a sermon as need be heard when he writes it down.
But when he tries to preach wi'out book, he rambles about, and doesn't
stick to his text; and every now and then he flounders about like a
sheep as has cast itself, and can't get on'ts legs again. You wouldn't like
that, Mrs. Patten, if you was to go to church now?'
'Eh, dear,' said Mrs. Patten, falling back in her chair, and lifting up her
little withered hands, 'what 'ud Mr. Gilfil say, if he was worthy to know
the changes as have come about i' the Church these last ten years? I
don't understand these new sort o' doctrines. When Mr. Barton comes
to see me, he talks about nothing but my sins and my need o' marcy.
Now, Mr. Hackit, I've never been a sinner. From the fust beginning,
when I went into service, I al'ys did my duty by my emplyers. I was a
good wife as any in the county--never aggravated my husband. The
cheese-factor used to say my cheese was al'ys to be depended on. I've
known women, as their cheeses swelled a shame to be seen, when their
husbands had counted on the cheese-money to make up their rent; and
yet they'd three gowns to my one. If I'm not to be saved, I know a many
as are in a bad way. But it's well for me as I can't go to church any
longer, for if th' old singers are to be done away with, there'll be
nothing left as it was in Mr. Patten's time; and what's more, I hear
you've settled to pull the church down and build it up new?'
Now the fact was that the Rev. Amos Barton, on his last visit to Mrs.
Patten, had urged her to enlarge her promised subscription of twenty
pounds, representing to her that she was only a steward of her riches,
and that she could not spend them more for the glory of God than by
giving a heavy subscription towards the rebuilding of Shepperton
Church--a practical precept which was not likely to smooth the way to
her acceptance of his theological doctrine. Mr. Hackit, who had more
doctrinal enlightenment than Mrs. Patten, had been a little shocked by
the heathenism of her speech, and was glad of the new turn given to the
subject by this question, addressed to him as church-warden and an
authority in all parochial matters.
'Ah,' he answered, 'the parson's bothered us into it at last, and we're to
begin pulling down this spring. But we haven't got money enough yet. I
was for waiting till we'd made up the sum, and, for my part, I think the
congregation's fell off o' late; though Mr. Barton says that's because
there's been no room for the people when they've come. You see, the
congregation got so large in Parry's time, the people stood in the aisles;
but there's never any crowd now, as I can see.'
'Well,' said Mrs. Hackit, whose good-nature began to act now that it
was a little in contradiction with the dominant tone of the conversation,
'I like Mr. Barton. I think he's a good sort o' man, for all he's not
overburthen'd i' th' upper storey; and his wife's as nice a lady-like
woman as I'd wish to see. How nice she keeps her children! and little
enough money to do't with; and a delicate creatur'--six children, and
another a-coming. I don't know how they make both ends meet, I'm
sure, now her aunt has left 'em. But I sent 'em a cheese and a sack o'
potatoes last week; that's something towards filling the little mouths.'
'Ah!' said Mr. Hackit, 'and my wife makes Mr. Barton a good stiff glass
o' brandy-and-water, when he comes into supper after his cottage
preaching. The parson likes it; it puts a bit o' colour into 'is face, and
makes him look a deal handsomer.'
This allusion to brandy-and-water suggested to Miss Gibbs the
introduction of the liquor decanters, now that the tea was cleared away;
for in bucolic society five-and-twenty years ago, the human animal of
the male sex was understood to be perpetually athirst, and 'something to
drink' was as necessary a 'condition of thought' as Time and Space.
'Now, that cottage preaching,' said Mr. Pilgrim, mixing himself a strong
glass of 'cold without,' 'I was talking about it to our Parson Ely the
other day, and he doesn't approve of it at all. He said it did as much
harm as good to give a too familiar aspect to religious teaching. That
was what Ely said--it does as much harm as good to give a too familiar
aspect to religious teaching.'
Mr. Pilgrim generally spoke with an intermittent kind of splutter;
indeed,
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