Then he heard a sepulchral voice say "Charles Webster!" Whinny's eyes turned to the pulpit, only part of which was visible to him, and to his horror they encountered the minister's head coming down the stairs.

This took place after I had ceased to attend the Auld Licht kirk regularly; but I am told that as Whinny gave one wild scream the peppermint dropped from his mouth.

The minister had got him by leaning over the pulpit door until, had he given himself only another inch, his feet would have gone into the air.

As for Whinny he became a Godfearing man.
The most uncanny thing about the kirk was the precentor's box beneath the pulpit.

Three Auld Licht ministers I have known, but I can only conceive one precentor.