Part 8

MANNERS AT CHURCH.

Punctuality. Manner of entering. Courtesy toward ladies. Courtesy toward strangers. Whispering, laughing, and moving about. Dress at church. Turning the head to see who comes in. Attention to the service. Dropping hymn-books. Manner of leaving.

LESSON VIII.

MANNERS AT CHURCH.

WE should try never to be late at church; it is a disrespect to the place and the worship; it breaks in upon the service, takes the attention of people from it, and disturbs the minister. If we are late, we must not go in during prayer time, but wait near the door.

We should enter a church quietly and soberly. Boys should be as particular as gentlemen to remove their hats at the door, not half-way up the aisle, and to open the pew door for ladies to pass in first. If they are in the pew beforehand, they should rise and pass out for ladies to enter.

When a seat is given us in a strange church, we should not take it without acknowledgment. We should welcome strangers to our pew, hand them a book with the place found, and invite them to come again. If we notice any one near us who cannot find the hymn or place to read, we should quietly pass him our open book.

It is worse to whisper or laugh in church than anywhere else, for it is not only ill-bred but irreverent. We should avoid moving about in our pews, looking around at people, opening or shutting books, and whatever disturbs the quiet of the place.

It is not in good taste to wear much jewelry at church, or showy articles of any kind that will attract attention. A house of worship is no place for striking effects in costume, such as might be proper at a party or place of amusement.

We often see persons in church turn their heads whenever the door is opened, to see who is coming in. Such a disregard of good manners well deserved the rebuke it received once from a Scotch minister, who, annoyed by this habit, astonished his congregation one Sunday morning by announcing to them the name of each late comer as he entered.

If we cannot give respectful attention to the service, we had better stay at home, and not disturb those who go to church to worship.

The clergyman is often annoyed by the dropping of hymn-books or prayer-books noisily into the rack, especially at the close of the last hymn, when he is waiting to pronounce the benediction. This might be done as well and better without any noise whatever.

It is rude in the extreme to seize hats and rush for the door as soon as the last word is said, or to engage at once in idle chatter and laughter. There should be a reverent pause, and then we should pass slowly and quietly down the aisle. It is ill-bred to seem in haste to be gone. Unless we can sit through the service with patience, we should not attend it. Looking at the clock or taking out one's watch during service comes under the same condemnation as leaving with unbecoming haste at the close.

LESSON IX.

OUTLINE FOR BLACKBOARD.

MANNERS AT PLACES OF AMUSEMENT.

Punctuality. Finding seats. Waiting with quietness. Gazing about and making criticisms. Talking and laughing,--story. Looking at watches and clocks. Applause. Doing fancy work. Courtesy to others. Time and manner of leaving.

LESSON IX.

MANNERS AT PLACES OF AMUSEMENT.

WHEN we attend a lecture, concert, or other entertainment, we should go in season: to enter after the performance begins is a discourtesy to the performers and an annoyance to every person in the audience. If we are obliged to be late, we should wait for a favorable time, and then be seated quickly and quietly.

When there is a choice of seats we have a right to take the best that remain when we arrive; but this right offers no excuse for us to push and elbow other people, or to obtain such seats by crowding others aside. It is better to have the poorest seat in the house or none at all than to sacrifice good manners and self-respect. We often see disgraceful exhibitions of selfishness at entertainments on the part of people who pride themselves at home and in company on their politeness.

If we are too early, or if there is delay in commencing, we should wait with well-bred quietness. Nothing marks more surely the ill-bred person than noisy demonstrations of impatience at waiting. This is one of the occasions to practise the graceful sitting still which has been spoken of in the lesson on manners in society.

It is not polite to gaze at those around us, still less to make remarks about them or their dress.

Loud talking and laughing, and all conduct calculated to make ourselves conspicuous, should be avoided. The people who attract attention in these ways will be likely to eat candy, nuts, and popped corn while the exercises are going on, and to violate propriety in other ways.

Whispering during a performance is an offence against good manners; yet it is surprising how common the offence is. School children know how the visitors on examination days often talk to each other throughout the exercises, to the great disturbance of the whole school as well as the teacher, and this recollection ought to make them more careful to avoid the impoliteness themselves. Many people seem to attend places of amusement for the sole purpose of talking with their friends. They will hold long discussions upon dress, cooking, and family matters, as if no music or speaking were in progress, and as if no one else cared to hear more than they. If we do not go to a concert to hear the music, we have no right there; and the same is true at all public entertainments.

It is related of Margaret Fuller that at one of Jenny Lind's concerts her evening's enjoyment was destroyed by some rude young people who whispered incessantly, laughed at each other's foolish jokes, and paid no attention to the wonderful music. At the close of the concert she sent for the young girl whose behavior had been most noticeable to come to her. The girl was much flattered by the request from so distinguished a person, though she was at a loss to account for it. As she appeared with an air of pleased curiosity, Margaret Fuller said to her, "I hope that never again in your life will you be the cause of so much annoyance and pain to any one as you have been to me this evening."

It is to be hoped that this rebuke, with the good advice given with it to this thoughtless girl, was a lesson in good manners which she and her companions never forgot.

To take out one's watch or to turn the head to look at the clock is like saying we are impatient to go, and must be disturbing to the speaker. If it is necessary for us to look at a watch, we should do so without its being seen, and should stifle in our pockets the click of shutting it.