The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-04-17
BEHIND THE SCENES.
A Not Uncommon and Little Suspected
Cause of Clerical Annoyance,

Not Uncommon and Little Suspected
Cause of Clerical Annoyance.
A not uncommon, and perhaps little
suspected cause of clerical worry and
annoyance, sometimes even of peril,
lies in the vagaries of people who are
mentally unsound. Religious mania is
very frequent form of such unsound-
ness, and this often leads to the clergy
being objects of attentions far moro
marked than agreeable. Extravagant
devotion to, or equally extravagant de-
testation of some spec al Clergyman, is
very common. The former once, in
our own experience, gave rise to what,
considering all the accidental circum-
stances and surroundings, was proba-
bly, the most lud crous scene ever wit
messed in a church. In city boast NC
the possession of one of the finest ca
thedrals in England. there lived a SPINS
ter ladv somewhat weak in intellect.
one whose state, however, did not
render further supervision necessary
than the constant attendance of
trustworthy companion. The rector
of the parish in which she lived was
the object of her most ardent devotion.
To her great despair he resigned his
living and went abroad. Some few
years later, on returning to England,
he happened TO be in the neIghbor-
hood, and having been int mately ac-
quainted with many of the chapter, he
went, one afternoon, to the cathedral,
in order to see some of them. The
service was just over, and he was stand
inn Ifnf iNnV to htnh
salways many Wis tors in the afternoon.
waiting to greet his old friends when
they should have disrohed.
just at the moment when choristers
and clergy were com NC in procession
down the nave, this poor little woman
entered at the west door. She instant
1y espied her former rector. and before
her companion could interfere, rushed
toward him. She was extremely small:
he a very tall man. Fearing that in
her exc .tement her greeting would be
rather more noisy than was seemiy I'M
der the circumstances, he bent down,
as she drew near, TO speak to her in a
whisper. Rash mani In Il moment she
clasped him round the neck with both
arms, and bestowed upon HIM a pain
fully audible apostolic salutation. The
magnificent cathedral nave echoed to
strange sounds that afternoon. Not
even the portentous solemnity of ca
thedral verger. in the very presence OF
the canonS III residence, was proof
against the tr.sl; and the white-rObbed
procession disappeared from the sacred
prec nets with most INDIGENOUS rapid
ity. The victim of this astounding re-
cept;on, 4 man possessed of remarkable
power over the muscles of his face, was
the only person III the cathedral who
preserved an unmoved gravity of de-
pertinent.
A very common form of religious
craze Is a desire to argue ont privately
with a clergyman some question he has
touched upon in preaching. We once
heard a clergyman preach on &c text:
.'All Scripture is gwen by inspiration
of God, AMI be ,cnanccd to make some
remarks upol the occasional value of
apparently ur Important portions OF the
Scriptures. Fer some time afterward
he was sorell heS,eged by nearer
who wished t0 insist on having proved
to him the Importance of verse .,
chap. ill.,. Song of Solomon, King
Solomon made IA III self a chariO. of the
wood OF Lebanon" Fortunately, the
clergyman in question had oaly Ecea
officiating for 4 friend. Had he been
vicar of the parish, able to be button
ho.ed rs he walked abou. the streets,
his fate would have bcen pItab!e
Worst of all, and often absolutely
dangerous 10 the clergy, is the craze OF
MISSION, either to INSIST upon. or pre-
vent the promulgat on of some PAR
cular doctr 1T. We remember. some
wears since. seeing the.vrcar of n large
London parish Ollie ating for several
Sundays under protection of the pol &c.
One of these crazy enthuS .astS had
taken it into h. head that he was to
prevent some part of the service being
performed, and had chosen that par
ticular church as the field for h OPP
crations. His threats against the V car
were sufficiently vehement TO cause it
TO be deemed adV sable, pending meas
ureS for some restraint be NO placed
upon the man. that Il policeman IN
pla clothes shosld he on.duty in the
chancel during the services. The pos
5 bility that the church laight become,
at any moment the scene OF a sudden
struggle between stalwart policeman
and an excited lunat:c, eonld not be
held one likely s. aid i calm dcvo-
,t.onal spirit on the part of either the
vicar or those of the congregation who
wYere aware of the circumstances
Scottish RcCjciC.