George Silvermans Explanation | Page 8

- I found distasteful. I cannot tell how

much these dislikes cost me; for I had a dread that they were worldly.
As time went on, I became a Foundation-boy on a good foundation, and I cost Brother
Hawkyard nothing. When I had worked my way so far, I worked yet harder, in the hope
of ultimately getting a presentation to college and a fellowship. My health has never been
strong (some vapour from the Preston cellar cleaves to me, I think); and what with much
work and some weakness, I came again to be regarded - that is, by my fellow-students -
as unsocial.
All through my time as a foundation-boy, I was within a few miles of Brother
Hawkyard's congregation; and whenever I was what we called a leave-boy on a Sunday, I
went over there at his desire. Before the knowledge became forced upon me that outside
their place of meeting these brothers and sisters were no better than the rest of the human
family, but on the whole were, to put the case mildly, as bad as most, in respect of giving
short weight in their shops, and not speaking the truth, - I say, before this knowledge
became forced upon me, their prolix addresses, their inordinate conceit, their daring
ignorance, their investment of the Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth with their own
miserable meannesses and littlenesses, greatly shocked me. Still, as their term for the
frame of mind that could not perceive them to be in an exalted state of grace was the
'worldly' state, I did for a time suffer tortures under my inquiries of myself whether that
young worldly- devilish spirit of mine could secretly be lingering at the bottom of my
non-appreciation.
Brother Hawkyard was the popular expounder in this assembly, and generally occupied
the platform (there was a little platform with a table on it, in lieu of a pulpit) first, on a
Sunday afternoon. He was by trade a drysalter. Brother Gimblet, an elderly man with a
crabbed face, a large dog's-eared shirt-collar, and a spotted blue neckerchief reaching up
behind to the crown of his head, was also a drysalter and an expounder. Brother Gimblet
professed the greatest admiration for Brother Hawkyard, but (I had thought more than
once) bore him a jealous grudge.
Let whosoever may peruse these lines kindly take the pains here to read twice my solemn
pledge, that what I write of the language and customs of the congregation in question I
write scrupulously, literally, exactly, from the life and the truth.
On the first Sunday after I had won what I had so long tried for, and when it was certain
that I was going up to college, Brother Hawkyard concluded a long exhortation thus:
'Well, my friends and fellow-sinners, now I told you when I began, that I didn't know a
word of what I was going to say to you (and no, I did not!), but that it was all one to me,
because I knew the Lord would put into my mouth the words I wanted.'
('That's it!' from Brother Gimblet.)
'And he did put into my mouth the words I wanted.'
('So he did!' from Brother Gimblet.)

'And why?'
('Ah, let's have that!' from Brother Gimblet.)
'Because I have been his faithful servant for five-and-thirty years, and because he knows
it. For five-and-thirty years! And he knows it, mind you! I got those words that I wanted
on account of my wages. I got 'em from the Lord, my fellow-sinners. Down! I said,
"Here's a heap of wages due; let us have something down, on account." And I got it down,
and I paid it over to you; and you won't wrap it up in a napkin, nor yet in a towel, nor yet
pocketankercher, but you'll put it out at good interest. Very well. Now, my brothers and
sisters and fellow-sinners, I am going to conclude with a question, and I'll make it so
plain (with the help of the Lord, after five-and-thirty years, I should rather hope!) as that
the Devil shall not be able to confuse it in your heads, - which he would be overjoyed to
do.'
('Just his way. Crafty old blackguard!' from Brother Gimblet.)
'And the question is this, Are the angels learned?'
('Not they. Not a bit on it!' from Brother Gimblet, with the greatest confidence.)
'Not they. And where's the proof? sent ready-made by the hand of the Lord. Why, there's
one among us here now, that has got all the learning that can be crammed into him. I got
him all the learning that could be crammed into him. His grandfather' (this I had never
heard before) 'was a brother of ours. He was Brother Parksop. That's what he was.
Parksop; Brother