The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-17
Mary Caroline Crawford Throws Light the Curious
Customs Among the Religious Folk "Down East" a
Century Ago That Would Be Shocking To-day

clothing. None the less, the practice
was frequently responsible for the birth
OF a child very soon after the young
people had been made one in marriage.
On this account it was that the church
established what was known as 1.-THE
seven months rule" a rule, that Is, that
a child born within seven months after
the marriage of its parents should not
be accorded baptism (lacking which 1t
was damned IL 1t died) unless the
parents made public confession of and
expressed penitence for the Sin before
marriage" The records of the Groton.
Mass, church show that in this one
small town no less than sixty-six couples
50 confessed between 1861 and 1875.
Nor is this an exceptional showing. In
the history of Dedham, Braintree, and
many other country towns, similar data
may be found. Charles Francis Adams
has called attention to the interesting
fact that in Braintree at any rate the
period during which the greatest num-
Der occurred was precisely that of the
Great Awakening" He would thus
seem to believe that a very close rela-
tionship existed between the morbid
spiritual experiences for which the great
and good Jonathon Edwards was pr-
marily responsible and the tide of inn
morality" which then conspicuously
rolled over the land"
Bundling did not by any means
originate in New England, 1t should
however, be understood. DR.. II. r.
Stiles. who has published an authori-
tative monograph on this subject. shows
that the practice Is Teutonic in its
origin, and establishes the fact too that
it survived in North Wales and n Hol-
land long after it was discountenanced
in New England. He also shows that in
no part of New England was the GUS
tom more prevalent that on Cape Cod,
and that 1t held out longest there
against the advance of more refined
manners.
one interesting outgrowth of the GUS
tom was the arbitrary refusal of the
clergy for many years to baptize infants
born on the Sabbath, there being an an
cient superstition that a child born on
the Sabbath was also conceived on the
Sabbath. Often this worked a gross in
justice Not until a Massachusetts par
son of the highest character became the
father Of twins on the Sabbath was this
discrimination corrected the worthy
minister concerned then made public
Nlldl llt pltNlpuSly bttl
unjust and unfair in refusing to 'baptize
Sabbath born babies.
Bundling came nearest to being a
universal custom among farming folks
in New England from 1850 to 1850. but
it was at all times regarded by the bet
ter classes as a serious evil. 1t is often
attributed 10 Connecticut as If peculiar
to that State. but this is probably due
TO the fact that certain Connecticut his
torians have dealt very frankly with the
custom.
In the Connecticut with which bum
ding Is so largely associated another
and much better way was ultimately
found in which to carry on the court
ship in spite of hamperine circum-
stances This was by the use Il a
Counting stick" a hollow stick about
an inch in diameter and six or eight
feet long, fitted with mouth and ear
pieces, by means of which lovers could
exchange their tender vows while
seated on either side of the fireplace
in the presence of the entire family.
Publishing the banns three times in
the meeting house. at either town meet
ing, weekly lecture or Sunday service,
was a custom enforced throughout New