disseminating the Word among the Heathen." The same fifty dollars
so appropriated, would have provided fuel for a month to the starving
poor of her own parish.

But Brother Cross gets no such windfalls. It is probable that he never
heard of such a thing, and that if he did, he would unhesitatingly
cry out, "Humbug," at the first intimation of it. Besides, his voice
was not capable of that modulation which a young lover, or a city
parson can give it. Accustomed to cry aloud and spare not, he
usually spoke as if there were some marrow in his bones, and some
vigor in his wind-bags. When he came to see the good wife of his
congregation, he gave her a hearty shake of the hand, congratulated
her as he found her at her spinning-wheel; spoke with a hearty
approbation, if he saw that her children were civil and cleanly;
if otherwise, he blazed out with proper boldness, by telling her
that all her praying and groaning, would avail nothing for her
soul's safety, so long as Jackey's breeches were unclean; and that
the mother of a rude and dirty child, was as sure of damnation, as
if she never prayed at all. He had no scruples about speaking the
truth. He never looked about him for the gentle, easy phrases, by
which to distinguish the conduct which he was compelled to condemn.
He knew not only that the truth must be spoken, and be spoken by
him, if by anybody, but that there is no language too strong--perhaps
none quite strong enough--for the utterance of the truth. But it must
not be supposed, that John Cross was in any respect an intolerant,
or sour man. He was no hypocrite, and did not, therefore, need to
clothe his features in the vinegar costume of that numerous class.
His limbs were put into no such rigid fetters as too often denote
the unnatural restraints which such persons have imposed upon their
inner minds. He could laugh and sing with the merriest, and though