The New York herald., 1873-10-26
"Bread and Butter and Te..-

no more ON scenes Df DioOu ana SORROW.
j, ssBrcad and Butter and Tea.''
A singular scene is said to have occurred in
the Calvary Episcopal church, Chicago, last
Sunday. The Rev. J. F. Walker, the pastor,
says the account, was observed by the congre-
service in particularly feeble manner.
Finally, when he came to the sermon, he
broke completely down, and, to the amaze
ment of the congregation, and not little to
their chagrin, announced that all that he had
had to eat and drink during that and the pre-
vious day had been bread and butter and tea,
and that when he should go home after service
was over he would not feel certain of finding
even that much. The sensation produced,
says the account, is indescribable. Many OF
the congregation got up and went away,
smarting under the rebuke which Mr. Walkers
confession of starvation administered to them,
and those who remained poured forth enough
invitations to last Mr.. Walker every Sunday
in the year could he have accepted them con-
secutively.
Now, we are willing to make every allowance
for the Chicago Calvary Episcopal church
congregation which the possibility of exag-
geration, malicious or otherwise, in this report
can suggest. 1t is not often that the spectacle
is presented Of congregation hungering and
thirsting after righteousness while their pastor
hungers and thirsts after roast beef. But
even supposing that Mr. Walkers description
of the meagre state Of his larder is correct,
we are unable to see why good sermon
could not be written and delivered on a couple
of days repast of bread and butter and tea,
provided only there was enough of them.
We have no means Of ascertaining the guam
tity of Mr.. Walkers appetite, or, therefore, of
comparing the supply of eatables with the
demand. We are in ignorance as to how long
this vegetarian diet had lasted, and whether
Mr.. Walker had been in the habit of eating
meat once, or twice, or thrice day. But,
other things being equal-that is to say, Mr..
Walker being an average clergyman possess
ing the average clerical appetite, and having
enjoyed the average clerical supply Of
eatables and drinkables during the
majority Of his professional career-we
have no doubt that it would do him more good
than harm to come down to bread and butter
and tea for q day or two. 1t is pleasant
thing to see man putting good appetite
and an excellent digestion to proper work.
No minister will save one soul the less for
doing so. The sin with most of US, clergy
men included, is that we eat too much, and
do not eat that much in a proper manner.
We do all to the glory of gluttony, not God.
We give to the stomach the work which should
have been performed by the teeth, and the
just punishment comes in the shape Of dys-
pepsia. But we have no desire to pronounce
final opinion upon either Mr.. Walker or the
Chicago Calvary Episcopal church congrega-
ton. If the clergyman really made the
speech attributed to him he was probably
feeling pretty bad; but before pronouncing q
more emphatic opinion it would be necessary
to know how much salary he gets, how that
salary is expended, whether he possesses any
private MEANS and if SO, how they are ap-
Piled We believe in fair pay and good meat
and drink for those who preach to us faith
fully about our souls; but at the same time an
occasional diet upon bread and butter and tea
would be apt to do good rather than harm to
clergyman as well as layman.