So, on the appointed day, having put on a new suit of black, and the
gown over it, he ascended the pulpit stairs, and, conscious of a
strange timidity, gave out the psalm. He cast one furtive glance
around, as he took his seat for the singing, and saw a number of former
as well as present pupils gathered to hear him, amongst whom were the
two Truffeys, with their grandfather seated between them. He got
through the prayer very well, for he was accustomed to that kind of
thing in the school. But when he came to the sermon, he found that to
hear boys repeat their lessons and punish them for failure, did not
necessarily stimulate the master's own memory.
He gave out his text: The Book of the Prophet Joel, first chapter,
fourth verse. Joel, first and fourth. "That which the palmer-worm hath
left, hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left, hath
the canker-worm eaten; and that which the canker-worm hath left, hath
the caterpillar eaten."
Now if he could have read his sermon, it would have shown itself a most
creditable invention. It had a general introduction upon the temporal
punishment of sin; one head entitled, "The completeness of the
infliction;" and another, "The punishment of which this is the type;"
the latter showing that those little creeping things were not to be
compared to the great creeping thing, namely, the worm that never dies.
Pages:
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482