44 3fen and Things in Albany Tiuo Centuries Ago. 



to their devotions having given it a peculiar conformation. 

 Tenants of the opposite buildings watched it for many years 

 v^ith pious care when the pavement was being repaired ; 

 but when they had passed away, some one lacking know- 

 ledge insisted that it was wrongly placed and induced the 

 paver to remove it to the centre of the street, after which 

 it was thrown out altogether and lost to the antiquary. 

 The church stood so nearly across the street, that only a 

 cart- way remained on either side. In length it extended 

 east and west. 



On entering the audience room, the })ulpit was observed 

 on the north side, octagonal in form, barely large enough 



churches, but instead of sitting in families, each sitter had 

 an appropriate seat and cushion, which seat was occupied 

 during life, and afterward transferred to the nearest of 

 kin, on payment by the latter of a fee for the transfer. 

 The seats accommodated 611 women, who occupied the 

 entire body pews of the church, and there was an elevated 

 bench extending around the wall, which afforded seats for 

 seventy-nine men. This was the entire capacity of the 

 church until galleries were added at a later day. 



It is traditional that when there was danger of invasion, 

 the men sat with their guns by their sides, wearing their 

 hats and muffs, and smoking their pipes during the sermon. 

 The walls were perforated near the top, with loop holes 

 for the use of musketry. To this vigilance the inhabitants 

 owed their immunity from invasion, for the city was never 

 beleaguered by any foe. 



W still preserved. The seats were 

 slips after the manner of modern 



for one to speak in, having a 

 bracket in front on which was 

 placed an hour-glass to measure 

 the length of the pastor's dis- 

 course. It served the two edifices 

 a hundred and fifty years, and is 



