ch will surprise you, Mary. My own suspicion and that of
my brother deacons has been fully confirmed this morning."

"What suspicion," asked Mrs. Green quickly.

"That our pastor has for some time past given way to the allurements of
strong drink."

"Oh, that is too dreadful! it cannot be true; so good, devoted, and holy
a man as I have always thought him to be!"

"It is certainly true. Unfortunately, drink spares none, and the more
noble and exalted its victims, the more sure and complete is their
downfall. It will seem incredible to you; but the truth is, Mr. Harris
preached this morning under the influence of liquor. He had been
drinking before he came into the vestry, and was trembling and scarcely
able to stand. He said he had been suffering with neuralgia, and asked
for a glass of wine to steady his nerves. I said, 'Excuse me, Mr.
Harris, it is painfully apparent that you have already indulged too
freely in stimulant.' He looked convicted, and covered his face; but
presently stammered out something about his excessive intellectual
labours compelling him to resort to alcohol. Mr. Shaw then said: 'We
would far rather listen to simpler preaching, Mr. Harris, than know that
your brilliant discourses are composed and delivered under the stimulus
of wine.' He promised to be more careful in the future; but declared
that it was quite impossible for him to face the large congregation
unless he could gain a little self-command; and truly he was in a
pitiable condition. It was close upon service time, and there was no
alternative but to give him more wine. To my surprise, immediately
afterwards he mounted the pulpit stairs steadily, and conducted the
service, as you know, with the utmost propriety. But we are resolved
that he must either give up the practice of taking stimulant, or leave
the church."

"Oh, Herbert! I'm overwhelmed. Mr. Harris has helped me in my spiritual
life as no one else has, and it seems impossible that he could give way
to such an awful sin as drunkenness," and Mrs. Green dashed away the
tears of sympathy that had fallen, and resolved to hope and pray that
her beloved pastor might break from the fatal habit which was making him
its victim. But months went by, and Mr. Harris was found to be indulging
in still deeper excess, until the story of his downfall was on every
lip. Again and again he vowed reformation, and before God and his people
humbled himself; but he lacked the needful courage to put t