PARSONS AND MEETINGERS. 1 7 



way to put it down, for they would give 

 none of the charities to such as went to hear 

 the preacher, nor let them have any of the 

 allotments. It mattered not how good the 

 people were, go to church they must, or no- 

 thing for them ; but let a man be ever such 

 a blackguard, if he did but go to the church, 

 he got the coals and bread and allotment. All 

 this was no use, it only made folks like a 

 spiteful donkey at a hedge, be as sharp as 

 you will about him, there's his- heels ready 

 for you. Some labourers got discharged be- 

 cause they would go to meeting, and that 

 made martyrs of them, but a poor kind ; for 

 if it hadn't been for the notice they got, 

 and being made something of, they'd soon 

 have gone to church again of their own ac- 

 cord. Two things I noticed, and I've always 

 found it the same every where : 



" When the parson goes much to the Hall, 

 The poor parishioners go to the wall ; 

 And when a labourer's made a deacon, 

 It always spoils his stomach for bacon." 



A word or two more, and I've done about 

 this matter. If the Church of England minis- 

 ters would only save seed more carefully, and 

 sow it more industriously, they'd see a deal 



