r 



Form of 

 Service 



162 THE FEENCH BLOOD IN AMEEICA 



his religion, he maintains the cause of Jesus Christ with 

 untiring zeal." Such a minister and man was an influ- 

 ence of inestimable good to the New England colony, not 

 simply to his own people, who revered and loved him as 

 one who had shared the fires of persecution in the bonds 

 of a common faith. 



lY 



The liturgy observed by the refugees in their public re- 

 ligious ser\'ices, says Baird, was that which had been in 

 use among the Eeformed chui'ches of France for nearly a 

 century and a half. Modelled by Calvin upon primitive 

 offices, it was of rigid simplicity, yet it was orderly and 

 impressive. The Sunday service was preceded by the 

 reading of several chapters of Holy Scripture. The read- 

 ing was performed, not by the clergyman, but by a ''lec- 

 teur," who was also the "chantra" or precentor, and who 

 frequently united with these functions those of the parish 

 schoolmaster during the week. In Daill6's day the '' lec- 

 teur" was probably ''old Mr. John Eawlins," whom the 

 pastor remembered affectionately in his will. The read- 

 ing ended with the decalogue ; and then came the service 

 conducted by the minister. It began with a sentence of 

 Invocation, followed by an invitation to prayer, and a 

 general confession of sins. The congregation rose with 

 the words of invocation, and remained standing during 

 prayer, but resumed their seats when the psalm was given 

 out for singing. This was the people's part — the service 

 of song — in a ritual without other audible response ; and 

 all the Huguenot fervour broke out in those strains that 

 had for generations expressed the faith and the religious 

 joy of a persecuted race. A brief extempore prayer pre- 

 ceded the sermon. They closed with the Lord's Prayer 

 and the Apostles' Creed, except when the Communion 

 was to be administered ; and after the benediction the 

 congregation was dismissed with the word of peace, and 

 an injunction to remember the poor, as they passed the 



