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oath to support the Constitution of the State of Missouri?" The
prisoner, a tall, venerable-appearing gentleman, in typical black,
quietly replied that he could not conscientiously take the required
oath, but had only continued in the pastoral work in which he
had been for a lifetime engaged.

"A mere subterfuge, a mere subterfuge, Mr. Prosecutor," observed
the judge, as with apparent fierceness his eyes were fixed upon
the offender. "This prisoner cannot be permitted, sir, to interpose
his conscience as a barrier against the enforcement of this salutary
provision of our most excellent Constitution. He must be punished,
sir, he must be punished."

After reading aloud the penalty imposed for the commission of
the offence mentioned, and with pen in hand as if about to make
the appropriate entry upon the docket, His Honor again turned to
the prisoner and inquired:

"Of what church are you a minister?" The steady reply, as of
one prepared for the worst, was,

"I am a Presbyterian, Your Honor."

"Presbyterian! Presbyterian!" quickly observed the sage interpreter
of the law. "Oh, you preach the tenets and doctrines of the
Presbyterian Church, do you?" An affirmative reply was modestly
given.

"You preach," continued His Honor in apparent amazement, "the
doctrine of infant baptism, and of the final perseverance of the
saints, do you?" An answer like the last being given, the judge
remarked:

"You appear to be a man of intelligence, but don't you know,
sir, that _that_ isn't the Gospel? He has not been guilty of
preaching the Gospel, Mr. Prosecutor, _and will have to be discharged._
You can go, sir, but if this court ever hears that you have been
actually guilty of preaching _the Gospel,_ you will be punished to
the full extent of the law."

Addressing himself now to the comparatively youthful occupant of
the lately vacated seat, His Honor inquired:

"What is _your_ church, sir?"

In a manner by no means aggressive, and with tones the counterpart
of the humblest that ever came from an Amen corner, the reply was,

"I am a Methodist, may it please the Court."

Eying the prisoner keenly, and with a manner expressive of surprise
to which all that had gone before seemed indifference itself,
his Honor, with apparent difficulty, at length ejaculated:

"A Methodist, a Methodist, Mr. Prosecutor. Oh, you preach the
doctrine of the Methodist Church, do you?--infant baptism, and
falling from grace?" To thes