"Quite as destitute of Gospel power is that preaching which consists
largely in the presentation of old worn-out theories, musty scholastic
philosophies about religion, usually paraded under the pretentious title
of 'doctrine.'

"The devil, it is said, once inspired a dead priest to preach an
orthodox sermon. On being questioned by his imps why he ventured on such
a deliverance, he replied very significantly, that nothing made infidels
more effectually than orthodoxy preached by dead men's lips."

CHAPTER X.

THE REFORMING TENDENCY.

I had a third tendency which helped to get me into trouble; namely, a
reforming tendency. Earnest and active-minded young men are generally
reformers. In me the reforming tendency was unusually strong. I wanted
to reform everybody and everything, and to do it thoroughly, and without
delay. And I commenced operations very early.

1. It was the custom of my class-leader to read over to his class once a
quarter the rules of society, and to request the members, if they were
aware of any breach of any of the rules by any of the members, to name
the matter as he proceeded. Now one of the rules forbade the putting on
of gold or costly apparel; yet several of the members of our class put
on both. So when he came to that rule, I asked why it was not enforced.
The leader seemed confused. One of the offenders was the wife of one of
the travelling preachers, and another was the wife of an influential
layman, and both were customers at his store, and he had never
entertained a thought, I imagine, of running the risk of offending them
by rebuking them for their offences; so he muttered something in the way
of excuse and then passed on. The truth was, that the rule, though
copied from the New Testament, and regarded by Mr. Wesley as of great
importance, was no longer considered binding either by the preachers or
the leading members. The reading of the rules in the class was merely a
form, and my remarks, instead of inducing my offending class-mates to
return to the old Methodist custom, only caused them and those who sided
with them, to look on me as a troubler of Israel.

2. I got myself into a little trouble on a later occasion at a local
preachers' meeting. It was the custom at those meetings for the
superintendent preacher to read over the names of the local preachers,
and to request any brother who knew of any breach of rule by any of his
brethren, to name the matter. When the name of