At Huddington church a custom prevails not to ring the bell for service till the clergyman appears in sight--which probably originated in that interesting period of church discipline when congregations were not always sure of a parson till they had caught him. BAPTISMS. The number of godfathers and godmothers to attend at baptisms was fixed at Worcester, at a synod held in 1240, when the same provision was made as is now required by our rubric, viz., "That there should be for every male child that is to be baptized two godfathers and one godmother, and for every female one godfather and two godmothers." CRABBING THE PARSON. The custom of "crabbing the parson" was observed till lately at St. Kenelm's chapelry, near Stourbridge. It was the practice for the villagers, and all who chose, to arm themselves with crabs on the wake Sunday, and as the parson approached the church they were plentifully and vigorously discharged at him in the most approved mode of "horizontal firing" until he reached the haven of the church porch. The substitution of sticks and stones for crabs led to the suppression of the practice. It is said that the origin of this curious game was at some "time immemorial," when a certain clergyman who served this chapel abstracted some dumplings from a pot at a farmhouse near and deposited them in the sleeves of his surplice, from which they rolled out during service time on the head of the clerk, who, thinking himself insulted, retaliated upon the parson by pelting him with a quantity of crabs which he had accidentally got in his pocket. PRIMITIVE CATHEDRAL CUSTOMS. Two ancient customs are observed at Worcester Cathedral--first, the separation of men from the women; and second, the division of the morning service into two. The allotment to each sex of a distinct place in the church was very strictly observed among the primitive Christians, and Geoffrey of Monmouth states that the Britons observed the ancient custom of Troy, by which the men and women used to celebrate their festivals apart. There is an old _jeu d'esprit_ in relation to the custom at Worcester: "The churches in general, we everywhere find, Are places where men to the women are joined; At Worcester, it seems, they are more cruel hearted, For men and their wives are brought here to be parted." As to the division of the morning service (one portion being performed between eight and nine o'clock; and the Litany, Communion, and sermon, from eleven to one), it is to be observed that these services were originally intended to be distinct, so that the curate might have time between them to receive the names of those who intended to communicate. The Communion Office still everywhere retains the old name of "the second service;" and Bishop Overal imputes it to the negligence of ministers and the carelessness of the people that they are huddled together into one office. (See Wheatley on the Common Prayer.) MARRIAGE CUSTOM.