Once upon a time there was a minister, a very orthodox man, and he was
very fond of pepper-sauce, and he liked it piping hot, the very
strongest kind on the market. Distrusting that furnished by the hotels,
he always carried with him on his travels a bottle of his favorite
brand. One day as he was seated at the dinner table of a hotel, a man on
the other side of the table asked him to "please pass the
pepper-sauce." "Certainly," said he, "with pleasure. This bottle is my
own private property, I always carry it with me. I think you will find
it very good." The man helped himself freely, and when he had got done
coughing and had recovered enough breath to enable him to speak, he
said: "Pardon me, sir. I believe you are a preacher?" "Yes, that is my
calling in life." "An orthodox preacher, I presume?" "Yes, sir." "And
you really believe in hell-fire?" "Yes--I feel it my duty to warn the
inpenitent of their danger." "And you do preach and believe in a literal
hell-fire?" "I cannot do otherwise with the Scriptures before me."
"Well"--said the man, "I have met a good many preachers in my time who
believe and preach just as you do, sir, but I must say I never before
met a man who carries his samples with him."