On the left is the sign that was attached to the baptist heater (sic) that I've just collected from a church in Nottingham which warns you of the dangers of leaping into the baptistery whilst it is still electrically live - sadly my understanding is that this does sometimes happen with tragic consequences.
Anyway, it made me smile to think that there really was a device designed precisely to warm up congregations - presumably to make them more receptive to the sermon?!
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I remember a story told by Rex Mason, my OT tutor at Regent's, about a church treasurer who connected up every seat in the church to an electrical shock mechanism, applied when he pressed a button. He encouraged the minister, come Gift Day Sunday, to ask the congregation to stand up if they were willing to pledge £10, then £20, then £50 etc. After a while the minister cottoned on to what was happening and what out in disgust - past the Scotsman (I think it was!) sitting dead in the back row.
Sorry, meant to say 'walked out in disgust'