Year: 1859

Sleeping in Church.


A writer in the New York Observer Of
last week makes the following remark on
this subject:


Il have great sympathy with sleepers.
Not that the tendency is one Of my trials,
but that have a lew times in church
known the pang of that overpowering
drowsiness which is ust as irresistible as
the lull Of opium or chloroform upon the
senses. But il has been very seldom.


"Generally the tendency is within our
control-that is, of those Of us who are
not compelled to work kard or TO carry
The labots Of the week almost in the sab
bath. If we choose 10 break the Sabbath
on Saturday, by oyertiring ourselves or
keep late hours, on Saturday night, Of
course we must expect to be sleeping in
church. Bat whose fault is ii? Then
with many, Sunday being leisure day,
more time is given to eating and drinking
instead of acting on the well known prin-
ciple that when we do not work we need
less. Also, those who really desire TO
avoid being sleepy should take light meal
at noon and more food later in the day, for
it is almost impossible TO sit down quietly
after full meal and keep mind and body
awake.


"Anoher soporifc is dull preaching.
But frequently the fault is as much with
she heaTer as the preacher-a wan; of in
terest apparent in the hearer discourages
and throas pail over his best efforts.
Still il must be confessed there is a sooth-
ing effect in mOnolonous voice, in un.
varying tones, which it is hard 10 resist.


But one of she chief causes of drows-
ness is in the state Of the atmosphere in
the church. The subject of ventilation is
worn threadbare, and yet it is little under
stood. TO seal up room almost her
metlcally, and conine people in it, is the
true mode-it is an economical method OF
manufacturing carbonic acid gas. Finally
some discover that they suffer from it,
and wake up to the importance of ventila-
lion. Lo ! hole is cut in the ceiling


'Oh how admirably our church is ven
tlated. How much better | feel Ger
tainly, title better, but the chief point
q supply Of fresh air, has been quite over
looked. There is way of letting the
air out, but no way of letting it in. A
fish suffers in stagnant water. Give me
running water he says. So you cut an
outlet 10 his pond, but no inlet. What
will the fish say to your wisdom


"in summer, when the sexton can open
the windows, there may be supply Of
air, but often these arrangements are IN
complete. Either the windows will only
partially or merely the lower part, so thai
those sitting near are incommoded by
draughts. We have had in the papers a
moving address to the "sextant Of The
meeiin us" entreatEg for 'pewer are
but sections are q much abused and long
race. If the church be too hot
or too cold, too wet or too dry, all the
blame lies with the sexton. But he can
lot manufacture oxygen 10 order, or send
il into an exhausted receiver without prop |
or apparatus. Give him windows open
ing at top and bottom for summer, and
proper warming facilities in winter, and
for his own peace, he will do well.


Furnaces are abused, too, and unjust
ly. True, there are some that cannot be
TOO much spoken against; but they are
good and philosophical, if properly con-
sWueled A full supply of ,carm air
mot heat is all tha, is needed, and
church may be as well ventilated with
warm air as with cold so that il be pure
and abundant. Ifthere be way for il TO
pass off, when exhausted, the process is
complete. But The usual construction OF
furnaces is faulty Placed in the cellar,
the only supply of air to be warmed often
comes from The cellar, and the quantity is
limited, so that the air passing up is over
heated and seems already scorched and
exhausted before il reaches the people
who are 10 breathe II.


There are churches in our city, anu