Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-05-09
CHAPTER IN,

CHAPTER IN.
AS h. opened his lips. a vision of the
little church at Melbourne rushed
swiftly before his mental gaze He
saw the familiar faces clustered about
the heavy gray pillars. and the rever-
end figure of his father in the ancient
pulpit, and all the holy couusels ut
tered in that fathers beloved voice
came upon him in one moment; but he
did not know that this his fathers last
sermon was the echo of his own first.
He gave out his text, Il will confess
my witkedneSs. and be sorry for my
siu." and began quietly readiag from
the manuscript before him i'll clear
and harmonious but StrkiDgly level
tone, which, though audible all over
the building, did not correct the gen
eral tendency to drowsiness on that
hot and drowsy afternoon.
The premier and those who heard
him for the first time were disap-
pointed, the premier deciding within
himself that he would not confer much
luster upon the oratory of the upper
house, and would never endanGer
Bishop divers position as the best
speaker on the beach.
1t was sermon such as dozens OF
clergymen turn out every day. Inc
preacher eXhorted his hearers to re-
pent and confess their sins. He re-
minded them that repentance is the
first and last duty which the church
enjoins on her children. He alluded
to the different practices of the church
in different ages with regard to 1t, and
its exaggeration in the Roman com
munion and in old American Puritan
days He observed that some sins eX-
acted public confession. At this point
he became little paler, and his voice
rose on its accustomed sonorous swell.
He said that it was a right and whole
some feeling which Frustrated a
crowned king before the tomb of the
murdered archbishop of Canterbury,
kept an emperor barefoot in the snow
at Canossa, and Inundated Theodosius
before the closed gates of Milan cathe-
dral. do you know, my brothers, he
continued with a thrill of intense feel
ing in his voice. "why | speak today
of the duty of public confession of
public sin? | have a purpose"
He paused For some moments there
reigned that dead silence which is so
awfully impressive in a vast assembly
of living and breathing human beings.
He paused so long that people grew
uncomfortable, thinking he must be Ill,
and the buzzing of perpleXed bum
ble-bee. which had somehow Strayed
into the choir, and was tumbling aim
lessly against peoples heads, sounded
loud and profane, and the man who
could not repreSs a sneeze and the lady
who let her prayer book fall felt each
guilty of an objectionable crime.
Meantime, the dean gazed quietly be-
fore him, and no one saw the chill
drops of agony which beaded his brow,
or suspected the anguish which liter
ally rent his heart.
The bishop with difficulty suppressed
a grunt of dsapproval. "He pauseS
for effect" he thought; "nOw for the
fireworks. Divine rage consumes the
dean. Out with the handkerchiefS. If
people must rant, why on earth can't
they rant in barns?"
"My brothers" continued the dean,
at last breaking the thrilling silence,
and speaking in low but perfectly
clear and audible voice, sit Is because
myself am the most grievous Of sin
ners and have sinned publicly in the
face of this great congregation, the
meaneSt among whom ] am unworthy
n address. because 7 wish to confess
nv wickadnes>. and tell you that | am
sorry for my sin. I have no right to
be standing in this place today; to be
the parish priest, as It were, OF this
noble building: to fill an office hallowed
nv the service of a long line Of sanity
mon. NV rfo has been one black lie.
The three darke, hlots upon the soul
Of man-imnurity, hloodshed, treachery
have stained my soul"
Az these words there was fain
rustic Of surprise through all the con-
Cregation. The bishop frowned: "He
drives his theatrical exaggeration too
far" he thought. The duke and
Lord Arthur recovered from the gentle
slumber the sermons beginning had
induced. Every eye was fixed in won
Ier interest. or incredulity upon the
marble features Of the preacher-that
i. every eye within he choir; while
"a those outside 1t. who heard the voice
from an invisible source, the effect was
doubled
"My life. tie continued, "has been
n,4vvardlv srgs.pS sui in no small de-