A PULPIT IN A STATE OF SIEGE. 37 



easy as it appeared. The pulpit had a flight of steps 

 on each side, with a door fastening inside at the foot 

 of eaeh. The insurgents attempted to storm the steps 

 on the right, but their pastor proved to them that lie 

 belonged to the church militant in the literal meaning 

 of the word. He made only two steps to the bottom, 

 and gallantly defended the door. But too many dogs 

 are the death of the fox. The garrison was too weak. 

 AVhile he defended one side, the other was left exposed. 

 The insurgents made a breach, stormed the left-hand 

 steps, and took the garrison in the rear. The preacher 

 was dragged into the middle of the church, but 

 managed to slip out of the hands of his persecutors, and 

 escaped into a corner, when, putting himself into a 

 regular boxing attitude, he called out with an oath 

 " Come on, all of you." These words were not mere 

 bravado ; for now that his rear was secure, he kept 

 them all at bay. I had watched the whole affair, 

 standing on one of the benches. It was not a fair 

 fight ; for while those in front kept out of reach of his 

 fists, those in the rear kept striking him on the head 

 with umbrellas. At last, making a desperate sally, he 

 succeeded in escaping. This was all that the congrega- 

 tion desired, and several talked of " fetching the other 

 preacher;" but their minds were too excited, and so 

 they separated. On coming home, 1 learnt the cause 

 of this uproar from my landlady. The congregation 

 had dismissed this hard-fisted preacher, and elected 

 another, who was to have preached to-day for the Jirst 

 time ; but they had reckoned without their host, for 

 the ex-pastor was up at daybreak, and having his 

 own key, had gone into the church, and taken pos- 

 1 



