The new meeting-house on the hill had been built during Perez'
absence, to supersede the old church on the green, with which his
childish associations were connected. It had been erected directly
after the close of the war and the effort in addition to the heavy
taxation then necessary for public purposes, was such a drain on the
resources of the town, as to have been a serious local aggravation of
the distress of the times. According to the rule in church building
religiously adhered to by the early New Englanders, the bleakest spot
within the town limits had been selected for the meetinghouse. It was
a white barn-shaped structure, fifty feet by sixty, with a steeple,
the pride of the whole countryside, sixty-two feet high, and tipped
with a brass rooster brought from Boston, by way of weather vane.
Perez and Prudence separating at the door went to the several places
which Puritan decorum assigned to those of the spinster and bachelor
condition respectively, the former going into the right hand gallery,
the other into the left, exceptions being however made in behalf of
the owners of the square pews, who enjoyed the privilege of having
their families with them in the house of God.
Pages:
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211