The ministers are the Rev. J. Judson, who is the superintendent,
and the Rev. W.
Graham. They are paid on a systematic
and considerate plan. Money is given to them
to accordance with the number of their family.
They get so much per head—the more numerous
the family and the larger the pay becomes. But
it is not very extraordinary at the best of times;
and if even a preacher happened to have a complete
houseful of children, if his quiver were absolutely
full of them, he would not be pecuniarly rich.
The bulk of Primitive Methodist preachers are taken
from the working classes, and the pay they receive
is not more than they could earn if they kept out of
the ministry altogether. They become parsons
for the love of “the cause,” and not for
loaves and fishes. Reverting to Mr. Judson, it
may be said that he is a quiet, earnest, elderly, close-shaven,
clerical looking gentleman—has a well-defined,
keen solemnity on his countenance, looks rather like
a Catholic priest in facial and habilimental cut,
is one of the old school of Primitive preachers, is
devout but not luminous, good but not erudite, is slow
and long-drawn in his utterances, but he can effervesce
on a high key at intervals, and can occasionally “draw
out” the brethren to a hot pitch of exuberance.
His general style is sincere; he means well; but his
words, like cold-drawn castor oil, don’t go down
with overmuch gusto.
The junior preacher—Mr. Graham—is
more modernised in manner and matter. He is an
earnest, thoughtful, plodding man, can preach a fair
sermon tears a little sometimes, and can “bring
down the house” in tolerably good style.
Both of them are hard workers, both are doing good,
and neither must be despised on account of humility
of position. Primitive, like Wesleyan, preachers
are changed periodically; superintendents can, under
certain conditions, stay at one place for three years,
but no longer; junior men have to cut their straps
every two years. Since this description was first
published both the ministers named have gone; the Rev.
Thomas Doody having succeeded as superintendent, and
the Rev. John Hall as junior. Mr. Doody is a
middle-aged gentleman, is a pretty good preacher,
has considerable zeal in him, and fires up more energetically
than his predecessor. Mr. Hall is a young man
with a rather elderly look. His style is discursive,
his lucid intervals not as electrical as those of
some Primitive parsons, but he is a good fellow, and
if he had more physical force and more mental condensation
be would “go down” better.
There are numerous collections, some fixed, and some
incidental, at Saul-street, and on special occasions
they can raise sums of money which would put to the
blush the bulk of loftier and more “respectable”
congregations. Not much time is lost by the Saul-street
Primitives: every Monday evening they have preaching
at the place; on Tuesday evening three or four class
meetings, in which singing, praying, and talking are
