The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-03-14
THE PRESS.
The Martyr of st. Junket's.
PART ii.

CONCLUDED FROM SATURDAY.
PART III.
The Rev. Thomas Phewle did not snap his
fingers at his Bishop. for it was his habit to
order himself lowly and politely before his
superiors besides which he had come with
the prefixed purpose of surrendering five
out of his seven altar candles, if this would
content his lordship. But the bishop wanted
more than five candles. In a weak sort of
way, and with no very clear idea of his
rights over Wears, he had made up his mind
that he would try to put down Ritualism,
which was thing repugnant to his wife and
consequently cause of domestic unrest to
himself.
Il don't want to be severe, Mr.. Phewle,"
he said, mildly; 81 would rather appeal to
your feelings. Do you not think it would be
seemly to renounce the practices which are
objected to in your parish?'
"But, my lord, the large majority of my
congregation approve what am doing"
''There are some who object"
"But must yield to a minority? If
small section of my parshioners called upon
me to wear white wig in the pulpit, ought
to yield to their demands?"
Nobody has asked you to wear a wig, so
far as know" answered the bishop ser-
OuSly, 'InaG WOulu DE ABSURD.
81 consider the demands that have been
made quite as unreasonable"
ga vicar should be the pastor of his flock,
Mr.. Phewle.''
"Yes, my lord, but he is DOT called upon
TO dsplease all his white sheep for the sake
of a few black Ones"
The bishop moaned in spirit. He had
half mind to call in his wife to talk down
this argumentative young man. There was
a copy of the Public Worship Regulation
act lying on the table, and looking at it, he
said: A''n the law is set in motion against
you, Mr.. Phewle, you may regret not having
listened to my friendly admonition."
''If the law persecutes me, my conscience
will at least absolve me from reproach,"
was the Rev. Thomas's answer, and there
the interview ended. The bishop went off
to his luncheon and tried to appease his
wife by saying that he trusted he had made
an impression on the vicar of st. Junket's.
But the spirited lady did not believe in such
impressions.
II think could make an impression on
some of these disobedient young men if it
were lawful to have them well whipped"
This is what Mrs. Bishop said.
0Meanwhile the vicar of ST. Junket's went
off to inform Mr.. Leatherbridge of all that
had happened, and the bootmaker heark-
ssssSs Sssessef--eiy.I Ie A.~l b~os. ested ,i Grc
act of 1874, and was of opinion that his
nephew ought to 60 as far as possible with
out incurring deprivation.
81 won't hear of your leaving the Church
of England, or any nonsense of that sort,
mind you, Tom. 1t would take big sum of
money to set you up in an independent
church, and your earnings there would be
precarlous, depending upon pew rents which
are not safe, more especially as public in
terest in you might die out once you were
beyond reach of persecution. A church liv-
ing worth 5000 year is thing to stick to.
On the other hand, fancy two or three
months imprisonment wouldn't do you any
harm-Eh?''
"Why should I go to prison?" asked the
Rev. Thomas, disguised.
"Oh, just by way of becoming martyr
nothing more"
II would prefer trying some other way,
uncle" ''
.'Yes, but we can't always be choosers,"
rejoined the bootmaker. "And that reminds
me, by the way, that you ought to be max
ing up your mind now between Mrs. de
Mure and Miss Mincer; they're both veal
thy parties, and have been very kind to you,
Tom. As a gentleman you can't throw
them over"
500 you want me to marry them both.
then" inquired the meek Thomas.
'You should marry one of them and try
to remain friends with the other" replied
Mr.. Leatherbridge, who was addicted to the
common foible of proposing to others the
most difficult tasks as being easy of accom-
plishment. Then he went on to say that an
income of So 600 year was not to be de-
spised. Tom hearkened and stared at the
carpet, but made no response, so the boot
maker clapped him on the shoulder and ex-
horted him to Ego of, have his hair curled
and he a man - Then Ton, foil 70 ,cue;,c-
that of all the religious prosecutions which
threatened him, the project of having to
marry either Mrs. de Mure or Miss Mincer
was the worst.
For the next few weeks nothing eventful
occurred in st. Junket's Parish. The two
ladies just named continued to be lavish in
their gifts for church ornaments, and they
were copied in minor degree by a number
of other ladies. st. Junket's had finer al
tar cloths and cushions than. any other
church. Its seven candlesticks wers gilt,
Its chorlsters wore lace-trimmed SUPPLIES
over scarlet cassocks; there was a thurifer
to throw up incense on the altar, and YER
ger who carried tall silver crucifix in
front of the vicar when he issued from the
vestry. In due time the confessional, which
had stood in the vestry, was put boldly in
the church, and second was added for the
curate who was to come and assist the new
'sSeNA' LUZ hOW q CuIlOuS Iu1llS happened.
and well worthy of being noted by those
who can relish humor in things ecclesiasti-
cal The Bishop, DESTROYS of warning with
Mr.. Phewle by flank strategy until an open
attack could be made, refused to license any
curate for st. Junket's Church. Was the
vicar thrown, in consequence, upon his own
resources? Not at all. The rules of the
Church allow vicar to employ, during
three weeks, curates who have not been IL
censed; and Mr.. Phewle had no sooner
made 1t known through the papers that his
Bishop had set ban upon him than num-
bers of young divines, eager to defy episco-
pal authority, wrote to offer their services
gratis in relays. So the feast was furnished
with guests; and our reverend friend Thorn
as was enabled, without disbursing penny,
to show himself in the chancel with fine
staff of assistants and to air much rising
talent, fresh from Oxford and Cambridge
in his pulpit.
So far the vicar had held pretty strong
position by reason of the two church war
dens being on his side. Mr.. Leatherbridge
and his friend the tailor covered the parson,
as it were, with the sanction of their ortho-
doxy. Nor was Mr.. Jimble, the ex-churcl
warden, able to do more for awhile than re-
cord vain protests, seeing that he could not
prevail upon the malcontent Pensioners to
join him in costly lawsuit. These gentry
were ready enough to grumble, but not to
pay. At length, however, after much fines
sing and trouble, the lawyer succeeded in
moving certain church association, which
promised to supply funds if Mr.. Jimble
would get signatures to petition to the
Bishop. On these terms signatures were OBJ
tanned pretty easily; and after the inevitable
delays incidental to all legal process in this
country, the Rev. Thomas Phewle was cited
to appear before Lord Penzance. This was
about eighteen months after his irregular
doings had begun; and the case, when it
actually did come on, took about twenty
days. extending over two terms, to argue.
The lawyers on both sides could afford to
take their case, as the defendants counsel
were to be paid by church union. When
the arguments had at last concluded, the
learned Judge took time to consider his ar
gument, and it was not until month later
that he pronounced himself, declaring the
practices at st. Junket's to be illegal, and
ordering Mr.. Phewle to desist from them.
On the day when this sentence had been
made public Mr.. Phewle was sitting in his
vestry, in anxious conversation with Mr..