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.ÿþtions for the construction of churches and chapels rarely included their provi-sion.Fonts came, not out of parish levies, but more typically as benefactions.66Where no font was available, most parishes employed a pewter or silver basinfor baptism; it was portable, replaceable, and far less expensive.As such, itproved eminently practicable in ministering to dispersed inhabitants in multi-congregational parishes.Psalmody was integral to Anglican worship, but few Virginia parishes madeany provision for instrumental support of singing.No more than five orpossibly six out of several hundred parish churches and chapels installedorgans.67 Most vestries seem not to have even considered the possibility.Ex-pense undoubtedly was one deterrent, although the weight of evidence arguesthat vestries funded whatever was deemed necessary for decent Anglican wor-ship.More to the point, perhaps, was the absence of trained musicians in thepredominantly rural Old Dominion.Then, too, Virginians very likely had be-come comfortable with the mode of unaccompanied singing (however dolefulthe actual sounds produced) of familiar psalm tunes.Finally, they could notbe unaware of the problems maintaining instruments in the heat and humidityof the Chesapeake.Col.Landon Carter countered the arguments advanced inthe House of Burgesses on behalf of subsidizing the purchase of an organ forWilliamsburg s Bruton Church on such grounds: besides experience had in-formed us that these instruments could not stand long in this Country.Dust,spiders, and dirt daubers would Stop up all the Pipes, and when it shouldbe out of repair what artificer had we to mend it. 68 Not for the first timeCarter found himself in the minority.Bruton Parish got its organ and also, asit turned out, the troubles Carter predicted.69 Still, Virginia parishes by andlarge recognized no need or obligation to bolster or enhance music in worship.Proper and decent provision for worship went beyond outfitting the build-ings.Ministers required suitable vestments.Of these the parish was canoni-cally responsible for the surplice the loose white linen garment worn overthe gown or cassock.And contrary to oft-repeated stories that Virginia Angli-cans, either because of their low-church prejudices or their adaptation to fron-tier conditions, had forced their clergy to dispense with the surplice, theywere in fact zealous in supplying, cleaning, and replacing surplices for theirparsons.70Effective use of pulpit and reading desk required a folio-sized Bible, Bookof Common Prayer, and Book of Homilies.71 Custom also dictated that thereading desk, the pulpit, and the communion table be covered with appro-priate cloths.St.Peter s Parish in 1731 typified local practice when it ordered.66 parishes
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