"'That just shows the truth of what I say, Master Smith,' says I. 'When did you ever see any one with the tears running down under Mr. Cheriton's preaching or Doctor Thurston's,' says I.
"'Well,' says he, 'it seems to me like what it says in the Scripture about going to seek the sheep that was lost.'
"That was a little too much for me, and says I, very dignified like—
"'Master Smith, I bid you good morning. I've been clerk of this here parish thirty year, and I don't think it becomes me, to stand and hear the Scripture applied to colliers and ballast men,' says I, and I walked off."
"Parson's taken up with Mr. Wesley, anyhow!" said the sexton doubtfully. "He carried him home with him."
"I wish it may end well, that's all!" returned Master Tubbs. "I don't want our church crowded with poor folks, as it was last Sunday. Ours has been the most select congregation in town and I don't want to see it otherwise in my day."
For myself, I can hardly tell how the discourse affected me. It was so utterly different from anything I had ever heard before, that I knew not what to make of it. I wanted time to analyze my feelings and thoughts. We sat silent awhile, and then Amabel spoke suddenly.
"Lucy, I am going to read the Bible."
"After promising not to read any heretical books!" said I.
"I have been thinking of all Mr. Wesley said to us!" she replied. "I don't see how the Bible can be called a heretical book. As far as I understand, there are several different kinds of Protestants, and all of them seem to have scholars of their own. If one made a great error in the translation, the others would be sure to find it out, and show it up—yet it seems they all use the same translation."