073. QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE MINISTRY1
QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE MINISTRY1
If your secretary had not been the most persuasive of men, and if I had not been the most obliging, you would not have heard me here to-night. The tramp, who was asked after a hearty meal to pick up a few sticks by way of compensation, replied: "Madam, I would do so with great pleasure, but from very early life I have made it a principle never to work between meals." In a similar way I have hitherto made it a principle never to work in vacation. Another principle, however, conflicts with this. I have always accustomed myself to do whatever anybody asked me to do, unless I could see some good reason to the contrary. A friend of mine, who is also a distinguished surgeon, visited an Irishman who was suffering from aphasia, at least he was said to have lost his power of speech. "Well, Dennis, how are you this morning ?" said the doctor. "Oh, doctor, I cannot spake." "But, Dennis, you are speaking." "Yes, doctor, but it’s many a word I cannot spake." "Well now, I’ll try you, Dennis; see if you can’t say the word ’horse.’" "Oh, doctor dear, 4 horse’ is the very word I cannot spake!" So, my friends, I thought I could not speak to you, and yet here I am speaking.