“Do you think, parson, the parish is progressin’ as it should? Do you think the people are as much interested in religion as they’d ought to be?”
“Is there any parish of which that can be said, Brother Crane?”
“Well, perhaps not; but it seems to me there’s a good deal of spiritooal indifference in the church to-day.”
“More than there used to be?”
“That’s the point I am comin’ to. To my mind the congregation is gettin’ less and less spiritooally-minded.”
“I am very sorry if this is the case. I had not noticed it. The congregations keep up very well, and the people are attentive to the services.”
“Mebbe, mebbe; they’d appear to be so out of respect for you, parson; but as I move about the village, of course I hear what’s said.”
“Admitting that things are as you say, what remedy do you suggest?”
“That’s the p’int! That’s the p’int I was comin’ at; but I don’t hardly like to answer that question.”
“Why not?” asked the minister, innocently.