University of Virginia Library

7. CHAPTER VII.
SEATING THE PARISH.

So thought the good people of the old town of
Brookhaven, about a hundred and forty years ago,
when they enacted the law for for seating the parish
at church. Do any of our distant readers want information
as to the locality and geography of Brookhaven?
We may as well premise in the outset, that it is on
Long island, some sixty miles or so from the city of
New York, and is the largest town in territory in
Suffolk County, containing more than a hundred
thousand acres, and stretching across the whole width
of the island. It contains seven or eight thousand
inhabitants, who are distributed in several villages
along the shores of the Sound and the Atlantic, while the
middle portions of the town still remain covered with
pine forests, abounding with deer and other wild game.

The early settlers of this part of Long Island were

mostly from New England, and the inhabitants still
retain much of the primitive Puritan character of
their forefathers. A company from Boston and its
vicinity, commenced a settlement in Brookhaven as
early as sixteen hundred and fifty-five; and in ten
years the settlement had increased so much, that they
called a minister of the gospel to come and reside
among them. Their choice of pastor was, of course,
from the good old Pilgrim stock; for where else could
they go? There was no other race among men or
under heaven, according to their ideas, “whereby they
could be saved.” Accordingly, they settled as their first
minister, Rev. Nathan Brewster, a grandson of Elder
William Brewster, who came over in the May Flower.

Thus having proved the origin of the good people
of Brookhaven, it follows as a matter of course, that
they were not only a pious people, a church-going
people, but also great lovers of order and decorum.
Happily, so important a conclusion does not rest for
its authority on mere inference alone; it is sustained
by ample and positive proof in the shape of duly
authenticated records.

Like most new and remote settlements, the town
might, for some time, be regarded as a sort of independent
democracy. The people met together in a

body, and adopted rules, and made laws, and elected
magistrates and other officers, to see the laws properly
executed. Their attendance at church, also, was, for
many years, conducted very much on the democratic
principle. Indeed this is most usually the case with
churches in all new settlements. The meeting-house,
as well as the nation, experiences its revolutions, and
in the progress of society, passes through all the regular
forms of government.

It has its period of pure democracy; when the temple
is a humble, unfinished structure, with open doors
and windows, and the people come and go at all times
during the hours of worship, as best suits their pleasure.
Then it is, that the congregation sit on stout
longitudinal planks supported by blocks of wood, and
on transverse boards resting on the aforesaid planks.
These planks and boards being common property, vested
in the body politic, the respective seats, on the Sabbath,
are seized and rightfully held, like a newly discovered
country, by the first occupant; thus affording
a practical illustration at the same time both of their
political and religious faith, viz.:—that the people of
the parish are all equal, and that God is no respecter
of persons.

In progress of time, the meeting-house glides naturally

into the aristocratic form of government. Wealth
has begun to make distinctions in society. A better
building is erected, or the old one repaired and put in
a condition more suitable to the times. Permanent
fixtures take the place of the loose planks and boards,
and low partition walls divide the floor into distinct
compartments. This revolution has been brought on
and carried out by the wealth of the few who had the
means to sustain it, and they in return receive the
honors and distinctions usually bestowed on the successful
leaders of a revolution. The many look up to
them with reverence, and stand back and give place
to them whenever they appear. The affairs of the
meeting-house are now principally under their management
and control, and having taken possession of the
most honorable seats, and provided that the most
respectable among the mass should take the seats of
the next highest grade, the remainder of the house is
left free for promiscuous occupation.

Years pass on; and by the diffusion of wealth and
knowledge, and the increase of numbers, the society
becomes ripe for another revolution. Then perhaps
comes on a sort of constitutional government, not
unlike that of our great Republican Union. A tasteful
and costly church is erected, and the snug and

elegant family pew succeeds to the former rude
compartments. Each pew, like a sovereign and
independent State, is governed by the head of the
family, who has entire control over all matters of its
internal police, subject, however, at all times, to the
general and common laws of the society.

The illustration of our subject, drawn from the
history of the good old town of Brookhaven, is
derived from that period when the meeting-house was
undergoing a change from a democratic to an aristocratic
form of government. The building had been
much improved, mainly by the generous liberality of
Colonel Smith, who had poured out his treasure like
water, to accomplish so laudable an object. By the
thorough renovation it underwent at this time, including
the applications of yellow ochre and oil, and the
change of loose planks and boards for permanent
seats, the meeting-house was much modernized, and
exhibited a very respectable appearance. In front of
the pulpit stood a large table of about twelve feet by
four, around which, on communion days, the church
gathered to partake of the supper. At the regular
Sabbath services, the upper members of the parish,
including, of course, Colonel Smith and his family,
seated themselves at the table, as being the most

honorable seat, on account of its vicinity to the pulpit,
and the convenience it afforded as a resting-place
for psalm-books and psalters. The rest of the floor
of the meeting-house was divided into fifteen different
apartments, of an oblong, bed-room sort of size and
shape, which were denominated pews.

But it is hard to bring the mass of community to
adopt great changes or innovations in government, or
the habits of society. When our excellent federal
Constitution was framed, it was a long time before a
majority of the people of all the States could be
induced to fall in with it, and receive it as their form
of government. So it was with the parish of Brookhaven.
They had been accustomed, from time
immemorial, to sit promiscuously in all parts of the
meeting-house wherever they pleased, and there
seemed to be but little disposition on the part of the
mass of the parish, to break over the old habit. The
society had become numerous, and contained many
noisy and roguish boys, and not a few thoughtless and
frolicking young men. Scenes of indecorum and
confusion occurred almost every Sabbath, greatly to
the annoyance of the more sober part of the congregation,
and sometimes to the interruption of the
ceremonial of worship.

At last good Parson Phillips had to stop short one
day in the midst of his sermon. He stood silent for
the space of a minute, looking sternly at pews
number four and six, and then, shaking his finger
solemnly in that direction, he said:

“If the boys in pew number four will stop that
crowding and shuffling their feet, and the young men
in pew number six will cease their whispering with
the young women, the sermon can go on; if not, not.”

The whole congregation looked thunderstruck.
The old men turned their heads towards the two pews
and then towards the minister, and then towards the
pews again. Deacon Jones, coloring with indignation,
rose on his feet, and glanced round with a look
of awful rebuke upon pew number six; and Mr.
Wigglesworth, who was seated at the table, went
directly into pew number four, and seizing two of
the boys by the shoulders in the thickest of the
crowd, dragged them out of the pew, and set them
down at the foot of the pulpit stairs. These decided
demonstrations in favor of good order were not without
their influence, and the services again proceeded
without any material interruption till the close.
When Parson Phillips was about to pronounce the
benediction, Deacon Jones was observed to rise sooner

than he was accustomed to do, and before any of the
rest of the congregation; and he was observed, also,
to stand during that ceremony, with his back to the
minister, and looking round upon the audience, a
thing which he was never seen to do before. The
congregation, therefore, were prepared to expect
something out of the usual course, from Deacon
Jones. As soon as the amen had dropped from the
minister's lips, the deacon stretched out his hand, and
began to address the audience.

“I think,” said he, “the scenes we have witnessed
here to-day, as well as on several Sabbaths
heretofore, admonish us that we have a duty to perform
which has been too long neglected. If we have
any regard for our character, as an orderly and well-behaved
people; if we have any respect for the house
of God, and the holy religion we profess, I think it is
high time we took a decided stand, and adopted some
strong measures to secure order and decorum during
the hours of public worship. I feel impelled by a
sense of duty to invite a general meeting to be held
at this place to-morrow, to take the subject into consideration.
And I hope that all the heads of families
in town, and all who vote and pay taxes, will meet
here to-morrow at ten o'clock for this purpose.”

Colonel Smith spoke, and said he approved of the
suggestion of Deacon Jones, and hoped there would
be a general attendance. The congregation then dispersed,
some moving silently and thoughtfully homeward,
and some loitering by the way and leaning over
the fences, in companies of three or four together, and
discussing earnestly the events of the day, and proposing
plans to be presented at the meeting to-morrow.

Punctually at ten o'clock, the next day, there was
a very general gathering of the inhabitants at the
meeting-house. On motion of Deacon Jones, Colonel
Smith was unanimously appointed “moderator,” or
chairman of the meeting, and on assuming the chair,
he stated in a few pertinent remarks, the general
object of the meeting, and said they were now ready
to hear any observations or suggestions on the subject.
A minute or two passed in perfect silence, and no one
seemed disposed to rise. At last, the chairman said,
perhaps Squire Tallmadge would favor the meeting
with his views of the matter. The eyes of all were
now turned toward Squire Tallmadge, who after a
little pause, rose slowly, and addressed the chair as
follows.

“For one, Mr. Moderator, I feel the importance of

the subject upon which we are met; and for one, I
am prepared to go into strong measures to remedy
the evil, which has been so common of late. The
evil is great, and must be corrected. We had a
specimen yesterday of the noise and indecorum which
sometimes interrupts the course of worship. And
that is not all, nor the worst of it. The young men
and the boys have got in the habit of going in early
sometimes, before services begin, and crowding into
the best seats, and occupying the chairs round the
table; so that the older people, the pillars of the
church, and those who bear most of the expense of
supporting the gospel, have to go into the back seats
or stow themselves round in the corners, wherever
they can find a chance. This is the difficulty, and it
seems to me the remedy would lie in some entirely
new arrangement for seating the parish. I think the
inhabitants should be properly divided into classes,
and each class assigned to a different pew, having
reference to the rank and respectability of each class,
and the respective proportions they contribute to the
support of the gospel.”

As Squire Tallmadge sat down, Mr. Wigglesworth
and Doctor Wetmore rose nearly at the same time.
The chair finally decided that Mr. Wigglesworth had

the floor, whereupon Mr. Wigglesworth made the
following remarks.

“Mr. Moderator; I agree with all that Squire
Tallmadge has said, exactly; only I don't think he's
stated the audacious conduct half strong enough. I
think, if the young men have courting to do, they
should do it at home and not in church. Why, Mr.
Moderator, I've seen a young man, that I won't call
by name, now, though he's here in this meeting,
set with his arm round the girl that sot next to
him half sermon time.” Here the heads of the
audience were turned in various directions, 'till
their eyes rested on four or five young men, who,
with unusual modesty, had taken some of the back
seats, and one of whom was observed to color
deeply.

“I think,” continued Mr. Wigglesworth, “the
people at church ought to be sifted out, and divided,
each sort by itself. What's the use of having these
'ere pews, if it aint to divide the people into them
according to their sorts? I have a calf-pen and a
sheep-pen in my barn-yard, and I put the calves into
one, and the sheep into 'tother, and then I put the
bars up, and don't let 'em run back and forth into
each other's pen, jest as they are a mind to. I've

no more to say, Mr. Moderator, only I hope
now we've begun, we shall make thorough work
of it.”

Doctor Wetmore then rose, and made a few remarks.
He fully agreed with the suggestions thrown out by
Squire Tallmadge. He had witnessed the evils complained
of, and had been mortified by them a good
many times; and he believed the proper remedy
would be, as Squire Tallmadge suggested, in some
thorough change and some regular system, with
regard to seating the parish at church. He would
move therefore, that the subject be referred to the
trustees, or selectmen of the town, and that they be
requested to draw up an ordinance, to be adopted as a
town law for seating the people in a proper and
orderly manner at church, according to their proper
rank, and also having special reference to the
sums contributed by each for the support of the
gospel.

Mr. Wigglesworth seconded the motion, and it was
put and carried unanimously. Deacon Jones then
moved that the trustees be requested to give thorough
attention to the work the present week, and bring
their ordinance in the next Sabbath morning, and
have it read from the pulpit, and go into immediate

operation. This motion was also seconded and carried,
and the meeting adjourned.

This week was an anxious week at Brookhaven, and
one on which an unusual amount of talking was done.
The subject was canvassed and discussed in every possible
shape by all classes and in all families. The old
ladies were rejoicing at the prospect of more quiet
and orderly meetings, and the young ladies were in
fidgets to know where they were to sit. Several persons
came forward with surprising liberality during
this week, and added ten, fifteen, and some as high as
twenty shillings, to their annual subscription, for the
support of the ministry.

At last, the important Sunday morning came round.
It was a pleasant morning, and the people went
uncommonly early to church, and the meeting-house
was fuller than it had been seen for many months
before. None, however, seemed disposed to take
seats as they entered, and all were standing, when
Parson Phillips came in. When the Reverend gentleman
came up to the pulpit, the chairman of the
trustees handed him the ordinance, and requested him
to read it from the pulpit, in order that the parish
might be seated accordingly before the services commenced.

Parson Phillips accordingly ascended the pulpit,
and unfolded the paper, and while the whole congregation
stood in profound silence, with their eyes fixed
on the speaker, he read as follows.

“At a meeting of the Trustees of Brookhaven,
August 6, one thousand seven hundred and three:
Whereas, there hath been several rude actions of late
happened in our church by reason of people not being
seated, which is much to the dishonor of God and the
discouragement of virtue; For preventing the like
again, it is ordered, that the inhabitants be seated
after the manner and form following: All freeholders
that have or shall subscribe within a month to pay
forty shillings to Mr. Phillips towards his salary shall
be seated at the table, and that no women are permitted
to set there, except Colonel Smith's lady, nor any
woman kind; And that the President for the time
being shall sit in the right-hand seat under the pulpit,
and the clerk on the left; the trustees in the front
seat, and the Justices that are inhabitants of the town
are to be seated at the table, whether they pay forty
shillings or less. And the pew number one, all such
persons as have or shall subscribe twenty shillings; and
the pew number two, such as subscribe to pay fifteen

shillings; in pew number three, such as subscribe to
pay ten shillings; number four, eight shillings; number
five, twelve shillings; number six, nine shillings;
number seven, for the young men; number eight, for
the boys; number nine, for ministers' widows and
wives; and for those women whose husbands pay
forty shillings, to sit according to their age; number
eleven, for those men's wives that pay from twenty
to fifteen shillings. The alley fronting the pews to be
for such maids whose parents or selves shall subscribe,
for two, six shillings; number twelve, for those men's
wives who pay from ten to fifteen shillings; number
thirteen, for maids; number fourteen, for girls; and
number fifteen, for any. Captain Clark and Joseph
Tooker to settle the inhabitants according to the above
orders.”[1]

When the reading was finished, Captain Clark and
Mr. Tooker entered upon the duties of their office;
and after about an hour's marching and counter-marching,
and whispering, and pulling and hauling,
and referring to the parish subscription books, the
congregation was seated, quiet was restored, and the
services of the day were performed without interruption.

The next Sabbath, each one knew his own
place, and the new order of things was found to work
well, and answered a good purpose for many long
years after that, 'till in the progress of human events
the parish became ripe for another reform.