large/4813/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_05_edwards_64kb_59
large/4813/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_05_edwards_64kb
English
4813
Interminable, and, also, to the modern Sunday observer, unendurable. How many of us of this softer age can contemplate without a shiver the vision of people sitting hour after hour in an absolutely unheated building? (The Old Ship was not heated until 1822.) The only relief from the chill and stiffness comes during the prayer when the congregation stands: kneeling, of course, would savor too strongly of idolatry and the Church of Rome. INTERMINABLE AND ALSO TO THE MODERN SUNDAY OBSERVER UNENDURABLE HOW MANY OF US OF THIS SOFTER AGE CAN CONTEMPLATE WITHOUT A SHIVER THE VISION OF PEOPLE SITTING HOUR AFTER HOUR IN AN ABSOLUTELY UNHEEDED BUILDING THE OLD SHIP WAS NOT HEATED UNTIL EIGHTEEN TWENTY TWO THE ONLY RELIEF FROM THE CHILL AND STIFFNESS COMES DURING THE PRAYER WHEN THE CONGREGATION STANDS KNEELING OF COURSE WOULD SAVOR TOO STRONGLY OF IDOLATRY AND THE CHURCH OF ROME
n the streams, how deep the whirling snow--they all come to church: old folk and infants as well as adults and children. The congregation either waits for the minister and his wife outside the door, or stands until he has entered the pulpit. Once inside they are seated with the most meticulous exactness, according to rank, age, sex, and wealth. The small boys are separated from their families and kept in order by tithing-men who allow no wandering eyes or whispered words. The deacons are in the "fore" seats; the elderly people are sometimes given chairs at the end of the "pues"; and the slaves and Indians are in the rear. To seat one's self in the wrong "pue" is an offense punishable by a fine. "Here is the church, and here are the people," as the old rhyme has it. What then of the services? That they are interminable we know. The tithing-man or clerk may turn the brass-bound hourglass by the side of the pulpit two and three times during the sermon, and once or twice during the prayer. R HOW WILD THE STORM HOW SWOLLEN THE STREAMS HOW DEEP THE WHIRLING SNOW THEY ALL COME TO CHURCH OLD FOLK AND INFANTS AS WELL AS ADULTS AND CHILDREN THE CONGREGATION EITHER WAITS FOR THE MINISTER AND HIS WIFE OUTSIDE THE DOOR OR STANDS UNTIL HE HAS ENTERED THE PULPIT ONCE INSIDE THEY ARE SEATED WITH THE MOST METICULOUS EXACTNESS ACCORDING TO RANK AGE SEX AND WEALTH THE SMALL BOYS ARE SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES AND KEPT IN ORDER BY TITHING MEN WHO ALLOW NO WANDERING EYES OR WHISPERED WORDS THE DEACONS ARE IN THE FOUR SEATS THE ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE SOMETIMES GIVEN CHAIRS AT THE END OF THE PEWS AND THE SLAVES AND INDIANS ARE IN THE REAR TO SEAT ONE'S SELF IN THE WRONG PEW IS AN OFFENSE PUNISHABLE BY A FINE HERE IS THE CHURCH AND HERE ARE THE PEOPLE AS THE OLD RHYME HAS IT WHAT THEN OF THE SERVICES THAT THEY ARE INTERMINABLE WE KNOW THE TITHING MAN OR CLERK MAY TURN THE BRASS BOUND HOURGLASS BY THE SIDE OF THE PULPIT TWO AND THREE TIMES DURING THE SERMON AND ONCE OR TWICE DURING THE PRAYER
large/4813/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_05_edwards_64kb
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