, 1889-06-28
:. the supper table the p~revious night.

he ventured to make a further stand.
"No doubt there is great force In what
you say, sir, and you are well skilled
in the workings of the human mind, as
becomes an able minister of the New
Testament; but there are some things
Mrs. Grundy and those 1 have heard
speak can't get over-heads and divisions
and illustrations all coming in pat"
Poor DR.. Sparkle was in a terrible fix.
SO far as words went he had always been
truthful, and he was not naturally a mean
mani but what was he to do now7 There
was Grundy waiting to be gulled, and it
was incumbent on him to say something.
He gave a little sigh and spoke in his
softest accents:
well, you see, Mr.. Grundy, not hav-
ing heard this wonderful sermon, I can
not discuss the matter in detail; nor
would / wish to think anything to the
disparagement of a young man who has
been very highly recommended to me.
Several partial solutions occur to me,
none of them rejecting unduly on Mr..
Cribber. Possibly we may nave looked
into the same Commentary
Mr.. Grundy ave a knowing nod.
Possibly Mr.. Cribber may have read
some article of mine in one or other of
tho religious periodicals treating of this
subject. 1 say possibly, though 1 do not
at this moment recall having written
anything about IT,"
Mr.. Grundy gave another yet more
knowing nod.
And there is yet another hypothesis
connected with the obscure topic of un-
conscious cerebration and "Reminiscences.
l tell you candidly l have preached on
that text b~eforer-at the Abbey once and
elsewhere perhaps. Mr.. Cribber may
have heard me. My thoughts may nave
passed into an impressionable mind.
They may have been reproduced without
the slightest consciousness on his part
that they were not strictly original. There
have been remarkable instances Of his
phenomenon"
Mr.. Grundy was evidently impressed.
81 think" he said, 81 can understand
how it has happened now, and the expla-
nation you have given Is very interest
! ing. But perhaps, under the circum-
stances, you might find some more suit
able gentleman for the curacy."
81 almost think you are right, Grun-
dy," assented the vicar, eagerly. "Mr.
Cribber seems scarcely up to the mark
for such a congregation rs ours. There
were several other applicants who were
highly accommodating. Playfair, for
instance"
81 am sure he would be popular" said
the church warden.
"Well, 1 shall give the matter my
best consideration; and you may rest
assured it will be my wish to do what
ever is for the highest interests of the
congregation"
DR.. Sparkle spoke in his most dulcet
tone, but as o as Mr.. Grundy left
the room he sat down and wrote as fol-
OWE to the Rev. Jonathan:
Dear Sir-From what I hear of the
sermon delivered by you last night, 1
regret that 1 am Obliged to conclude
that you are altogether unsuited to my
curacy. My people have become accus-
toned to original, or at all events indie
pendent thought In the pulpit, and 1 do
not suppose you would yourself main
tain the applicability of either of these
words to the discourse with which you
favored them. / return the testimonials
you sent me, and remain yours, faith
fully, P. SpARKIE.n
Having sent this i'll tempered produc-
ton to the post, the unfortunate man
was forthwith ashamed of himself and
would gladly have recalled it. He blamed
himself for all that had happened, and
became a victim to horrible remorse and
abject fear: His wife, who had learned
something of what had passed, had her
own suspicious; but, like a wise woman,
she kept them to herself, and did her
best to comfort her husband.
That very afternoon the Rev. Jona-
than Cribber, In hot indignation, sought
out the clerical agent who had made up
for his own lack of brains and energy,
and bearded him in his den.
At first he stated his case without
mentioning n names.
81 can only say" replied the suave
cleric who devoted his energies to help
ing his weaker brethren, 'that for origin
ality Of thought and freshness of treat
ment ] consider The Foolishness of
Preaching to DO among my master
pieces. / could show you numerous let
ters that l have received in reference to
that very sermon. There must, l take
1t, be something very unfortunate In
your voice or mode of delivery. Now
l am about to form a clerical elocution
class, and I would strongly urge upon
you
my voice is excellent. siri Ihave been
congratulated upon it again and again."
roared the Reverend Jonathan.
81 do not doubt its power, sir" re-
piled the clerical agent, with a depre-
catory motion of the hand, ''but it may
need"-
You talk about letters, sir. Read
that" said the irate Cribber, interrupt
ing him and fiinging DR.. Sparkle's note
upon the table.
The agent read the letter, and then,
after q few minutes conversation, he re-
marked:
d you meal to say that you gave
them The Foolishness of Preaching in
DR.. Sparkle's church,
81 do; and why not2 paid you for
the sermon"
"You told me you were In Lincoln
diocese when 1 sent it to you"
"And 30 l was, but / came to town to
see after Dr.. Sparkle's curacy. I had q
perfect right to preach the Sermon"
eaid tho Raw Inpafbap farca1v