Chapter 21 - (VERSO)
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where sensations were few and far between.
Old Mr. Bentley, the minister whom Anne had found lacking in imagination, had been pastor of Avonlea for 18 years. He was a widower when he came and a widower he remained, despite the fact that gossip regularly married him to this, that, or the other one, every year of his sojourn. In the preceding February he had resigned his charge and departed amid the regrets of his people, most of whom had the affection born of long intercourse for their good old minister in spite of his short-comings as an orator. Since then the Avonlea church had enjoyed a variety of religious dissipation in listening to the many and various candidates
TEXT ANNOTATION
"various candidates and 'supplies'": In the Presbyterian church, ministerial candidates preach a sermon; the minister chosen receives a "call" from a congregation. "Supplies" were ministers who filled in temporarily for an absent minister.