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Chap. LII.
NYKER.
329
cap, as well as the lich-gates, of which there are several
to each cemetery. In the church of Ny, to the left of
the pulpit hang suspended four hour-glasses, the gift of
Margaret, wife of Peter Bemholt, the priest, date
sixteen hundred and something : clocks at that period
were not in general use in these remote parts.
The glass is running,
Time is going,
We are tracking on.
Jesus, dear Lord Jesus, help us,” &c.
So runs the painted doggrel. The white-haired
schoolmaster informed me how he had heard from his
grandfather that Parson Bemholt preached most interminable
sermons; so his wife out of her own pocket caused the
hour-glasses to be placed. The early Lutheran clergy
became so enamoured of their own discourses, that people
went to church when the sermon was half over, in
consequence of which “ yawning stocks ” were placed
at the church-door, and he who arrived late’was placed
therein. Folks now came early enough, but went to
sleep instead, so in 1688 “ Kirke-Gubber,” or
“Churchpushers,” were appointed—officers whose duty it was to
nudge the offenders and prevent them from indulging in
a nap, for which service they received the sum of six
dollars annually. After a time the clergy, in despair,
finished where they should have begun—they limited
the duration of the sermon to one hour, and, after the
example of Parson Bemholt’s wife, ordered hour-glasses *
to be fixed by the side of every pulpit; but so popular
* No sooner were the hour-glasses established than the country
appears to have been inundated with Sanduhrmachers (hour-glass
makers) from Leipsig and elsewhere. Strange these Northerns never
could run alone without foreign help !
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