Another arbitrary clergyman, having had an altercation with some unruly
singers in the choir, gave out with much vehemence on the following Sunday
the hymn beginning,--
"And are you wretches yet alive
And do you yet rebel?"
with a very significant glower towards the singers' gallery. In a similar
situation another minister gave out to the rebellious choir the hymn
commencing,--
"Let those refuse to sing
Who never knew our God."
A visiting clergyman, preaching in a small and shabby church built in a
parish of barren and stony farm-land, very spitefully and sneeringly read
out to be sung the hymn of Watts' beginning,--
"Lord, what a wretched land is this,
That yields us no supplies!"
But his malicious intent was frustrated and the tables were adroitly turned
by the quick-witted choir-master, who bawled out in a loud voice as if
in answer, "Northfield,"--the name of the minister's own home and
parish,--while he was really giving out to the choir, as was his wont, the
name of the tune to which the hymn was to be sung.
Nor did the parsons hesitate to be personal even in their prayers. Rev. Mr.
Moody, who was ordained pastor at York in the year 1700, reproved in an
extraordinary manner a young man who had called attention to some fine new
clothing which he wore by coming in during prayer time and thus attracting
the notice of the congregation.
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