The ministers were such autocrats in the Puritan community that they never hesitated to show their authority in any manner in the pulpit. Judge Sewall records with much bitterness a libel which his pastor, Mr. Pemberton, launched at him in the meeting through the medium of the psalm which he gave out to be sung. They had differed over the adjustment of some church-matter and on the following Sunday the clergyman assigned to be sung the libellous and significant psalm. Such lines as these must have been hard indeed for Judge Sewall to endure:-- "Speak, oh ye Judges of the Earth if just your Sentence be Or must not Innocence appeal to Heav'n from your decree "Your Wicked Hearts and Judgments are alike by Malice sway'd Your griping Hands by mighty Bribes to violence betrayed. "No Serpent of parch'd Afric's breed doth Ranker poison bear The drowsy Adder will as soon unlock his Sullen Ear "Unmov'd by good Advice, and dead As Adders they remain From whom the skilful Charmer's voice can no attention gain." Small wonder that Judge Sewall writhed under the infliction of these lines as they were doubly thrust upon him by the deacon's "lining" and the singing of the congregation; and the words, "The drowsy Adder will as soon unlock his Sullen Ear" seemed to particularly irritate him; doubtless he felt sure that no one could doubt his integrity, but feared that some might think him stupid and obstinate. Another arbitrary clergyman, having had an altercation with some unruly singers in the choir, gave out with much vehemence on the following Sunday the hymn beginning,-- "And are you wretches yet alive And do you yet rebel?" with a very significant glower towards the singers' gallery. In a similar situation another minister gave out to the rebellious choir the hymn commencing,-- "Let those refuse to sing Who never knew our God." A visiting clergyman, preaching in a small and shabby church built in a parish of barren and stony farm-land, very spitefully and sneeringly read out to be sung the hymn of Watts' beginning,-- "Lord, what a wretched land is this, That yields us no supplies!" But his malicious intent was frustrated and the tables were adroitly turned by the quick-witted choir-master, who bawled out in a loud voice as if in answer, "Northfield,"--the name of the minister's own home and parish,--while he was really giving out to the choir, as was his wont, the name of the tune to which the hymn was to be sung.