Mr. Worsdell, B.A. a friend of Mr. Oddie’s who was in Egypt a year or two ago – gave a lecture in school room on “Egypt and the Egyptians” illustrated with dissolving views. Mr. Oddie manipulated the lanterns. There was a good audience and a proportion of the profits were given to Mr. Woolgrove for the Church warming apparatus.
A Miss Cobb, formerly a draper’s assistant in London, but now an “Evangelist” sent out at the cost of some society in London, and invited here by Miss Capper a Quaker has been preaching very exciting discourses at the Methodists’ Chapel during the past week. I am told she asks those who “are saved” to hold out their hands, and one or two of my female parishioners held out their hands very promptly – although they are notorious evil-livers, and show no evidence of conversion. She went round to the people after the “sermon” and asked them privately about their souls “Are you saved?” she asked of Tom Aris, a rough boy of about 16 years of age. “What do you say?” “Are you saved? What is the state of your soul?” “I don’t think ye be half sharp be yer”.
She is said to have called on Mr. Ainge Sen. a quaint and indeed somewhat eccentric church Farmer here. “Are you converted?” said she, taking her seat close by him on the sofa. “Be you, Missus?” enquired he in reply, edging himself as far away as possible from her. “Oh, yes, I have been converted” replied the lady getting a little nearer so as to carry on her conversation in a subdued tone of voice.
“Where may that have been, pray?” asked he taking a chair on the opposite side of the room.
“When I was a girl, 17 or 18 years of age.”
“And how many years may that a’ been ago now?”
“Oh, some years back.”
“Well, you was converted was yer when yer was about 17 or 18 year old? And what was yer afore yer was converted?”
“Well, a – a – I was a draper’s assistant.”
“No I don’t mean that I mean what sort of a woman was yer?”
The way in which the tables were turned must have been amusing.
I have heard of Mrs. Barton’s “infidelities” and of her indifferent character before marriage ever since I have been in Sibford. I feel anxious about the matter as both Barton and his wife are communicants though not very regular ones, and it is said that the man connives at his wife’s conduct, because the other “stands treat”. I know nothing whatever as to the truth or falsehood of the reports that have reached me.
The first day of our American organ. It goes very well and is a great improvement on the old harmonium.
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Read about the Rev Edward Stevens here.
