A RELIGIOUS ARGUMENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 351, 8 February 1881, Page 3

A RELIGIOUS ARGUMENT.

A good story is told of Bishop Wilmer of Alabama, who was, it seems, as ready with retort in his youth as now. He bad but a little while been ia charge of his first parish in Goochland County, Virginia, when be was one of a company at dinner, which included all the gentlemen of the neighbourhood. Among them was a man noted for his infidelity as to Christianity, and for hisioughness of manner and speech to those by whom it was professed. The young parson soon discovered that the old infidel was talking at him, and prudently made bo reply At last the enemy became more aggressive, and '' addressing him directly, said, ‘Mr. Wilmer, you dont seem to like to talk about religion.' < Yes, sir,’he replied,‘T do like to ’ • talk about it with people who are earnest x and respectful ia. their treatment of it, ‘ Well,’ rejoinoj ibe assailant, ‘ ifyou will answer nib cue question, I will let you off.’ ~ y - ‘ Bir,’ said Mr. Wilmer, ‘ I do not know that I care to be let off from anything; but ask rne the questipn, and if I know the answer I will give it to you. ‘Well, sir, I have asked all the preachers I have ever seen, and none ot them could tell me ; and now I . auk you.—What became of the body of Moses when the devil and the archangel had a contest over it ? ’ . It was a trying question for a young theologian, aijd a trying occasion, for the assembled company all silently jjpflited his reply. He quickly rose up iiiflp his chair, walked across the room, /stood directly in front of his antagonist, V" and said, firmly and respectfully, ‘Sir, that question dots not concern you in the least.' ‘ Why mot, sir ? ’ ‘ Because! its perfectly certain that no archangel *’sdll ever have any contest with the dt ml over yom body. ’ The infii lei confessed himself whipped, and joining in the loud laugh at his'*dwn ‘ expense, s aid that he would'bet five hundred dollars on li is parson, every sefmon against every other parson in the