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.ÿþwas true of other aspects of the transmitted culture, it proved very susceptibleto local circumstances and changing conditions over time.Still to be resolved is the fascinating question of how parish authoritiesdetermined who was or was not attending church.Parishioners, is should beremembered, had assigned seats or at least assigned areas in which to sit ineighteenth-century churches and chapels that might have afforded a means,however imperfect, for keeping tabs on attendance.43 It is not certain to whatextent specific assignments were made for the poor, the indigent, servants, andslaves.Surveillance was intended, however, as an order of the Lynnhaven Parishvestry makes evident:Resolved that mr: Patrick Hackett is a fit person to Sett up in the gal-lery to keep everybody in order & if boy s or any other person will notbe restrained but doe any indecency he is hereby required to report Sameto the Church wardens who are Desired to take proper measures to pun-ish Such disorderly person: Likewise mr: francis Moseley is appointedto look out of doors & if any person or persons are Sitting & talking orCommiting any indecency during divine Service, he is hereby Impoweredto Commit them to the care of the Constable & inform the Churchwar-dens thereof to be dealt with as the Law requires.44Prosecutions for nonattendance further confound the conventional wisdomthat Virginians were generally indifferent to the claims made upon them bythe church.When considered alongside provisions for ministers and clerks, thebuilding and maintenance of churches and chapels, and baptismal practices,the presentment data argue for far higher levels of adherence than traditionalestimates allow.The most rigorous test of adherence would be participation in Holy Com-munion.The sacrament represented adult fulfillment of the pledges of faithmade on behalf of the infant in baptism.The Prayer Book prescribed receivingthe sacrament at least three times a year, of which Easter was to be one.45 Buteven if there were records of attendance at Holy Communion which withrare exception there are not participation in the sacrament would not mea-sure adherence, given the general reluctance of parishioners throughout theEnglish-speaking world to approach the altar rail.46Fragmentary evidence found in the opening pages of the Albemarle Parishregister forces one, nonetheless, to confront behavior running counter to thegeneral rule of low participation.What appear initially to be church atten-.Adherents 249 [ Pobierz caÅ‚ość w formacie PDF ]