It excited him, and led him finally to a passionate appeal for pardon and intercession to a statuet of the Virgin Mother, of whom he was a very devout adorer.

He had always regarded himself as her especial champion in the Church of England; and now he had been faithless to her, and indelicate into the bargain.

And yet, in spite of his contrition, he felt that he was having a tremendous spiritual experience, which he would not for worlds have missed.

The climax of it was the composition of his Sunday sermon, the labor of which secured him a sound sleep that night.

It was duly delivered on the following Sunday morning in this form: "Dearly beloved Brethren: In the twenty-third verse of the third chapter of St.Mark's gospel, we find this question: '_How can Satan cast out Satan_ ?' How can Satan cast out Satan?
If you will read what follows, you will perceive that that question was not answered.