Marilla 's was a rather prim and colorless epistle , severely innocent of gossip or emotion . Yet somehow it conveyed to Anne a whiff of the wholesome , simple life at Green Gables , with its savor of ancient peace , and the steadfast abiding love that was there for her . Mrs. Lynde 's letter was full of church news . Having broken up housekeeping , Mrs. Lynde had more time than ever to devote to church affairs and had flung herself into them heart and soul . She was at present much worked up over the poor `` supplies '' they were having in the vacant Avonlea pulpit . `` I do n't believe any but fools enter the ministry nowadays , '' she wrote bitterly . `` Such candidates as they have sent us , and such stuff as they preach ! Half of it ai n't true , and , what 's worse , it ai n't sound doctrine . The one we have now is the worst of the lot . He mostly takes a text and preaches about something else . And he says he does n't believe all the heathen will be eternally lost . The idea ! If they wo n't all the money we 've been giving to Foreign Missions will be clean wasted , that 's what ! Last Sunday night he announced that next Sunday he 'd preach on the axe-head that swam . I think he 'd better confine himself to the Bible and leave sensational subjects alone . Things have come to a pretty pass if a minister ca n't find enough in Holy Writ to preach about , that 's what . What church do you attend , Anne ? I hope you go regularly . People are apt to get so careless about church-going away from home , and I understand college students are great sinners in this respect . I 'm told many of them actually study their lessons on Sunday .
I hope you 'll never sink that low , XXXXX .
Anne Avonlea Gables Lynde Marilla axe-head epistle idea night something