STORIES OF CLERICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 304, 28 December 1907, Page 4

STORIES OF CLERICS.

HUMBLING 11JSJR PRIDE. A well-known Scottish minister had a vita who was very fouil of dress. Not >uly that, but .she auuoycil her husband >y coming into church late-, so that tht migregation might admin- her I'm, ■lot lies In showing her husband a new bonnet "ore da borate than ever, he was much '"«»ved by her extravagance and pride, aid warned her uot to be late on tk'ollowing Sunday. Sunday came, and the minister wa'•'ading the Psalm, when hi, wil'e appeared in the doorwav. .To the amazement'of the von-Wii-uon, and the honor of hi. wife, "he lomf voiee- l,i " ""*"* ''"' , l " ,iJ in a / "-re come* Mrs. s wi' the hall " " ,il ««q'™<l (stipend) on her hcid."

-V»T IX CHURCH! ■i,.,"'!' 1 ' 1 " 10 ," 1 , v ' l ' ar « ,VM » ""»»* \pi.<nco, which is worth relating. |, '■j- .liw custom to point his sermon with \ I . y , bc,OVI,U ''""hren,- or. -Now. my brothers," until one lav a congregation '«* to thw and asked why he a! *ver r« i ,-" lhe fc'« lll ™>™ and leM-i to the ladies. .•% dear lady," &li(1 (|r , , . ■'<ar. one embraces the other." •»t M«jt m the church," was the '"I 11 .* «f the astonished hidv

Till- CLERK'S BKVK.ViK A rather amusing episode took nl-wr. »;-<■«; the parish churches',,H. n silll- n )t .«- years ugo _ Hie minister was going tl,rou,|, t |„. service ,„ the church one Sunday'afternoon when the clerk vcnlurcd\u ask >' '»« lie would kindly cut the sermon sort, |» ,e had got an invitation I tea at the house of a friend. the minister, knowing he was verv anxious to go, and having a .-,•., K> afhom-. 1 "'"' PrßaC,,Cd fo '' mon? "«"

«y this time the old clerk was at Ihll.uk point, and anxious to give the at tne top of his voice"l'ml.i. 11!), fro' ee„d t > eoll|| . , , all day and we'll sing all neet."

.OHAXdES ALL RoUSD. Uiinng a certain clergyman's tenure ol ollice, winch had been a very lonone, his church was renovated and re decorated throughout. -Meeting one of his flock shortly after the changes were completed, the cler-y----ii'im asked his opinion of them, which Wjjs one of approval. " And what do your neighbours think of our church now y" said his reverence. "ell, replied the simple one. "thev mostly say that now we have got a new church we should have a new rector

A BARGAIN. Amongst the guests at a dinner ~ivo>, some little time ago were 'a nSmau Catholic pnest and a Jewish minister. It happened that these two were seated next to each other at the table The pni'st. thinking to have a joke out of his neighbour, asked the rabbi if 1,0 might help him to a little pork. ■'les,' replied the .few, •• vour request will be granted when yoti will allow me the honour of attending vour wedding."

<;00D REASONIXIi. An old man was annoved at his new near preaching from written sermans «hen the vicar went to pav his first pastoral visit, he found the old fellow reading rom the Book of Ezckiel, but he closed the Bible on the visitor's entrance. '•What were you doing, my friend!" asked the vicar. " I was prophesying" "What!" " ° "Prophesying, I said. If you call reading a sermon preaching, I call reading a prophecy prophesying." HARD LINES OX THE PREACHER. A Brighton clergyman who was about to go for his holiday made the following announcement on the Sabbath previous to his departure:

"The preacher for next Sunday will be found hanging up in the porch."