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Emily； who smiled and blushed faintly； 〃are very dependent on our
Sundays； and〃
〃We all go to church regularly； I assure you； Mrs。 Elton； and of
course my carriage shall be always at your disposal。〃
〃I was in no doubt about either of those things； indeed； Mr。 Arnold。
But what sort of a preacher is he？〃
〃Ah； well！ let me see。What was the subject of his sermon last
Sunday； Euphra； my dear？〃
〃The devil and all his angels；〃 answered Euphra； with a wicked flash
in her eyes。
〃Yes； yes； so it was。 Oh！ I assure you； Mrs。 Elton； he is quite a
respectable preacher； as well as clergyman。 He is an honour to the
cloth。〃
Hugh could not help thinking that the tailor should have his due；
and that Mr。 Arnold gave it him。
〃He is no Puseyite either；〃 added Mr。 Arnold； seeing but not
understanding Mrs。 Elton's baffled expression； 〃though he does
preach once a month in his surplice。〃
〃I am afraid you will not find him very original； though；〃 said
Hugh； wishing to help the old lady。
〃Original！〃 interposed Mr。 Arnold。 〃Really； I am bound to say I
don't know how the remark applies。 How is a man to be original on a
subject that is all laid down in plain printto use a vulgar
expressionand has been commented upon for eighteen hundred years
and more？〃
〃Very true； Mr。 Arnold；〃 responded Mrs。 Elton。 〃We don't want
originality； do we？ It is only the gospel we want。 Does he preach
the gospel？〃
〃How can he preach anything else？ His text is always out of some
part of the Bible。〃
〃I am glad to see you hold by the Inspiration of the Scriptures； Mr。
Arnold；〃 said Mrs。 Elton； chaotically bewildered。
〃Good heavens！ Madam； what do you mean？ Could you for a moment
suppose me to be an atheist？ Surely you have not become a student
of German Neology？〃 And Mr。 Arnold smiled a grim smile。
〃Not I； indeed！〃 protested poor Mrs。 Elton； moving uneasily in her
seat；〃I quite agree with you； Mr。 Arnold。〃
〃Then you may take my word for it； that you will hear nothing but
what is highly orthodox； and perfectly worthy of a gentleman and a
clergyman； from the pulpit of Mr。 Penfold。 He dined with us only
last week。〃
This last assertion was made in an injured tone； just sufficient to
curl the tail of the sentence。 After which； what was to be said？
Several vain attempts followed； before a new subject was started；
sufficiently uninteresting to cause； neither from warmth nor
stupidity； any danger of dissension； and quite worthy of being here
omitted。
Dinner over； and the ceremony of teain Lady Emily's case； milk and
waterhaving been observed； the visitors withdrew。
The next day was Sunday。 Lady Emily came down stairs in black；
which suited her better。 She was a pretty； gentle creature；
interesting from her illness； and good； because she knew no evil；
except what she heard of from the pulpit。 They walked to church；
which was at no great distance； along a meadow…path paved with
flags； some of them worn through by the heavy shoes of country
generations。 The church was one of those which are； in some
measure； typical of the Church itself； for it was very old； and
would have been very beautiful； had it not been all plastered over；
and whitened to a smooth uniformity of uglinessthe attempt having
been more successful in the case of the type。 The open roof had had
a French heaven added to itI mean a ceiling； and the pillars；
which； even if they were not carvedthough it was impossible to
come to a conclusion on that pointmust yet have been worn into the
beauty of age； had been filled up； and stained with yellow ochre。
Even the remnants of stained glass in some of the windows； were
half concealed by modern appliances for the partial exclusion of the
light。 The church had fared as Chaucer in the hands of Dryden。 So
had the truth； that flickered through the sermon； fared in the hands
of the clergyman； or of the sermon…wright whose manuscript he had
bought for eighteen penceI am told that sermons are to be procured
at that priceon his last visit to London。 Having； although a
Scotchman； had an episcopalian education； Hugh could not help
rejoicing that not merely the Bible； but the Church…service as well；
had been fixed beyond the reach of such degenerating influences as
those which had operated on the more material embodiments of
religion； for otherwise such would certainly have been the first to
operate； and would have found the greatest scope in any alteration。
We may hope that nothing but a true growth in such religion as
needs and seeks new expression for new depth and breadth of feeling；
will ever be permitted to lay the hand of change upon ita hand；
otherwise； of desecration and ruin。
The sermon was chiefly occupied with proving that God is no
respecter of persons； a mark of indubitable condescension in the
clergyman； the rank in society which he could claim for himself duly
considered。 But； unfortunately； the church was so constructed； that
its area contained three platforms of position； actually of
differing level； the loftiest； in the chancel； on the right hand of
the pulpit； occupied by the gentry； the middle； opposite the pulpit；
occupied by the tulip…beds of their servants； and the third； on the
left of the pulpit； occupied by the common parishioners。
Unfortunately； too； by the perpetuation of some old custom； whose
significance was not worn out； all on the left of the pulpit were
expected； as often as they stood up to singwhich was three
timesto turn their backs to the pulpit； and so face away from the
chancel where the gentry stood。 But there was not much
inconsistency； after all； the sermon founding its argument chiefly
on the antithetical facts； that death； lowering the rich to the
level of the poor； was a dead leveller； and that； on the other hand；
the life to come would raise the poor to the level of the rich。 It
was a pity that there was no phrase in the language to justify him
in carrying out the antithesis； and so balancing his sentence like a
rope…walker； by saying that life was a live leveller。 The sermon
ended with a solemn warning： 〃Those who neglect the gospel…scheme；
and never think of death and judgmentbe they rich or poor； be they
wise or ignorantwhether they dwell in the palace or the hutshall
be damned。 Glory be to the Father； and to the Son； and to the Holy
Ghost；〃 &c。
Lady Emily was forced to confess that she had not been much
interested in the sermon。 Mrs。 Elton thought he spoke plainly； but
there was not much of the gospel in it。 Mr。 Arnold opined that
people should not go to church to hear sermons； but to make the
responses； whoever read prayers； it made no difference； for the
prayers were the Church's； not the parson's； and for the sermon； as
long as it showed the uneducated how to be saved； and taught them to
do their duty in the station of life to which God had called them；
and so long as the parson preached neither Puseyism nor
Radicalism（he frowned solemnly and disgustedly as he repeated the
word）nor Radicalism； it was of comparatively little moment whether
he was a man of intellect or not； for he could not go wrong。
Little was said in reply to this； except something not very au