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Motifs
- Church and congregation sink to bottom of sea. F941.2.2
- Devil accuses congregation of sins. G303.24.1
- Devil shows priest long parchment roll of sins of congregation. G303.24.1.1
- Priest walks in the mud. Congregation follows evil ways of priest. He walks in mud but they will not follow him. He thus shows them the folly of following his evil ways. J82
- Minister threatens divine punishment to thief in congregation. The thief confesses. J1141.14
- Priest asked to preach short sermon does so saying to congregation only that they are wicked. J1647
- Standing up for the friendless. Preacher in backwoods asks congregation members who are friends of Jesus to rise. No one rises. "What, are there no friends of Jesus in this house?" A cowboy rises to his feet: "Stranger, I don't know who this man Jesus is. I never heard of him before, but I'll stand up for any man who hasn't got any more friends than he has." J1738.5
- The imitative choir. Minister tells congregation that he has forgotten his spectacles, that he cannot line out the hymn as he customarily did. The choir sings his words. He tries to explain, apologizes. The choir repeats the apology in song. J2498.1
- Importunate lover (priest) is forced to hide in chest. Husband takes the chest to the waiting congregation. Clever priest comes out enacting the resurrection of Lazarus. K1218.1.4
- Sham miracle. Priest makes congregation believe the painting of the Virgin weeps real tears. K1972.2
- Men rulers in their house asked to sing. No man in congregation does so. Priest alone sings. Next year he cannot, for then he has a maid. T252.5
- Devil buys church bell and demoralizes congregation. They have always come early before since they had no bell to announce the time. Now they wait for the bell. V115.3
- Priest commends the poor miller. If he had been like the rest of the congregation he would have become rich. X212.1
- The hog in church. Locked in church all week by mistake. When the congregation comes, the hog runs between the parson's legs and carries him out. X415
- Parson preaches so that half the congregation weeps and half laughs. Has clothes torn in the back. Those that see this laugh. He wins the wager. X416
Tale types
- ATU 1825B Preaching as the Congregation Wishes (previously 'I Preach God's Word
- ATU 1833L A Clergyman Wakes his Sleeping Congregation
- ATU 1834* The Person from Another Congregation
- ATU 1861* 'Keep your Seats!' A proud woman (mayor's wife, male student) arrives late in church (appears before an academic assembly) just as the congregation (audience) is standing up to pray