U* ) 



was an old-fashioned High Churchman, and took a 

 somewhat severe view of Dissent though no Dissenter 

 ever found him lacking in charity in times of need. 

 Towards the end of his life his sermons seemed to be 

 long and rather dry, and to deal with warnings based 

 on the Old Testament to an extent which had become 

 unfashionable ; and it was no doubt true that he had 

 not brought his methods or ideas into accordance with 

 those of some newer schools of clergy ; but I can well 

 remember that at a rather earlier time, when his de- 

 livery was more lively and rapid, he made much more 

 impression by his preaching, and was often asked for 

 'occasional' sermons in neighbouring parishes. He 

 almost always read his sermons, and often revised and 

 repeated them after intervals of several years ; but 

 on one or two special occasions I remember that he 

 preached ex tempore, and threw more feeling into his 

 utterance than he generally showed in the pulpit. But 

 whatever might be thought of his preaching, there is 

 no doubt that he thoroughly understood his parishioners, 

 nearly all of whom were farm labourers of the type 

 which prevails in the West of England he knew their 

 work and their life and its conditions as well as they 

 did; and to every one in the parish he was always 

 ready to give advice and help on any matter on which 

 help was needed; he had, and retained to his death, 

 their trust and affection, based partly (at least in the 

 case of the older inhabitants) on their traditional and 



