A preacher was much annoyed by the whispering and laughing of some young
folks in the rear of the church. Stopping in the midst of his discourse
and looking intently at them until all had become still, he said:
"I hesitate to reprove those who are inattentive and noisy. I will tell
you why. Some years since, as I was preaching, a young man sat before me
who was constantly laughing and making queer faces. It annoyed me very
much, and I gave him a very severe rebuke. After the close of the
services a gentleman said to one, 'Sir, you made a great mistake; that
young man is an idiot.' Since that time I always hesitate to reprove
those who misbehave in church, lest I should again find myself in the
error of rebuking an idiot." There was order during the rest of the
service.