Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-01-13
PREACHERS AMUSING BLUNDERs.
Stories Told Of Mistakes Made by Min
listers in the Pulpit.
Chambers' Journal.

iateIS IN the Pulpit.
Chambers Journal.
Each profession has its stock Jokes, its
stories innumerable. and to each belongs
a flavor all its own. That the point of
jest lies not in the tongue of him who
makes it, but in the ear that hears, is
the testimony of the great dramatist
The doctor on his rounds and the Judge
upon the bench have both an audience
ready and willing to accept as the high
est wit the bon mots of the speakers;
and there is no club gathering of men
that does not acclaim one of its mem
bers as supreme in this respect, and are
ready to yield due recognition of the
gift.
There is, however, vast amount of
unconscious humor always floating about.
and to those who perceive It the world is
ever very amusing. Il must be admitted
that the blunders and iests clerical stand
Tor some reason pre-eminent both in
number and in mirth producing qualities.
The reason, Of course, is not far to seek;
the very surroundings in which they oc-
cur, the very upsetting of ones precon-
ceived notions Of reverence, all tend to
cause reaction in the ordinary mental
equilibrium, and the simplest mistake OF
accident under such circumstances as
sumes the proportions of a huge comedy.
The divine who in drawing the atten-
ton Of his congregation to a special
communion service on the following Sun
day informed them that "the Lord is
with us in the forenoon and the bishop
in the evening is chronicled with pray
ing for the children of his parish in these
words; "And now, O Lord, bless the
lambs Of this fold, and make them meet
for the kingdom of heaven" While
Scotch minister innooently, perhaps, hit
the mark by telling his people: 'Weel
friends, the kirk is urgently in need of
siller; and as we have failed to get
money honestly we viii have TO see what
bazaar can do for us"
There is a certain amount of excuse to
be made for the young curate who, re-
marking that some people came TO church
for no better reason than to show of
their best clothes, finished up as he
glanced over his audience; Il am thank
full TO see, dear friends, that none of you
have come here for that reason"
An Irish clergyman is credited with
having concluded a powerful grafton in
this fashion; "My brethren, let not this
world rob you of a peace which it can
neither give nor take away" Which is
coupled with the remark Of fellow
country colleague who, in reasoning with
a woman who had lost her faith in
Christianity told her; "Well, you will
60 to hell, you know; and shall be very
sorry, indeed, to see you there"
But what can be said of the negro stu
dent who, conducting the prayers at one
of the great missionary colleges, said:
Give us all pure hearts, give US all clean
hearts, give us all sweet hearts," 10
which the entire congregation made re-
Spouse, "Amen."
The giving out Of church notices has
often proved a pitfall for the unwary.
During Lent, !" said a rector lately, "sev-
eral preachers viii preach on Wednesday
evenings but need not give their
names, as they will bo all found hang
ing up in the porch"
1t was a rector who gave out a hymn
beginning, Awake, my soul. stretch
every nerve" before his sermon, and a
curate who read in the lesson for the
day; "He spake the words, and the cat
hoppers came and graspillars innumer-
able" but it was at young womans
Bible class that, when asked what hymn
should be sung at the close they all with
one accord chose "Where is my wander
ing boy tonight"