eekly round of visits among the members of his
congregation. These visits were generally made in the middle of the
forenoon or afternoon, during the absence of the male members of the
various families. I observed that 'our minister' invariably paid his
visits to our house when my father was absent at his place of business.
Upon these occasions, he would hold long and private conferences with my
mother, who used to declare that these interviews with that holy man did
her more substantial _good_ than all his preaching. 'It is so refreshing
to my soul,' she would say, 'to pray in secret with that good man--he is
_so_ full of Christian love--so tender in his exhortations--so fervent
in his prayers! O that I could meet him every day, in the sanctity of my
closet, to strengthen my faith by the outpourings of his inexhaustible
fount of piety and Christian love!'

'The _wrestlings with the Lord_ of my maternal parent and her holy
pastor, must have been both prolonged and severe, judging from the fact
that at the termination of these pious interviews, my mother sometimes
made her appearance with disordered apparel and disarranged hair; while
the violence of her efforts to strengthen her faith was further manifest
from the flushed condition of her countenance, and general peculiarity
of aspect.

'One afternoon the Reverend Mr. Flanders--for that was the name of our
minister--called to see my mother, and as usual they retired together to
a private room, for 'holy communion.' Young as I was, my suspicions had
long been excited in regard to the nature of these interviews; I began
to think that their true object partook more largely of an earthly and
carnal character, than either the pastor or my mother would care to have
known. Upon the afternoon in question, I determined to satisfy myself on
this point;--and accordingly, as soon as they entered the room and
closed the door, (which they always locked,) I stole noiselessly
up-stairs, and stationed myself in the passage, on the outside of the
room, and listened intently. I had scarcely taken up my position, when
my ear caught the sound of _kissing_; and applying my eye to the
key-hole, I beheld the Rev. Mr. Flanders bestowing the most fervent
embraces upon my mother, which she returned with compound interest. The
pious gentleman, clasping her around the waist with one arm, proceeded
to take liberties which astonished and disgusted me: and my mother not
only permitted the revered scou