[The Life of Charlotte Bronte - Volume 1 by Elizabeth Gaskell]@TWC D-Link bookThe Life of Charlotte Bronte - Volume 1 CHAPTER II 16/39
The old custom of "arvills," or funeral feasts, led to frequent pitched battles between the drunken mourners. Such customs were the outward signs of the kind of people with whom Mr. Grimshaw had to deal.
But, by various means, some of the most practical kind, he wrought a great change in his parish.
In his preaching he was occasionally assisted by Wesley and Whitfield, and at such times the little church proved much too small to hold the throng that poured in from distant villages, or lonely moorland hamlets; and frequently they were obliged to meet in the open air; indeed, there was not room enough in the church even for the communicants.
Mr.Whitfield was once preaching in Haworth, and made use of some such expression, as that he hoped there was no need to say much to this congregation, as they had sat under so pious and godly a minister for so many years; "whereupon Mr. Grimshaw stood up in his place, and said with a loud voice, 'Oh, sir! for God's sake do not speak so.
I pray you do not flatter them.
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