Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 165, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 July 1913 — "Sluggard-Wakers.” [ARTICLE]

"Sluggard-Wakers.”

An English writer upon “Old Church Life" devotes a chapter of his book to the “sluggard-wakers.” After having described the duties of these officials and their manner of discharging them in England and Scotland, he quotes from Mrs. Earle’s "The Sabbath In Puritan New England,” to show that the same practice prevailed here in early days. The business keeping the congregation awake belonged to the tithlng-man of the parish in case the preacher failed to that extent Some of the stories prove that certain of the ministers were capable of rendering the duties of the tlthing-man light At Newbury on one occasion an eccentric preacher awoke a sleeper in a novel manner. He observed a man, named Mark, sleeping, and made use of the Biblical Words: “I say unto you, mark the perfect man and behold the upright.” But in the midst of mis monotonous sermon voice, he roared out the word “mark” in a shout that brought the dozing man to his feet, bewildered but wide-awake. Mr. Moody of York, Maine, employed a similar device to awaken and mortify sleepers in meeting. He Bhouted, “Fire! fire! fire!” And when the startled men jumped up, calling out, “Where?” he roared back in turn, “In the next world, for Bleeping sinners!" During a visit to a church in Sarna, Sweden, Du Ch&lllu saw in the pulpit, near the Bible, wbat resembled a policeman's club, at the end of which was a thick piece of leather. This had been used, until within a few years, Co awake the sleepers, the parson striking the pulpit with it forcibly, thus compelled attention. Near the pulpit was a long pole, rounded at one end, with which the sexton, it appears, used to poke the ribs of sleepers. These two Implements, intended to keep the church awake, were used extensively in many out-of-the-way places in Sweden twenty and thirty years ago, and at the place In question within a few years, but were discontinued by the present pastor. Now, pinches of snuff are often offered to the sleeper, who, after sneezing for a considerable time, findß his drowsiness entirely gone. “You’re sleepy, John,” said a Scotch minister, pausing in the midst of a drowsy discourse, and looking hard at the man he addressed, he added, "Take some snuff, John.” "Put the snuff in the sermon, sir,” replied John.