When Bishop Goe was a Curate

Southland Times, Issue 9718, 6 January 1888, Page 4

When Bishop Goe was a Curate

The following incident was related by the Bishop of Melbourne : — * A good many of my parishioners, at the time to which I refer were bargees, frho were notorious for their/dirty, intemperate and improvident habits. One day a bargee called at the parsonage jrad told me that Jim the slogger wanted me to call ajad 'sprinkle his kid,' by which he meant to baptise the baby. 'At the time appointed I called at Jim's house, or hut, rather, and was admitted. It consisted of one room, and had one door and one small window. No sooner was I fairly iuiide than Jim locked the door and put the key in his pocket Then the following dialogue was carried on between us : —

' ■ « ' Be yen. the parson come to sprinkle my kid?' £ ' lam the clergyman of the parish, (tad I have come to baptise your child.' ' «'Yer can't sprinkle that kid till you and me have had a fight, parson.' ' ♦ ' I did not come to fight, I came to taptise your baby.' . * ■' I aays what I means, and I means what I says j yer don't go out of this place, and yer don't sprinkle the kid, till you and me have a tussle.' ' 'Well, gentlemen, I looked at the door and the window, and saw there there was no course before me but to give in to Jim's request. When at College I had, with most of the other students, practised the noble art of selfdefence. I had put on the gloves, and ■was not entirely ignorant of the Cornish fling. ' All right, Jim,' I answered, ' we'll see who is the best man.' The battle was not very long nor severe. Watching my opportunity I gave Jiua a smart blow on the ear, and down he went like a log. After a time he sat up and muttered, { Yes, he's the fellow for me, he's the right sort of parson, knows a thing or two. Law ! what a whack that was ; right on the ear-hole too.- It's stinging yet, parson,' said he, looking up, for he had been sitting on the floor ; ' you're the parson for me ; you shall sprinkle my kid now. Molly, get a basin and some water,' 'Molly, who had been looking steadily all the time, got what was wanted, and the child was baptised. Next Sunday I saw a man at church whom I did not t csgnise. I found it was my pugilistic friend, Jim the Slogger, who had washed his face the first time for many a long day. He seemed greatly iuterested in the service. Nest Sunday about a dozen more bargees came with Jim, all with clean faces, and ail very attentive. Strange as it may seem, this encounter with Jim was the beginning of a better and purer life for him and his wife, and for his fellow bargees too. It was not the first time that carnal weapons have done spiiiuial work.'