy, Lord and King, who
preached occasionally, were among the
first ministers that can remember. They
seemed TO me to be very dignified and un-
approachable. They seldom arrived at
the place Of meeting till time to commence
and left as soon as it closed; no stopping
at the door to shake hands. l think
never saw one shake hands with boy or
girl when 1 was young. Yet those min
sters were noble, self sacrificing Chris
tian men, and we are now enjoying the
fruits of their labors.
1t was the almost universal custom for
every one who possibly could to go to
meeting on Sunday, if there was one
within five or six miles Of their homes,
and as there were but very few horses,
most had to 60 on foot.
My father and mother were church-go-
ing people and always took their children
who were old enough with them, and
well remember on Sundays, when there
was to be a meeting at the western meet
ing house in Thomas district, Eden, my
father, mother and three or four children,
with neighbors and their children, would
start about $50 o'clock to walk to
meeting, at least two and one-haf miles
for most of US. On warm mornings we
would stop at Eleazor Higgins well and
drink good, clear, cold water out of tin
dipper. o! how good it tasted! When
we got near the meeting house the women
changed their thick shoes and stockings
for thin stockings and morocco slippers;
and after meeting they would change
back.
If it was not meeting time, the men
would stand in groups and tell the news,
talk about the weather or of anything
that interested them, till the minister
came; when all would enter the house
and take their seats in those high, per-
pendicular backed pews, (there were
cushions in but two pews in the house,
where they sat and listened to sermon,
divided into ''firstly"-'secondly," and
frequently ''sixthly" and the ''applica-
tion."
Then one hours intermission, in which
time those who lived near enough, and
those whom they invited, went to dinner; !;
those who lived far away sometimes took
a lunch with them and spent the noon
hour as best they could. The young peo-
pie spent it generally in the orchards and
fields picking and eating apples and
berries when in season.
In the afternoon another long sermon.
o! how tired I would be! Sometimes l
would go to sleep, and the more l slept,
the better / enjoyed the sermon, but l
assure you was not the only person who
slept. remember one old man, who sat
in the pew right behind ours, who would
get asleep and snore. Another old man,
who sat forward of me, would get asleep
quite often, and when he awoke, would
gape SO loud as to be heard all over the
room. This was fun for US boys. Please
consider that these men, women and older
children had to work all the week, not
eight hours day, but from daylight to
dark, and you may realize that it required
some impelling force, more than the most
of us have now, to induce them to go to
meeting Sundays, instead OF staying at
home to rest. Let us honor their memory
and profit by their example.