As it was, he lay at anchor, and let the tide rush past him.
Further change followed--gradual, but rapid.

His congregation began to discover that he was not the man he had been.

They complained of lack of variety in his preaching; said he took it too easy; did not study his sermons sufficiently; often spoke extempore, which was a poor compliment to _them_; did not visit with impartiality, and indeed had all along favored the carriage people.

There was a party in the church which had not been cordial to him from the first; partly from his fault, partly from theirs, he had always made them feel they were of the lower grade; and from an increase of shops in the neighborhood, this party was now gathering head.

Their leaders went so far at length as to hint at a necessity for explanation in regard to the accounts of certain charities administered by the pastor.