Following me into the vestry, the pastor gripped me by both hands, saying:
“I would give a year of my life to be able to talk to my congregation like that. But, alas! it is impossible for many reasons. I shall never forget this morning though.”
I laughed happily, for my present trouble was over, and replied:
“Nor I either. I’ve had a very enjoyable time. You see I’m a firm believer in the doctrine of “open thy mouth wide and I will fill it.” I opened mine wide enough this morning, for surely there never was a poor wretch who had to speak to a waiting, critical assemblage emptier than I was. My head was like a bad nut, nothing in it but dust and shucks. And even now I don’t know what I said, but your testimony and the look of the folks as they went out seem to tell me that it wasn’t half bad, as the schoolboys say.”
But somehow, owing, I suppose, to a certain freshness and unconventionality in treating the subject (I can safely say that now I shall never speak in public again), I was always a success as a preacher. Not, thank God, that I ever adopted the hat-on-back-of-the-head, cigar-in-mouth, hands-in-pocket style of preaching, so popular in the United States. Oh no, I had a far deeper idea of the sacredness of things than that. But there is a vast difference between solemnity and stupidity, and that is what many preachers do not seem to have found out yet.
The highest compliment upon my preaching that was ever paid me was at Dollar, a pleasant health resort near Edinburgh. I had been preaching in the Scotch Episcopal Church that morning, and I well remember energetically refusing to wear the black gown that the dear old minister fondly pressed upon me. As always, I did my best, but was not conscious of having excelled in any sense. On my way home to my host’s house, however, in company with a very charming man, Mr. Robert Annan, I became aware of two small boys in Eton costume shyly waylaying me and endeavouring to catch my eye. I stopped, saying to Mr. Annan:
“I believe those boys want to speak to one of us.”
He immediately turned to the boys, saying:
“Well, lads, what is it?”
“Please, sir, we’d like to speak to Mr. Bullen.”