Ole' Time Religion

Ole' Time Religion. . Family values and community were very important to people on the farm. The local church offered a place to fill your soul as well as your belly. at the end of the three-hour service, members would bring out the Sunday lunch for everyone. Neighbors got a chance to visit and share the news. Often young couples would meet their future mates at church., The Amen Corner , Elders in the church typically sat in pews to the right and left of the preachers. These church leaders were known as the "American Corner." They led the singing, and encouraged the minister with exuberant shouts of "Amen and Praise the Lord!, Full Day of Worship , During harvest time, farmers couldn't always travel to church every Sunday. Many community churches condensed services to one Sunday per month. Three pastors would deliver an hour-long message taking advantage of the captive audience. Preachers typically began with calm conversation and finished the sermon in an excited delivery of "fire and brimstone" messaging., Shape Notes , In the mid-1900s songbooks began adding different shapes to help singers learn music. They were known as "Shape-note hymnals. May churches didn't allow musical instruments to guide the hymns. A designated "starter" would over-ring the first bars to get the congregation in sync., Foot Washing and Communion , Religious rites like foot washing were performed by preaches as well as elders. This was a humbling act of kindness that mimicked the actions of Jesus for his disciples. The rite of Holy Communion was performed by the senior minister. The congregation each received a small portion of bread and wine or juice, representing the body and blood of Christ sacrificed to give Christians everlasting life in Heaven., Baptism , A person wishing to join the church community would be baptized. Most churches required full immersion. Often crowds of people were moved to be baptized on the same day. This rite could happen any time of the year. If a person was filled with the spirit in winter, it was not uncommon to break river ice to access the water., Circuit Rider , Rural communities isolated by distance were often visited by preachers on horseback. These traveling ministers were known as circuit riders.