the Lord. Amongst the number was the
mayor of the town, who in his turn wished to have a meeting at his
house. As soon as I was able to fix the day, he invited his friends, but
on finding that so many more desired to come than he could accommodate,
he announced that the meeting would be held at the Town Hall. Great
interest was excited, and it was soon evident that even this building
would not be large enough, so it ended in the Temperance Hall being
selected. The vicar hearing about it, wrote to protest, and asked me to
call on him before I went to the place of meeting. He said it was bad
enough for me to come to his parish to private houses, but to come to a
public room, and that a large one, was quite out of the question.

I endeavoured to show him that the lecture or address I had come to give
was not an official or ministerial act; but he would not see that. I
also suggested that there was no law against it. He, begging my pardon,
said "The 'Conventicle Act' had not been repealed yet, and that no one
could lawfully hold a meeting of more than twenty persons."

"But surely," I replied, "that is virtually repealed by the 'Toleration
Act.' A clergyman ought not to be in greater bondage in England than a
layman, or more restricted. Anybody else can come and preach the Gospel
in your parish, and you cannot hinder it. Do not hinder me. It will do
you no harm."

He said, "I cannot conscientiously allow it. It is against the Canons."

"Which Canon is it against?" I asked.

He took down a book and showed it me, but casting my eyes on the one
before, and another which followed, I found that we neither of us
observed the one or the other. Why, then, be so zealous about this?
"Besides," I said, "you are not responsible; you have not asked me, nor
have I asked your consent. Your conscience need not be troubled about
the matter."

"But," he said, impatiently, "I am determined that you shall not preach
in this parish. I will inform the Bishop."

I replied, that "the Bishop had not any jurisdiction in this case; there
is no law on the subject. The Conventicle Act only refers to worship,
not to service or preaching."

He said, that he "could see no difference whatever between worship and
service."

"But," I said, "I am sure the Bishop knows, and will acknowledge, the
great difference between these two."

Then, changing his tone, he said, "Now, come, there's a good fellow,
don't preach at the Town Hall."

"My dear man