to his text; and every now and then he flounders about like a sheep as
has cast itself, and can't get on'ts legs again. You wouldn't like that,
Mrs. Patten, if you was to go to church now?'

'Eh, dear,' said Mrs. Patten, falling back in her chair, and lifting up
her little withered hands, 'what 'ud Mr. Gilfil say, if he was worthy to
know the changes as have come about i' the Church these last ten years? I
don't understand these new sort o' doctrines. When Mr. Barton comes to
see me, he talks about nothing but my sins and my need o' marcy. Now, Mr.
Hackit, I've never been a sinner. From the fust beginning, when I went
into service, I al'ys did my duty by my emplyers. I was a good wife as
any in the county--never aggravated my husband. The cheese-factor used to
say my cheese was al'ys to be depended on. I've known women, as their
cheeses swelled a shame to be seen, when their husbands had counted on
the cheese-money to make up their rent; and yet they'd three gowns to my
one. If I'm not to be saved, I know a many as are in a bad way. But it's
well for me as I can't go to church any longer, for if th' old singers
are to be done away with, there'll be nothing left as it was in Mr.
Patten's time; and what's more, I hear you've settled to pull the church
down and build it up new?'

Now the fact was that the Rev. Amos Barton, on his last visit to Mrs.
Patten, had urged her to enlarge her promised subscription of twenty
pounds, representing to her that she was only a steward of her riches,
and that she could not spend them more for the glory of God than by
giving a heavy subscription towards the rebuilding of Shepperton
Church--a practical precept which was not likely to smooth the way to her
acceptance of his theological doctrine. Mr. Hackit, who had more
doctrinal enlightenment than Mrs. Patten, had been a little shocked by
the heathenism of her speech, and was glad of the new turn given to the