The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-11-24
Dr.. SDaTkle'S Skeleton.

man in small way. He was the vicar
of an important suburban church,
wherein highly respectable and not
wholly unintelligent congregation was
wont to assemble for worship. In that
congregation the pastor had no ene-
mics, while he. could boast of large
number of thorough-going and ardent
admirers. The man was admittedly
well fitted for his post. He was kind
hearted, liberal minded, quick witted,
a fluent speaker, and, in the opinion of
many, a thoughtful as we'll as eloquent
preacher.
But, in truth, "thoughtful" was Just
what DIR. Sparkle was not. His great
'ditficulty-and one that increased
weekly-was about ideas. When he
knew what to say, he could say it well.
No man could produce more "bril-
liant coruscation" or effective flare-up
from a paltry amount of material; but
then, the fuel had to come from some
where, and that was the doctors diff
Guilty. He had a reputation to main
tain, and he was fully, almost pain
fully, conscious of the fact. When
Mr.. Grundy, the peoples warden,
invited friend home for Sunday he
would say, "The missus will do the
best she can to provide bit of dinner,
and we can promise you good SER
mon, at all events" Grundy, who
was good fellow, though a jerry
builder, used to repeat his little joke
to the psrson, and no doubt he was q
fair representative of many others In
the congregation.
Under these circumstances, and be-
ing sorely harassed by the recurrent
drying up of the well-spring of his
ideas, DR.. Sparkle had his attention
arrested one morning by an artfully
worded circular which he found among
his letters. 1t began as follows:
STRICTLY PRIvATE.-Ad Caerum
Moved by the spirit of sympathy, and actu
ated. as he humbiy hopes. by desire to pro
mote the highest ends, the writer addresses
himself to his overweight and sorely OPP
pressed brethren. Having had an exception
ally wide experience of parish work in town
and country, among rich and poor, educated
and ignorant, he believes himself to be fully
conversant with the tastes and requirement.
OF each separate class in the community. No
one better than the present writer knows
what 1t is to have to prepare-amld q multi
tude of other vOcations-twO, three or more
sermons week. He has Uttered him self and
can. therefore, feel for his brethren who are
suffering. Accordingly he is anxious, at the
lowest price that will cover actual outlay. to
of sermon production which has been per.
fected by himself after years Of an xious toll
and profound study.
After good deal more of this sort
of thing, the circular went on to ex-
plain that clients could be provided
either (D with the finished arti lie,
4. e., a Autographed sermon ready for
immediate delivery, and carefully
adapted to any specified class of
hearers; or (2) with . "thought-
awakener," or skeleton, containing out
lines, Illustrations, applications, etc.,
which could be filled in or amplified
according to the tastes and talents of
the purchasers. Finally, guarantee
was given that the same sermon or
body of notes would never be sent to
two clergymen residing within fifty
miles ofeach other, and that. as far
as possible, a yet wider area of distri-
button would be observed.
DIR. Sparkle smiled as he read the
bombastic document, and was about
to throw it into the waste paper bas-
ket, when something stayed his hand.
81 wonder whether many clergy
men avail themselves OF this sort of
thing, my dear2" he said, tossing the
circular to his faithful wife, who gen.
orally sat with him for an hour of a
morning. ITO deliberately get up and
read another mans sermon seems to me
absolutely sinful"
"But all men are not gifted like you,
Lethe, dear; and suppose there are
some who find it very difficult to
preach good sermon, }" suggested Mrs.
Sparkle.
ut IL the dishonesty Of the thing
that shocks mi" explained the doctor.
"lfa man can't write aermon, or
hasn't time, let him honestly say 20,
Let him take printed book and read