Oracles

20 ADAPTATION We are all divided, fifty bodies We, Fifty hopes and doctrines, nary charity. Church and chapel perish ! Open Plyms to hell ! But Our kind of Brethren still in safety dwell. Raven’s lot can never ’gainst the lord prevail, We are his brave followers, you are Satan’s tail. Come then, outside peoples, join Our noble throng ! Blend with Ours your voices in the triumph song ! Glory, praise and honour unto Us alone ! Christians’ necks our footstool, Heaven itself Our throne ! P.S.—BELOVED BRETHREN,—The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. For I, like Balaam (in the old legend), was compelled to express our real feelings and not our pretended ones. This, of course, absolutely ruins the adaptation. In fact, I am not certain as to whether it does not rather give us away ! Alas ! we are only poor, weak, failing creatures ! Your broken - hearted, broken - winded, broken - kneed brother, JUDAS CAIAPHAS TRUELOVE.* [This astonishing piece of satire was composed after some weeks in the house of a Plymouth Brother whose children and friends had gone over to one of the other kinds of Brethren at the great split of I894. Almost every phrase used therein is a quotation, not a parody.—R. P. L.] *The man Truelove was at once put out of fellow- ship. He will be certainly damned.—PILATE CROSSPATCH.