THE UNHAPPY ONE.
Mrs. Denham was quite disconcerted by not seeing the Roscoes at church on Sunday; and therefore, accompanied by her daughter, she made a call the next day, to ascertain the cause.
"We were much surprised yesterday," said Mrs. Denham, "by not seeing any of you in your pew. We thought some of you must be very ill. We had a most charming sermon. Mr. Cole took his favourite text—'Be not righteous over much.' He read most excellently. Mr. Denham very much admired the sermon, and so did Sir Henry Wilmot; I heard him say that Mr. Cole surpassed himself. He showed us the folly and the danger of being too religious. We should have called in the evening, only we know that Mr. Roscoe has some scruples now about Sunday visitors."
"Perhaps," said Mrs. Roscoe, "you will be surprised when I tell you that we all went to hear Mr. Ingleby."
"Indeed!"
"And did you really?" said Miss Denham. "I heard him once. Is he not a most solemn preacher? I think if I were to hear him often I should be brought over to his religion, he enforces it with such awful power."
"You know, my dear, our objections to his religion; and I hope you will never think of leaving your own for it."
"Why, mamma, if I speak the candid truth, I must confess that I have no religion to leave."
"Dear Matilda, you shock me. Why, can't you say the Catechism, and the Belief, and the Lord's Prayer; and were you not confirmed by the Bishop of Bath and Wells; and have you not taken the sacrament three times, and thus made yourself a very good Christian?"