Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-09-17
A witty Preacher.

The Rev. DR.. Spragne, in his visits To
European Celebrities gives anecdo.es o
the Rev. Matthew Wilkes, a celebrated
o,don preacher.
There was nothing for which he had a
more cordial adherence than an exhibition
OF dandyism in young minister; and moth
ing OF this kind ever came in contact with
him without meeting rebuke.
On one occasion young minister with a
good deal OF pretension and parade, went
from the country to London, and carried
Mr.. Wilkes letter, designed to procure for
him an invitation TO preach.
well, young man. said Mathew with
nnsal twang that is perfectly indescri-
able, but which nobody who has once heard
1t can ever forget. swell, young man. you
want topreach in London don't you !"
u an going to pass few days here, sir,
and II It should suit Dir. Wilkes convent.
ence, should be very happy indeed to Civ.
his people sermon while am here.'
Well" repliedsxMa,hew you can
preach-you cansps9Nfh; come along next
"Wednesday mdFning to the Tabernacle,
and III meet you there, aud you can take
my lecture for'that morning
The young man agreed to do so, and was
on the ground at the appointed hour. NIT
thew met him at the door, disguised as he
bad been before with his dandy airs. and
addressed him thus:
go along in the pulpit, young man, and
! w'll be below AMI look at you, and shuIl
hear every word you say"
The young preacher dartcd through the
tisle into the pulpi, in manner that seemed
better to beiit ball room than a place OF
worship. He performed The Introductory
service with an air ofinsuflerable self com
placcncy, and in due time opened the Bible
and read his text, which was the last verse
OF the first chapter of John as~
thereafter We shall see heaven open, and
the angels Of God ascending and descending
upon the Son of MAN. G#sss
lie had written his sermon, and commit.
ted II all 10 memory, as he supposed, T.
a word; but, unfortunately he had left his
manuscript behind. When he had read his
text, he found il impossible to remember
the first sentence. lie hesitu,ed and hem
med and began thus
you perceive, my breihren-you per-
ceiye-that the angels OF Godare here rep
resented az ascending and des sen'ing"
III tHNli stL UP u nDUu STOUT cough, In the
hope that his memory might get 10 work in
the meantime; but the cough was as unpro-
dnc,ive as il was artificial, and he could do
nothing but to % righ, over again with the
absurd sentence with which he had started
II coughed again and again, but his memory
was in too profound a siamb TO br ava.
kened ly i. After three or four minuics-
during gliich he was spectacle 10 the
and especially 10 Matthew.
who was all the time Watching and listening,
according to his promisc--he shut has I]ibie
in perfect Consideration, and nb uatly
closed III service. OF course he came ont
of the pulpit with rvrry different cir from
that with which he had entered i, But
the worst was TO come -be had to meet
Matthew, and hear his scafling Comments.
.Wcli, we'll" said he. "y"ung man,
lol'ye preached in London--hln't YOU
lge heard you; have heard every word
you've said, and I've only one conmcn, Ia
make: ii sou ascehded as you descended.
then you might h We descended as yeu as
cended." q - y = - = q
II is eedless to say that The young man
was by this tine completely cured Of his
ambition to p eash in the Tabernaclc. i