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“Startled Sleeper Applauds Sermon,” Kingston Whig-Standard. January 11, 1932. Page 03.  ---- Embarrassed Churchman Apologizes to Preacher for Hand-clapping ---- MONTREAL — Genevieve Lipsett Skinner, writing in the Montreal Dally Star, describes the only known cut of applause in church In local annals. 

Rev. Father Hogan of Ste. Anne's, preaching In the Church of the Ascension of Our Lord, in Westmount one morning recently, the writer says, ended his sermon with a dramatic peroration. As his voice died away, a vigorous round of applause came from a man occupying a pew in the rear of the church. The congregation was startled first then amused at tha unusual occurrence.

Later In the morning, the man who applauded explained to the parish priest that he had fallen asleep during the sermon and had begun to waken during the peroration of the preacher. In the first glimmer of returning consciousness, he thought he was in a theatre and Impressed by the concluding remarks of the preacher, he felt his approbation could only be expressed by applause. When he realized that his was the only hand-clapping indulged in he became fully awake. There he was, in the Church of the Ascension and extremely embarrassed. 

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