THE late Dr. Gregg, of Cork, had a kind heart and a ready wit. It is sometimes allowable to use a refined humor if it will gain a hearing or remove a prejudice. On one occasion Dr. Gregg was present at a meeting, and to address an assembly that contained a large number of Roman Catholic priests. He told them that he was quite sure that if the Virgin Mary and the apostle Peter were to visit Cork, they would attend his church in preference to theirs; and he proceeded to prove it by the following witty parable:
Once on a time the Virgin and Peter paid a visit to Cork; and wishing to go to a place of worship, they set forth to find one which suited them. On reaching the first, they pulled aside the heavy curtain which hung before the door, and a puff of incense blew into their faces. ‘What’s this horrid smell, Peter? I don’t like this at all.’ Just then they heard the priest saying, ‘O holy mother of God, blessed Virgin, queen of heaven, have mercy upon us.’ She then exclaimed, ‘This is dreadful, Peter. When I lived on the earth, my soul magnified the Lord, and my spirit rejoiced in God my Saviour; and here they are actually praying to me. I cannot bear this; come away.’
They next went to Dr. Gregg’s church, and as they stepped inside the congregation were saying:
‘Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from Thy ways like lost sheep.’
‘Ah, now, this is nice,’ said Peter; ‘it quite reminds me of old times. This will suit us; let us stay here.’
This, with the merry twinkle of the good doctor’s kindly eyes, quite disarmed all opposition; and let us hope that some would receive the truth so skillfully presented.