It was Easter Day, and the hymn quite appropriate, but not so rendered as the clerk heavily and drearily announced: 

     “The Lord is risen indeed,
       And are the tidings true?”

as if there might exist a doubt about this glorious fact.

Pity that he did not enter into the spirit of the verse and add: 

     “Yes! we beheld the Saviour bleed,
       And saw Him rising too.”

Within about ten miles nearer to Windsor Castle the clerk of a church in which not a few nobility usually worshipped, was altogether at fault in his “H’s,” as he exhorted the people to sing, “The Heaster Im with the Allelujer, het the hend of hevery line.”  Other clerks may have done the same.  He did it, I know well.

Throughout the whole of my very imperfect ministry I have sought to practise catechising in church every Sunday afternoon, and very strongly desire to urge the practice of it in every church every Sunday.

It is one of the most difficult parts of the glorious ministry since the time of St. Luke that can engage the attention of the ordained ministers of Christ’s Church.  It needs to be done well.  It ought not to be a very nice, simple sermonette.  This, though very beautiful, is not catechising.  Perhaps, if at once followed by questions upon the sermonette, it might thus become very useful.  But a catechesis in which the catechist simply tells a simple story or gives an amusing anecdote, or when questioning, so puts his inquiries that “yes” and “no” are the listless replies that are drawn forth from the lads and girls, is not interesting or profitable.  Whenever I have the opportunity I go to an afternoon catechetical service.  Some failed by being made into the time of a small preachment; some because in a few minutes the catechist easily asked questions and then answered them himself.  Others were really magnificent, securing the attention and drawing forth answers admirably.  Was it the great bishop Samuel Wilberforce who said, “A boy may preach, but it takes a man to catechise”?

I cannot boast of being a good catechist; but I know that catechising costs me more mental exhaustion (alas! with sad depression under a sense of trial of temper and failure) than any sermon.  But I will say to any clergyman, My dear brother, catechise; try, persevere, keep on.  It will not be in vain.  But secure an answer.  If need be, become a cross-examining advocate for Christ, and don’t give up until you have made the catechumens, by dint of a variety of ways of putting the question, give the answer you desired.  You have made them think and call memory into play, and made them feel that they “knew it all the time,” if only they had reflected.  And you have given them a “power of good.”