Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-31
Mischief That is vicious.
IRISH HUMOR,
Some Clerical Examples of More Than
Average Probability.

Some Clerical Examples of More Than
Average Probability.
From the Cornhill Magazine.
In remote country village, far from the
madding crowd. German speculative theo-
ries, with which he was more familiar than
geography, would have seemed about the
last thing likely to influence his flock, but
he was ever haunted by awful fear of
the havoc that might be wrought among
them by such pernicious doctrines If they
were not duly warned. my britheren,"
he said on one occasion. there are some
German philosophers that say there is no
Resurrection. and, me britheren, 1t would
be better for thin German philosophers if.
like Judas Iscariot they had never been
BORN And this recalls to my mind an
other discourse. where the preacher wound
up with the comforting assurance that II
we paid due attention to the instruction We
had just received from him we would AL
return to our several homes like babes re-
freshed with new-made wine"
It was on another occasion that the same
speaker, having assembled the pulpit, gave
out his text with all due solemnity as fol-
lows: MY text IS taken from the thirty
sixth chapter of Genesis, and the second
verse-'And Esau took his wives of the
daughters Of Canaan'--or, rather, I should
say. the twenty-seventh chapter and the
thirty-eighth VERSAILLES me, even me,
also Oh my father" And then as one
of his hearers aptly remarked, he proceeded
to preach a sermon which had nothing to
say to either Of them
Observation-Disclosures and a weakness for
metaphor are doubt responsible for
much. To the former 1 credit discourse
In which the reverend preacher alluded to
Goliath fighting on behalf of the Israelites.
while King Solomon sat by moodily in his
tent" and to the latter a striking smile,
which deeply impressed the feminine por-
tor, of the congregation, who were told that
"the grave was the great wardrobe of the
world where are folded up and put by.
to be taken out new at the Resurrection"
But both of these are eclipsed by an elo-
quent speaker who In the course of an ex-
ten4pore address had wandered into mediae-
val history. And that haythen SOliman,"
h4 said, "whin he was lynn dead upon the
ground sat up an said to his friends, Be
hold, you now see the end of Soliman.'
do not deny that there may occasionally
be a want of comprehension on the part of
the audience. "What was the sermon about
today, Nary" inquired a mistress of her
domestic please, mm." said Mary. twist
ing the corner of her apron, I've forgotten
the text, but 1t was about young men,"
oh really" said the lady; land what else
was 1t about?" please, nm. it was about
young women. too" But can you tell me
anything Mr.. B. said?" Il couldn't repeat
it exactly, MN, for it mixed up kind
of sermon; but 1t was very interesting"
added the maiden.
But any attempt to fathom the mind Of
a congregation is usually fraught with dan
ger A priest who had delivered what
seemed to him striking sermon was anX-
ious to ascertain its effect his flock.
WAS the sermon today to y'r lilxin', Pat?"
he inquired of one of them. "Throth, y'r
reverence, 1t was a grand sermon intirely,"
saio Pat, with such genuine admiration that
his reverence felt moved to investigate fur
ther WAS there any one part OF 1t more
than another that seemed to take hold of
yer" he inquired We'll. now, as We are
for akin me, begorra I'll tell We. What TUX
hoult of me most was y'r riverence's par
severance--the way we wint the same
thing agin and agin and agin. SIGH parse
yerance l niver did see in amy man. be-
fore nor since"
One sample more and have finished. for
T cannot do better than bring my article
to an end with the concluding words Of a
sermon on grace-"And, me britheren, If we
have In y'r hearts wan spark of heavenly
grace, wather it, wather 1t continually"