This
he indignantly denied, saying that he "had never buried a babe even in most
tempestuous weather," when he rode several miles, but he always wore a
band, and he complained in turn that members of his congregation turned
away from him on the street, and "glowered" at him and "sneered at him."
Still more unseemly demonstrations of dislike were sometimes shown, as in
South Hadley, in 1741, when a committee of disaffected parishioners
pulled the Rev. Mr Rawsom out of the pulpit and marched him out of the
meeting-house because they did not fancy his preaching. But all such
actions were as offensive to the general community then as open expressions
of dissatisfaction and contempt are now.
XIX.
The Ordination of the Minister.
The minister's ordination was, of course, an important social as well as
spiritual event in such a religious community as was a New England colonial
town. It was always celebrated by a great gathering of people from far and
near, including all the ministers from every town for many miles around;
and though a deeply serious service, was also an excuse for much
merriment. In Connecticut, and by tradition also in Massachusetts, an
"ordination-ball" was frequently given. It is popularly supposed that at
this ball the ministers did not dance, nor even appear, nor to it in any
way give their countenance; that it was only a ball given at the time of
the ordination because so many people would then be in the town to take
part in the festivity.
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