The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-06-02
A THOUGHT AWAKENER.

ough going and ardent admirers. The
man was admittedly well fitted for his
post. He was kind hearted. liberal
minded. quick witted. fluent speaker
and. in the opinion Of many, thought
ful rs well as an eloquent preacher.
But, in truth, "thoughtful" was just
what DIR. Sparkle was not. Ills great
difficulty-and one that increased weekly
was about ideas. When he knew what
TO say he could say it well No could
produce a more brilliant "cOruscaiiOn
OF effective flare up from paltry amount
Of material; but then the fuel had 10 come
from somewhere. and that was the doc
tors difficulty. He had reputation to
maintain. and he was fully, almost pain
fully, conscious Of the fact When Mr..
Grundy, the peoples warden, invited
friend homo for Sunday he would say,
The missus will do the best she can to
provide bit of dinner, and we can prom
Use you a good sermon. at all events.
Grundy, who was good fellow though
a jerry builder, used to repeat his little
joke to the parson, and no doubt he WAS
fair representative Of many others in
the congregation.
Under these circumstances. and being
sorely harassed by the recurrcnt drying
up Of the well spring Of his ideas, DR..
Sparkle had his attention arrested ono
morning by an artfully worded circular
which he found among his letters. 1t
began as follows:
STRICTLY PRIyATE-Ad CleFum.
"Moved by the spirit Of sympathy and
actuated, as he humbly hopes. 10y de-
sire to promote the highest ends, the
writer addresses himself to his over
wrought and sorely oppressed brethren.
Having had an exceptionally wide ex'
perience of parish work in town and
country, ,among rich and poor, cduca-
ted and ignorant, he believes himself
TO be fully conversant with the tastes
and requirements Of each separate class
in the community. No one. better than
the present writer knows what it Is to
have to prepare-amid a multitude Of
other vocations-two, three or more ser
mons a week. He has suffered himself.
and can therefore feel for his brethren
who are suffering. Accordingly ne Is
anxious, at the lowest price that viii
cover actual outlay. to impart To his
brethren the results Of q system Of scr.
mon production which has been per
fected by himself after years Of anxious
toll and profound study
After a good deal more Of this sort OF
thing, the circular went on To- explain
that clients could be provided either CD
with the finished article, /. g., litho-
graphed sermon ready for immediate
delivery, and carefully adapted 70 any
specified class Of hearers; or 60 with q
Thought awakoner" or skeleton. con-
tanning outlines. illustrations. appllca-
tons, etc, which could be filed in on
amplfed according to the tastes and
talents Of the purchasers. Finally a
guarantee was given that the same ser
mon or body of notes would never be
sent to two clergymen residing within
fifty miles of each other, and that a5 far
as possible yet wider area Of disiribu-
ton would be observed.
DR.. Sparkle smiled as he read the
bombastic document, and was about 70
throw it into the waste paper basket
when something stayed his hand.
81 wonder whether many clergymcn
avail themselves Of this sort Of thing,
my deary he said. tossing the circular
TO his faithful wife, who generally AT
with him for an hour of a morning.
ITO deliberately get mp and read anoth
er mans sermon seems to me absolutely
sinful"
"But all men are not gifted ike you.
Lethe, dear, and suppose there are
some who find it very difficult to preach
a good sermon" suggested Mrs. Spark.
1T is the dishonesty Of the thing that
shocks me-" explained the doctor eff
a man can't write sermon or hasn't
time, let him honestly say So Lei him
take a printed book and read from it:
but to 90 into the pulpit with litho-
graph and deliver it as his own IS
thing ! cannot conceive any Christian
man daring to do"
1T would be different if it were only
the notes" said the lady, who had been
examining IA specimen thought awak-
ener" that had been incloscd with the
circular.
81 don't like the idea at all, it savers
of untruthfulness," replied the vicar in
a lofty tone.
Mrs. Sparkle felt rebuked, not 50
much for what she had said Us for some
thing she had ventured to think.
Some time after this the vicar found
it necessary to appoint new citrate, the
old one having married rich wife and
forthwith kicked over the traces. The
requirements for the vacant Office were
gentlemanly presence, a good cleai
voice and just such an amount OF preach
ing ability rs would satisfy the congre-
CATION without endangering the vlcars
ascendency and popularity. Among the
several applicants the doctors favorlte
was the Rev. Jonathan Cribber. But as
it was necessary, in appearance at least,
to consult the wishes Of the congregation
who were expected to find the funosl. it
was arranged that, before arriving 1t Q
decision, the young man should be in
vited to preach on q certain Sunday even
ing. Not, of course, trial serhion,
the vicar was careful to explain; THAT
is a thing abominate and would always
set my face against, but just to let you
see my people, try your voice, and that
sort of thing" Cribber, being prudent
Young man, was quite satisfied with mis-
way of putting it.
When the day arrived on which Mr
Cribber was Ito try his voice, Ur.
Sparkle was suffering from bad cold.
in the morning, being single handed, he
had no choice but to get through the
service MS well rs he could; and being o
man who. when put to it, was always
equal to the occasion, he acquitted HIM
self ve,y creditably. lie delivered
striking and pathetic address from the
words. 1.-The foolishness Of preaching.
and the physical disability under Which
Il. 4. a.II T.