large/4813/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_05_edwards_64kb_29
large/4813/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_05_edwards_64kb
English
4813
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. 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
rvices conducted there? In the first place, they are well attended. And why not, since in 1635 the General Court decreed that no dwelling should be placed more than half a mile away from the meeting-house of any new "plantation"--thus eliminating the excuse of too great distance? Every one is expected, nay, commanded, to come to church. In fact, after the tolling of the last bell, the houses may all be searched--each ten families is under an inspector--if there is any question of delinquents hiding in them. And so in twos and threes, often the man trudging ahead with his gun and the woman carrying her baby while the smaller children cling to her skirts, sometimes man and woman and a child or two on horseback, no matter 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. NE WHAT OF THE SERVICES CONDUCTED THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE THEY ARE WELL ATTENDED AND WHY NOT SINCE IN SIXTEEN THIRTY FIVE THE GENERAL COURT DECREED THAT NO DWELLING SHOULD BE PLACED MORE THAN HALF A MILE FROM THE MEETING HOUSE OF ANY NEW PLANTATION THUS ELIMINATING THE EXCUSE OF TOO GREAT DISTANCE EVERY ONE IS EXPECTED NAY COMMANDED TO COME TO CHURCH IN FACT AFTER THE TOLLING OF THE LAST BELL THE HOUSES MAY ALL BE SEARCHED EACH TEN FAMILIES IS UNDER AN INSPECTOR IF THERE IS ANY QUESTION OF DELINQUENTS HIDING IN THEM AND SO IN TWOS AND THREES OFTEN THE MAN TRUDGING AHEAD WITH HIS GUN AND THE WOMAN CARRYING HER BABY WHILE THE SMALLER CHILDREN CLING TO HER SKIRTS SOMETIMES MAN AND WOMAN AND A CHILD OR TWO ON HORSEBACK NO MATTER 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
large/4813/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_05_edwards_64kb
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download/librilight/large/4813/old_coast_road_1402_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldcoastroad_05_edwards_64kb.flac