Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-12-24
Clerical Anecdotes.

perhaps, from being quite unpremedl-
tated by those to whom they are due.
Though few in these days would have
the bad taste to joke on things sacred,
there can be no harm in noting a few
eccentricities and eontretempS which are
said to have occurred in connection with
things clerical.
OF the Rev. Robert Stephen Hawker,
vicar of Morwenstow, many good
stories are told, in his Life by Mr..
Barring. Gould. When young, he was a
very tricky fellow, and kept most peo-
pie around him in hot water. At STRAIT
ton, where his father lived, there was
grocer whom the youngster delighted
in teasing. He would dive into the
shop" said his biographer. t" catch hold
of the end of thread that curled out of
the tin in which the shopkeeper kept
the ball of twine with which he tied up
his parcels, and race with it in his hand
down the street, then up a lane and
down another, till he Lad uncoiled it
all, and laced Stratton in a cobweb of
Irvine. tripping up people as they went
along the Streets" After Mr.. Hawker
was appointed rector of Morwenstow,
the untidy condition of the church
affected one of his curates, a man of
somewhat domineering character, to
such an extent that one day the latter
swept up all the rubbish he could find
in the church, old decorations of the
previous Christmas, decayed southern
wood and roses of the foregoing mid
summer festivity, scraps of old Bibles
prayer-books, and manuscript scraps of
poetry. match ends, candle-ends, etc.,
and having filed barrow with all these
sundries, he wheeled it down to the
vicarage door, rang the bell, and asked
Tor Mr.. Hawker. The vicar came into
the porch. This said the curate.
" is the rubbish I have found in your
church" "Not at all" said Mr.. Hawk
er. Complete the pile by seating
yourself on the top, and I will see to
the whole being shot speedily"
iThe Literary Churchman gives an
amusing anecdote of Mr.. Hawker, who
was walking one day on the cliffs near
Morwenstow with the Rev. Mr.. W,
when gust of wind took off Mr..
vs. hat and carried it over the
cliff. Within week or two, q Metho.
dist preacher at Truro was discoursing
on :" Prayer" and in his sermon he
said: II would not have you, dear
brethren, confine your supplications to
spiritual blessings; bat ask also for
temporal favors. I will illustrate my
meaning by relating an incident that
happened to myself about ten days ago.
/ was on the shore of q cove near a
little insignificant place in North Corn
wall named Morwenstow, and about to
proceed to Bude. Shall I add. nv
Christian friends, that I had on nv
head at the time shocking bad hat
that I somewhat flushed to think of
entering that harbor-town and Watering
place 90 ill-adorned as to my head
Then I lifted up prayer for covering
more suited to my head. At that SOL
emn moment I raised my eyes and saw
in the spacious armament on high
the blue ethereal SKYE black spot.
It approached-it largened- it widen
edit fell at my feet. It was a bran
new hat by celebrated London maker
! cast my battered beaver to the waves,
my Christian friends, and walked into
Bude as fast ash could with a new hat
on my head"
The incident got into the Methodist
Reporter, or some such paper under the
heading of Remarkable Answer to
Prayer" "And," said the vicar, the
rascal made of with Mr.. VS. new
hat. There was no reaching him, for
We were on the cliff, and could not de.
scend the precipice. He was deaf
enough, I promise you, to our shouts"
Archdeacon Wilberforce having come
into the neighberhood to advocate the
cause of the Society for the fropaga.
ton OF the Gospel, met Mr.. Hawker.
" Look here" said the Archdeacon:
" I have to speak at the meeting at
Stratton tonight, and am told that
there is certain Mr.. knight who will
be on the platform, and he is weari.
full speaker. I have not much time to
spare. Is it possible by hint to re.
duce him to reasonable limits ?" Mr..
Hawker said it was utterly impossible,
he was irresponsible. "But," he
added, I" leave him to me, and he will
not trouble you" At the meeting, this
Mr.. Knight was on the platform wait
ing for his opportunity to rise. "Ah!
Knight" said Mr.. Hawker, in q whis-
per, " the Archdeacon has left his watch
and mine is also at home; will
you lend yours for timing the speeches."
With some hesition Mr.. knight did so,
handing him his gold repeater, with
bunch OF. seals attached. Presently
Mr.. Knight rose to speak. Now, the |
latter gentleman was accustomed when |,
public audience to daugle
his bunch of seals round and round in |
his left hand. Directly he began his |
Grafton, his hand went instinctively to
his fob in quest of the bunch. 1t was
not there. He stammered and felt
again, foundered in his speech, and
after few feeble efforts to recover him
self, gave in, and resumed his seat.
Mr.. Hawker frequently acted as post !