PERSONAL PREACHING.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2391, 5 November 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

PERSONAL PREACHING.

“ Sir/’ said a lady, one fine Sunday, to a clergyman, just after the morning service was concluded, “ I hope that you will not preach that sermon again.” “ Why not, madam ?'' “It was wry personal.” “ Indeed ? What part of it ?" *• Oh, that part about worldly-mindcd-nesa and covetousness.” “ But how could that he personal—the remarks were general enough.” “You may not have intended to applr it personally, hut the congregation will.” “ To whom, madam ” Why, to me.”

The lady ami clergyman parted, hut not very cordially, as she could not extmt from him a promise never to preach against worldly-mindednrss any morr. A week passed, and on the .Sunday following the same clergyman preached on the subject of “ providing all things honest,” etc.; his tev. :> -earring in the service of the day. «hieh generally guided him in the -el 'eiioa of subjects. In this serin in surely nothing t> .arouse the feelings of the lady who e onjdiintd of the firmer discourse ; hut mi the morning following, as he was fetching his letters from the post-oiiiee, he met the lady-'s coachman.

“ If you please,” said John, touching his hat. “ if you please, sir, 1 can explain all about the hats.”

11 Explain all about the hats, John ! 1 don’t understand you.”

“Why, sir,the hats as you preached about yesterday.” “ The hats I preached about “Yes, I quite understood you.” “ That’s more than I cin do as to you, John ; pray explain your-clf.” “ Why, sir, you see, mistress and me has had a row about the livery hats ; and me, sir, and the butler and the footman, sir, felt quite sure us how mistie-s had Set you to preach to us.”

“ Well, Joliu, call at my place on your way home.” John did so, and the sermon was produced and read to him. “ Yes, that’s it, sir.” “ Well, now look at the outside of that sermon, and you will sen that it was written twelve years ago ; and the reason that it was preached yesterday- was. because the text came in course of the service. I knew nothing about your quarrel, and your mistress has not spoken to me since the Sunday before last.”

John professed himself satisfied. “I see, Jolm, that hats will some* times fit as well as caps. Good morning to you.”