mourners' bench

American  

noun

1. (at religious revival meetings) a bench or seat at the front of the church or room, set apart for mourners or penitent sinners seeking salvation.

---

Etymology

Origin of mourners' bench

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mourners' bench

There was no public testimony of the saved, no mourners' bench nor sawdust trail, no Bible-banging nor marimba band.

From Time Magazine Archive

Only producers to have had more than one hit were the Shuberts, but Gilbert Miller headed the mourners' bench with three flops.

From Time Magazine Archive

If they kept the stock, as many doubtless did rather than incur Samuel Insull's displeasure, they now are of course on the long, long Insull mourners' bench.

From Time Magazine Archive

The mourners' bench was crowded at the 1950 meeting in Manhattan of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

From Time Magazine Archive

Us Culvers were down front, one pew back from the mourners’ bench where Miss Myrt’s brother from French Lick sat.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck