"By the bye," said Mr. Acres, as they both rose to depart, "do you remember the time when the churchwardens used to retire to the vestry before the conclusion of the service to count up the alms? We could, you know, hear the jingling of the money during all the later prayers of the service, and a most indecent interruption it was. How far more seemly is your custom of reverently presenting the alms at the altar, where it remains till the close of the service. And I am so grateful to you for abandoning that objectionable and most ridiculous custom of holding the _plates_ at the church door. The custom seemed so completely to do away with the idea of almsgiving as an _act of worship_. How many a wickedly grotesque scene has occurred at the door of our own church, plainly showing that many who contributed their alms simply gave them to Mr. Walton or Mr. Acres, and least of all thought of giving them _to God_. Nay, so anxious was dear old Lady Angelina Hilltower and her daughter to confer upon _us_ equal honour, and to avoid any just cause of jealousy between us, that they used to create quite a pantomime at the door whenever there was a collection, by crossing over to put half-a-crown in each plate, making at the same time a profound obeisance to each of us." "Yes," said Mr. Acres, "I certainly am glad all that's done away with; but I'm more glad that at last we have been able to get rid altogether of the plates for collecting the offertory, and to substitute _Bags_. There has been some opposition, as you are aware; some pleaded long custom as a reason for retaining the plates, and some, who were rather proud of their stereotyped shilling, did not wish their benevolence to be hidden. In fact all those who _did their alms before men, to be seen of them_, were of course hostile to the change." "I know," said the Squire, "that some were at first offended, but none knew why. I never heard the faintest approach to a reasonable objection to this plainly scriptural manner of _secret_ almsgiving; nor did I ever hear an argument of any weight in favour of the plate system, except that it sometimes forces money from unwilling contributors, and that argument is too contemptible to notice. _CHAPTER XXVII_ THE PILLARS "The church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." 1 Tim. iii. 15. "See, the Church her head once more hath lifted; Seemly order dwells within her gate; God-sent art adorns her holy precincts, And no more she lieth desolate. "What is it that she is saying, brothers? All the subtle skill of graver's hand, All the heavenward shafts, and bended arches, Utter speech to those that understand. "You can hear them telling some things loudly, Telling of ungrudging love and care; But I catch an inner voice that pleadeth Soft and sweet, like music in the air.