New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-15

''IIadst thou faith grain Of mustard-seed, thou
wouldst say to this mountain 1t the same time
1aying his hand on his breast: % Be removed and be
cast into the sea (scc).' The king laughed heart
ilv and forthwith conferred the preerInent on the
facctiOus doctor.
Getting the right word in the right place often
makes Wit while getting the right word IN the
wrong place becomes humorous y young preacher
having charge Of his first funeral knew that 1t was
customary to announce after the service that those
who wished might step up to view the remains;
but he thought this a hackneyed phrase, and
instead he said: The congregation VIII no" pass
around the bier
Ii dt.llncss was divine power, the world would
have been converted long ago for the pulpit has
never been without abundant supply OF dryness;
and if Wit be a contraband commodity, 1t IS mar
vel that many Of those Who had Wit and hurnor
have taken the highest rank for usefulness The
preachers who have gone about with d countenance
grave enough to break an undertakers heart have
seldom been the most useful men. That a sermon
NAV without irrevercnce lie lighted up with a
CLEAN of huinor IS only going back to the example
set by the men whom God wonderfully used to
make the world happier and better.
Take Rowland Hill, minister of the type which
may be said to be apostolic: he allowed ms Whoe
redeemed nature to have harmonious play. Men
called him eccentric because they themselves were
ont of center How sharply did he deal With an
a.Tront put upon him in the pulpit 1t was his
custom to read out any requests for prayer that
we're sent up to him. One dav he began thus:
1.-The prayers of the congregation are desired Tor
ell | suppose | must finish what | have begun
for the Rev. Rowland Hill, that he will not go
riding about in his carriage on Sundays. 1t, he
gravev continued, the writer of this piece Of folly
and impertincnce is present and viii go INFO the
vestrv after service, and let put saddle on his
back | viii ride him home, instead of going into
carriage.
On one occasion Rowland Hill v;s preaching for
a public charity. rhcn a note vas handed to him,
inquiring if it would be right for bankrupt to
give the contribution. He noticed the question
in course of his sermon and pronounced decidedly
that such a person could not do so in Christian
honesty. But my friends" he added, Il would
advise YOU who are not insolvent not to pass the
plate this evening the people viii be to say.
There goes the bankrupt."
The hu1nor OF Joseph Parker leaned rather the
sardonic 1t often employed in covering
obiectors and nterruptors with ridicule. at the
famous conference on preaching in which Gladstone
took part, when a man rose from the back OF the
church to comTlcin of the doctors clasTcrating
trick of dropping lis voice ct the end of each son
tence until he became inaudif le. Il hive often
noticed " the rctort that (:hcn man i deaf he
takes seat as far away from the preacher rs
possible
At the meeting at the Cannon Street Hotel to
support his candidate for the City of London, one
of the audience refused remove his hat in spite
of the exhortatons of those around him At last
DR.. Parker interviewed. Let him alone gentle
men and let his hat alone believe me, there is moth
ing in it, he said, amid roars of laughter.
Robert Hall the famous Baptist preacher. We
brilliant wit his social intercourse aboundcd With
jest. He had extremely large mouth He vas
we'll aware of this anyone else, and one morn