For someone who puts no credence in the traditional concept of the capitalized God, I’ve always been unusually fascinated by the ways in which religion has guided history, and how history has sometimes guided the course of religion. Especially in rural environments, religious buildings exert a similar appeal for me, standing as reflections of both the spirit and spirituality of a community. Churches were the places where nearly everyone in country hamlets used to congregate, partly for worship but also for their principal social interaction of the week.
The denomination of the church might not matter at all to the communicants. If the Congregationalists or Episcopalians met miles away, but a Baptist or Methodist church stood close by, the provincials would often attend there. Eventually they might become Baptists or Methodists by convenience, rather than by conversion. Such was the influence of the social element on church attendance.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.