'Notabelen' discuss every subject under the sun, not forgetting their dear
neighbours.

On Sunday mornings the whole 'Gemeente' goes to church, from the
Burgomaster to the poorest farm-labourer, and all are dressed in their
best. The men of the village have put aside their working-clothes, and
are attired in blue or black cloth suits with white shirt fronts and
coloured ties. The women have donned black dresses, caps and shawls, and
carry their scent-bottles, peppermints, and 'Gezangboek' (hymn-book) with
large golden clasps. The 'Stovenzetster,' a woman who acts as verger,
shows the good people to their seats and provides the women, if the
weather is cold, with 'warme stoven' (hot stoves), to keep their feet
comfortable. These little 'stoves' contain little three-cornered green or
brown pots ('testen'), in which pieces of glowing peat are put, and
sometimes when the peat is not quite red-hot it smokes terribly, and
gives a most unpleasant odour to the building. The women survive it,
however, by resorting to their _eau de Cologne,_ which they sprinkle upon
their handkerchiefs, and keep passing to their neighbours during the
whole service.

The village schoolmaster has a special office to perform in the Sunday
service. It is he who reads a 'chapter' to them before the entrance of the
clergyman, who only comes when service has begun. Then the sermon, which
is the chief part of the service in Dutch churches, begins. This sermon is
very long, and the congregation sleep through the first part very
peacefully, but the rest is not for long, for when the domine has spoken
for about three-quarters of an hour he calls upon his congregation to sing
a verse of some particular psalm. The schoolmaster starts the singing,
which goes very slowly, each note lasting at least four beats, so that the
tune is completely lost. However, as a rule, every one sings a different