Notwithstanding all the comforts and conveniences of modern places of
worship, to say nothing about the more interesting preaching and other
exercises, some people consider it a hardship to be obliged to attend even
one service on Sunday. How was it in "old times"? Our ancestors were
obliged to conform to the prevalent custom of going to meeting whether they
liked it or not. The law did not then excuse any one from attendance at
public worship, except for sickness. Not to be a "meeting-goer" in those
days was to range one's self with thieves and robbers and other outlaws. No
matter if the meeting-house was cold, and there was danger of consumption;
it was apparently "more pleasing to the Lord" that a man should get sick
attending services in "his house" than by staying away preserve his health.
Mr. Felt, in his "Annals of Salem," says: "For a long period the people of
our country did not consider that a comfortable degree of warmth while at
public worship contributed much to a profitable hearing of the gospel. The
first stove we have heard of in Massachusetts for a meeting-house was put
up by the First congregation of Boston in 1773. In Salem the Friends'
Society had two plate-stoves brought from Philadelphia in 1793. The North
Church had one in 1809; the South had a brick Russian stove in 1812. About
the same date the First Church had a stove and the Tabernacle had one also.
The objections that [to heat churches] was contrary to the custom of their
hardy fathers and mothers, [and that it] was an indication of extravagance
and degeneracy, had ceased to be advanced. Not a few remember the general
knocking of feet on cold days and near the close of long sermons. On such
occasions the Rev. Dr. Hopkins used to say, now and then: 'My hearers, have
a little patience, and I will soon close.'"
Mr. Felt says that Hugh Peters (one of the ministers of the First Church)
was represented by an English painter as in a pulpit with a large assembly
before him, turning an hour-glass and using these words: "I know you are
good fellows, stay and take another glass."
* * * * *
The Lord's Day in Connecticut in 1788.