heaven to the benighted, she must employ willing hearts and strong
hands. Satan, she says, may be chained, subdued, and made to abjure his
wickedness. These cheering contemplations more than atone for the cold
reception she met at the house of Sister Slocum. Her only regret now is
that she did not sell old Cicero. The money so got would have enabled
her to bestow a more substantial token of her soul’s sincerity.
Tea over, thanks returned, a prayer offered up, and Brother Spyke,
having taken a seat on the sofa beside Mrs. Swiggs, opens his batteries
in a spiritual conversation, which he now and then spices with a few
items of his own history. At the age of fifteen he found himself in
love with a beautiful young lady, who, unfortunately, had made up her
mind to accept only the hand of a clergyman: hence, she rejected his.
This so disturbed his thoughts, that he resolved on studying theology.
In this he was aided by the singular discovery, that he had a talent,
and a “call to preach.” He would forget his amour, he thought, become a
member of the clergy, and go preach to the heathen. He spent his days
in reading, his nights in the study of divine truths. Then he got on
the kind side of a committee of very excellent ladies, who, having duly
considered his qualities, pronounced him exactly suited to the study of
theology. Ladies were generally good judges of such matters, and
Brother Spyke felt he could not do better than act up to their
opinions. To all these things Mrs. Swiggs listens with delight.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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