44 Transactions. 



Some of the clerical customs which were supposed to edify 

 and enlighten in olden time have undergone considerable 

 modification, while others have died away altogether, and 

 without any disrespect to the memory of these latter, or 

 those men who can'ied them into practice, it may be said of 

 both, that the day of their death was better than that of 

 their birth. They had their day, and they were in some 

 degree suited to the character of the people, and were in- 

 tended to be beneficial to the interests of religion, though 

 we fear it must be said that their self-importance greatly 

 exceeded their usefulness even when most effectively earned 

 out. The edification of these times seems to have had a 

 close affinity to its namesake terrification, as we shall in 

 another paper show. To see men and women with the almond 

 tree in blossom, trembling before their minister, like male- 

 factors before a judge, or school boys before their master, 

 but yet unconscious of any reason why, was by no means an 

 agreeable sight ; and it is now matter of wonder that such a 

 state of things should ever have been tolerated in a Christian 

 land. However, the ban of the clergy was an irresistible 

 power, and excommunication from the privileges of the 

 church was regarded as tantamount to exclusion from the 

 kingdom of heaven itself. We shall now give a sketch of 

 some of these customs which have now either become obso- 

 lete, or are gi'eatly modified in their observance, and we shall 

 begin with those having reference to Preaching and the 

 Pulpit. Our illustrations shall be drawn from whatever re- 

 liable sources are within our reach, whether oral or recorded, 

 though a special preference will be given to such as are orig- 

 inal, or have never been met with in print. 



The Clergy seem to have affected a display of gaudy 

 colours and costly material, as well as rich ornamentation in 

 the style of their costume, from the time of the Reformation 

 for more than a century and a half downwards ; and the 

 General Assembly of 1575, in order to check the tendency, 

 considered it necessary to pass the following Act on the sub- 

 ject ; — " Forasmuch as comely and decent apparel is requisit 



