Possible Clues:

• One stripe is enough for His Worship
• Is he getting pert? No, he sounds wholly serious
• One stripe is enough to make one reverend
• Confession receiver
• Altar figure
• Father starts to try to find this out
• Tripe's wholly sound for one
• The Rev. takes a lever to a little tea
• Conductor of religious service
• One of the 35 across makes one stripe