The Drum in Early New England

Here are some references from old Puritan New England referring to using the drum to call the people to church before they could get bells.

"The lower part they use for their church, where they preach on Sundays and the usual holidays. They assemble by beat of drum, each with his musket or firelock, in front of the captain's door;" -Isaack de Rasieres, a visitor to Plymouth, writing to Samuel Blommaert in 1628 describing Plymouth

In 1638 a platform was made upon the top of the Windsor meeting-house “from the Lanthorne to the ridge to walk conveniently to sound a trumpet or a drum to give warning to meeting.”

"New England’s Sabbath day

Is heaven-like still and pure,

When Israel walks the way

Up to the temple’s door.

The time we tell

When There to come

By beat of Drum

Or sounding Shell" -An old Puritan Hymn (sounding Shell refers to using the conch-shell to call to worship)

“Hearing the sound of a drum he was directed towards it by a broade beaten way; following this rode he demands of the next man he met what the signall of the drum ment; the reply was made they had as yet no Bell to call men to meeting and therefore made use of the drum.” –Johnson, in his “Wonder Working Providence”

-Peter Bringe
Memor!