The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-14
A GERMAN PEASANT SUNDAY.


In the hundred dourishing German
| colonies located In the farm lands
! Of the West the settlers sacrediy
adhere to many traditions of t..e
fatherland One in particular is the Sun
day Observance. II recalls to the farmer
the tranquil days Of his youth spent in
the email village and his church. Rest
fulness Is the keynote of every day in
the week at tho Pfarrerhaus In Germany
except Sunday. Nora c. Usher recalls II
| Sunday spent among the German peasants.
During Elk days no sound was to be heard
save the voices OF the children from the
adjacent schoolhouse and the lowing of
| tho cattle in the meadows beyond the
churchyard. Seven miles from ths near
Get village. with only half dozen scat
tered houses in sight. no discord from the
busy world disturb ell the absolute serenity.
The pastor was childless and the silence
Of his home was almost rs deep rs TINT
which embodied the gray old church which
had slumbered in sunshine and shower
for eleven centuries. But on Sunday hiS
modest dwelling became the centre OF
activity for a circuit of several miles
In that region OF moor and woodland no
beer gardens-no. not even the salvation
Army-tempted the stoid peasants 10
vaoate their accustomed places In the
church OF their forefathers.
At 8 O'Clock on t lie Saturday evening
the sonorous bell, reminding all within
reach Of its duh voice that the morrow
was the Sabbath, gave the premonitory
sign Of the approaching excitement.
Then the Frau Pastor would put out and
brush her spouse's black Lutheran gown
and odd shaped cap, somewhat resembling
a mortar board. while he collected and
arranged tho various books and papers
required for his priestly duties
The preparation of the Sunday dinner
GOO was always completed on Saturday
night. and quantities OF cold viunds
intended for numerous guests We're
placed ready to hand on the sideboard
So that the entire household might attend
the morning service. But strictly speaking
the Sabbath began with another ringing
Of the church bell, not for early cele-
bration. as might be supposed. but "a
second reminder to intending wor-
shippers. Whether owing to this Stimulus
or to instincts of reverent punctuality.
though half the congregation had tramped
or cycled or driven a considerable dis
lance scarcely n seat was vacant when
the leisurely old clock struck the hour OF
service. Tns church was tul! and vet
"a still Us if il were empty. So stiil that
hardly an eyelid seemed TO Kicker as
tn. men on one side and the women ON
tho other awaited the entrances OF the
!, pastor.
! The building WAS very ancient, dating
back TO the thirteenth century. Il plain.
barnihc structure. with stunpy tower.
yet adorned with the beauty OF age. The
interior struck one rs gloomy and de
pressing. the uncomfortable. old fash
ioned pews. the cruinbling iont, the
pulpit extraordinarily pcrched above at
the back of the communion table, the
whce2y organ squeaking and grooming.
helped out by couple of brass insrru-
ments. the fifteenth century hymnal with
hymns of endless length all bore the
stamp of time. Nor We're the congrega-
ton up To date; their placid. self RESPECT
ing contentment with their life and posi-
zion were such as are rarely met with in
the twentieth century. There was neither
any appearance of poverty nor any at
tempt to ape their betters Several OF
the women wore dark silk dresses that
would have almost stood alone. and some
of the hats We're garnished with ostrich
feathers that must have cost little short
of pound But the feathers We're worn
modestly dropping and the silk skirts
contained sufficient material to make
three of the fashionable shape There
was nothing tawdry or common to be
seen: deep seated responsibility was
stamped on every man and woman. Dur
ing the hymns the congregation remained