ABSTRACT
The participation of aristocrats in the Pietist movement had consequences for prevailing opinions about social class. Within the inner circle, where the word of God was the guiding principle, no such distinctions applied. But outside those gatherings traditional distinctions were respected. The description of the hours of devotion at the court of Christian Ernest, prince of SaxeSaalfeld, is typical. The religious exercises were open to everybody, but not everybody could take a seat. The members of the court and the aristocrats sat on divans, people of the middle classes were allowed to sit on chairs, but lower-class participants had to stand.40
