"THE GOOD OLD TIMES."

Temuka Leader, Issue 1266, 18 November 1884, Page 3

"THE GOOD OLD TIMES."

In olden times many pious individuals considered it a good work to set apart part of their worldly wealth for keeping the members of the congregation from sleeping during divine service, On the 17th of April, 1725, John Budge be. queathed to the parish of Trysull, in Shropshire, twenty shillings a year, that a poor men might he errployed to go about the church during the sermon and keep the people awake. A bequest of Richard Poyery, of Fartncotp, daled 1650, had in view the payment of eight shillings in the church at Claverly, Shropshire, for a similar purpose. At Acton Church, in Cheshire, about thirty years ago, one of the churchwardens or the apparitor used to go round in the church during service with a Urge wand in his hand j and if any of the_ congregation were asleep they were instantly awoke by a tap on the head. At Dunchurch in Warwickshire, a similar custom existed. A person bearing a stout wand, shaped like a hay-fork at the end, stepped stealthily up and down the nave and aisles, and win-never, he §nw- an, individual asleep he him so effectually that the spell was broken ; this being done by fitting the fork to the nape of the neck. A more playful method is said to have been used ju. another church, where \\\e went rcund the edifi.ce dming the seiyice carrying a long staff, at one end, of which Was a. fox's brn>h, ? awl.**- - ' other end 8 knob, WH»- " - the gently tickled - .. .nefr-rmrr he il.- me lac»*s of the female

.ct-pors, while on the heads of their male compeer* he hestoflid with tbe kneb a sensible r«p.