Baptist Church--or perhaps all three--settled there immediately. No
wonder, then, that our church is losing ground when so little energy is
displayed either in building churches or sending active and zealous men
to preach the gospel.

The first person I heard preach in Guelph was a tailor, who had made a
professional visit to the city, and who had the reputation of being
considered a very eloquent man. Due notice having been given, a large
congregation assembled to hear Mr. H-----, who, to do him justice, was
eloquent enough, though his sermon was all in his own praise from
beginning to end.

He said that "he had once been a great infidel and an evil liver, but
now he was converted, and was as good as he formerly had been wicked;
and be hoped that all his hearers would take example from him and do as
he had done--forsake the crooked paths and steadfastly follow the
straight." After this autobiographical discourse was at length over,
and a brother snip invited him to dinner, I was also honoured with an
invitation, which my curiosity induced me to accept.

I found that the party consisted of a magistrate and his wife, from
E-----, the mad Doctor, and Mr. Y-----, one of the Company's clerks.
Our host-tailor, No. 1, took the head of the table; the preacher,
tailor No. 2, sat at the foot. The dinner itself was quite a
professional spread, and consisted of a fine fat roast goose at the top,
and another at the bottom--a large dish of cabbage in the centre, and a
plate of hard dumplings on each side. Mr. Y-----, who sat opposite,
gave me such a comical look when the second goose made its appearance,
that I found it impossible to suppress my risibility, which,
unfortunately for me, exploded just as the preacher--who, of course,
mentally consigned me to perdition--commenced a long grace; but if the
Governor-General himself had been present, I do not think I could have
restrained my inclination to laugh.

The dinner was certainly excellent of its kind; and in a new settlement
where nothing but salt pork and beef could be obtained, I might with
truth say, that it was a great treat. After the cloth was removed, it
was proposed by the magistrate's lady, that the company should sing a
hymn, upon which the mad Doctor, who was considered the most pious, as
well as the most scientific, singer of the company, sang like an
owlingale, Pope's celebrated lines:--

"Vital spark of heavenly flame,
Quit, O quit; this mortal frame.