legs do get sometimes most strangely astray,—­on the chair arms, on the tables, on the chimney-pieces, and into all sorts of out-of-the-way places.  While other people generally try how high they can carry their heads, the ambition of the Americans is to try how high they can carry their heels!  Observing the leg in question a little more attentively, I found that behind it (in the adjoining pew), and in close and intimate connection with it, was a man dressed in black.  The bustling old gentleman came by, tapped him on the shoulder, and beckoned him forward, along with himself, to the rostrum.  Here they were met by a tall man of grave appearance, about thirty years of age, with a pale face and bald forehead, wearing a white cravat, with corners about ten inches long, stretching out on either side towards the shoulders.  He was made to take the central position at the desk; while the man with the leg took the right, and the elderly gentleman the left.

The elderly gentleman (who, from his I’m-at-home kind of air, was evidently the pastor) offered up a short prayer, and then gave out a hymn, which some few friends in the gallery (standing up) sang; all the rest of the congregation sitting down, and very few joining at all in the psalmody.  This exercise over, the central gentleman arose, and, having first read a few verses of Scripture, offered up a very suitable prayer about eight or ten minutes long.  The man on the right then gave out another hymn, which was sung as before.

The central gentleman now, in a very low don’t-care-whether-you-hear-or-not tone of voice, gave out a text.  It was John iii. 7:  “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”  I will give you a sketch of his sermon.  He observed that of all subjects on which men might be addressed, religious subjects were the most important; and that of all religious subjects, that to which the text referred was the most momentous.  Having noticed the context, he proposed to inquire, first, into the necessity of being born again.  This change (he observed) was necessary, in order to enjoy heaven.  It was a common observation, that “society seeks its level.”  The Indian, for example, could not be happy amidst the refinements of civilization.  The gambler and the swearer could not be happy in the society of the pious and devout.  If so in this world, amidst imperfect holiness, how much more so in the pure society of the celestial state!

During these remarks, I was much annoyed by the cracking of nuts not very far off.  I looked around, and actually found it was a mother cracking them for her two boys, one of whom might be seven and the other five years of age,—­one by her side, and the other in the next pew behind.  To the latter she deliberately handed over the kernels in a pocket-handkerchief; and yet, to look at her, you would have thought her a woman of sense and piety!