EARLY IMPRESSIONS -1832-1851 525 



Western New York. His entry into a church chancel was 

 an event ; no music could be finer than his reading of the 

 service ; his confirmation prayer still dwells in my mem 

 ory as the most perfect petition I have ever heard; and 

 his simple, earnest sermons took strong hold of me. His 

 personal influence was also great. Goldsmith s lines in 

 the &quot; Deserted Village,&quot; 



&quot; Even children followed with endearing wile, 

 And pluck d his gown, to share the good man s smile,&quot; 



accurately pictured the feelings of many of us as we lin 

 gered after service to see him greet our fathers and 

 mothers. 



As to my biblical studies, they were continued, though 

 not perhaps as systematically as they might well have 

 been. The Protestant Episcopal Church has for a youth 

 at least one advantage in this respect, that the services, 

 including Introits, Canticles, Psalter, Lessons, Epistles, 

 Gospels, and various quotations, familiarize him with the 

 noblest utterances in our sacred books. My mother had 

 received instruction in Bible class and prized Scripture 

 reading ; therefore it was that, when I was allowed to stay 

 at home from church on Sunday afternoons, it was always 

 on condition that I should read a certain number of chap 

 ters in the Bible and prove to her upon her return that I 

 had read them carefully, and this was not without its 

 uses. 



Here I am reminded of a somewhat curious event. 

 One afternoon, when I had been permitted to remain at 

 home, on the usual conditions, my mother, returning from 

 service, said .to me that by staying away from church I 

 had missed something very interesting : that there was a 

 good sermon well given, that the preacher was of fine 

 appearance, dignified, and an Indian ; but that she would 

 never have suspected him to be an Indian were it not for 

 his words at the conclusion of his sermon, which were as 

 follows: &quot;And now, my brethren, I leave you. We shall 

 probably never meet again in this world, and doubtless 



