Having spent some time in study, Hannington went up for his ordination
examination. He did very well the first day; the second he was ill and
could do nothing; the third the same; and when he was dismissed by the
bishop he was in a state akin to despair.
The next examination was better, but he was nervous, and found his
mind at times a hopeless blank. He passed, but not in such a way as he
desired. At the examination for priest's orders he came out at the top
of the list.
The first portion of his life as a curate did not seem to point to his
making any mark upon his Devonshire flock. His audiences were sleepy,
and paid little attention to his sermons.
One day he got lost on Exmoor in trying to make a short cut to a place
where he was to conduct service. He was consequently late in arriving,
and found the congregation waiting. On explaining why he was late to
the clerk:--
"Iss," said that official, "we reckoned you was lost, but now you are
here go and put on your surples and be short, for we all want to get
back to dinner". Truly he was no Wesley in those days!
But to him, as to every true-hearted seeker, light came at last.
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