Free The Feast by Margaret Kennedy Page A

him. She disliked parsons and was habitually rude to them. But it was not often that they were rude to her.
    ‘Well …’ she said at last, ‘you quite startled me.’
    ‘I mean it,’ thundered the Canon. ‘If you can’t behave decently I shall have you turned out.’
    ‘You’re making a terrible noise yourself,’ retorted Anna.
    ‘Hush!’ whispered Bruce, scandalized in spite of himself.
    ‘Why should I hush? This isn’t his church. Or if it is, I can well understand why it’s so empty.’
    The Canon was now surveying Bruce.
    ‘If you’ve any decency,’ he said, ‘you’ll go and induce your mother to go with you.’
    Nothing could have silenced Anna more effectively. She could, for some seconds, think of no retort. And the appearance of Gerry in the chancel, carrying a taper, created a diversion. Candle after candle was lit. The Canon, looking like a bull in a field, turned to survey this fresh enormity. Anna giggled but did not venture to speak again. The congregation had left off staring before the cross preceding the choir appeared, and Father Bott, surrounded by servers and acolytes, emerged from the vestry.
4. Typescript Notes for a Sermon preached by the Rev. S. Bott. Sunday, August 17, 1947
     
—“deLIVER JS FORM EVIL”
q1
Fear. insecurty. Atom bomb. £ Heplessness
2
Nothingnew abt Eveil. Causes old as Adam. Effects merely more spe ctacular. Sin.
e 3
Sin isolates the soul z(@) frim God. (b) from fellowmen. Mutual generosity, willingness to give and accet, essential condition of Salvation.
4
Teaching of Church. 7 deadly froms of spiritual isolation. Vices which destroy gratutude and generosity .
 
prIDE accepts nothing.
 
E
 
ENVY guves nothing.
 
sloTH accidie especially insidious to the intellectual.
    xxxxxxxxxx substitues speculation for action. xxxxx24@5 £ WRATH lust for power.

    S
LECHERY Sexual expliotation. “Hardensall with-in and petrifies the feelins”
X
GLN. GLOT/. GLUTTONY Their God is in ther belly.
7
GOVETOUSNESS Financial exploitation.
 
These sins the most deadly weapons of the Enemy. We should fear them more than any waepons of man. Grace is our only protection.
 
£ Hence importance of last petition in the Lord’s Prayer.
5. The Canon Testifies
    Yes, thought Sir Henry Gifford, as he got to his feet for the Offertory hymn. But where do I come in? I’m a sinner, I suppose. We all are. But which of this little list is mine, and what do I do about it? Number 4. I know this. A nice easy tune. I really don’t think I’m proud. I know I’m not envious.
    N ew every morning is the love
    Our wakening and uprising prove ;
    I’m not slothful. I work very hard. And I’ve plenty of practice in keeping my temper.
    Through sleep and darkness safely brought,
    Restored to life and power, and thought.
    Nor am I particularly covetous, lecherous or gluttonous .
    New mercies each returning day …
    If I were covetous I’d go to the Channel Isles and dodge income tax. But I’m standing out about that. And if I do, if she wears me down, it won’t be because of pride or envy or any of the list. It’ll be sheerexhaustion. Here comes the plate. Good Lord! Michael’s going to drop it! No … all safe. Hebe needn’t have pushed him like that. She’s unbearably bossy. Do I hand it back or pass it to the Coves? A pound seems a lot, but I have no change. Must get some to-morrow. My sin is weakness. And I believe that goes for most of us here. We don’t do evil, but we consent … we let ourselves be pushed about.
    The trivial round, the common task,
    Will furnish all we need to ask,
    Room to deny ourselves, a road …
    It was years before I noticed the comma there. Thought it was Room to deny ourselves a road … a sort of contortionist’s feat. Yes, sheer spinelessness. Very few entirely evil people in the world really; but we let them run us. Eirene … do I really think she’s evil?
    And help us, this and every day,
    To live more nearly as we pray. Amen.
    Yes, I do. Sometimes I