one o'clock
Bending low over his manuscript , for his eyesight was poor , and lifting his head only now and then to wipe his brow , or relieve his throat , with a dry , hard cough , Mr. Goodman pursued his way steadily and monotonously from `` firstly '' to `` lastly '' every Sunday . And not only once , but twice on every Sunday . For be it understood , that although many of the congregation lived too far away from the church to make two trips to it from their homes , they were not thereby going to be deprived of two services . Accordingly , after the morning service -- which usually lasted until one o'clock -- was over , a recess of one hour for lunch and fresh air followed , and at two o'clock a second service , precisely similar in character , was entered upon , which occupied two hours more . And then , having thus laid in a supply of sound theology for the rest of the week , the good people of Calvin church , after indulging in a little harmless gossiping at the church door -- of which indulgence , by the way , Squire Stewart strongly disapproved , and would have prohibited , had he been able -- harnessed up their horses and drove away home . Four hours of church service of so unattractive a character , and that in mid-summer ! Poor little Bert !