The Scripture Club of Valley Rest; or, Sketches of Everybody's NeighboursHabberton, John
Religion
The Scripture Club of Valley Rest; or, Sketches of Everybody's Neighbours
Habberton, John
Bible -- Study and teaching -- Fiction; United States -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
Another murmur of dissent was heard, and young Mr. Waggett hastened to
throw a small quantity of oil on the troubled waters by remarking that
whatever was sufficient to salvation was the fulfillment of God's plan
as revealed in the holy Scriptures.
"I'm not through yet," said the Squire. "I was coming to that point. Of
course, other men make blunders very much like mine. I ought to be meek
about judging them--I ought to forgive them their trespasses as I hope
to have mine forgiven. But if there's so much excuse to think bad of men
for what they do and don't do, we ought to put the cause out of the way,
as well as to be patient with others as we'd have them patient with us.
If I've had reason so many times to think the worst about church
members, I suppose that sinners--sinners outside of the Church--must see
them to be just as bad as I do. And if they do, what inducement is there
for sinners to come into the Church?"
"Salvation!" promptly answered young Mr. Waggett.
"That's no moral inducement," said the Squire; "it's a selfish one."
"Oh, oh, oh!" exclaimed Builder Stott, supported by a sympathetic
sensation which was manifested by most of the members, while Mr.
Jodderel sprang to his feet and said--shouted, almost:
"Mr. Chairman, I protest against this drifting away from the subject by
talking all sorts of new-fangled notions that----"
"Free speech is the rule of this class," said Captain Maile. "_You've_
given us a great deal about the kingdom of heaven that nobody ever heard
of before, that's as unheard of in the Bible or the Church----"
"It _is_ in the Bible," said Mr. Jodderel; "you'll find it in the
prophets and apostles from beginning to end."
"I would suggest," said Mr. Prymm, in the most measured and soothing of
tones, "that Brother Woodhouse should remember that we have but a single
hour in the week to talk upon these subjects, and that however deeply he
may be interested in his own peculiar views, it would be well to let all
who are present have an opportunity to offer their views."
"Yes, let's get away from morality as soon as we can," said Captain
Maile. "What's Sunday good for, if you can't in it get away from these
enraging affairs of the week? Nine-tenths of the moral questions in the
world are started by business; and who has any right to drag business
into the Lord's house on Sunday, and just after a sermon, too?"
Faces confused, awry, angry, and merry, showed that the Captain had
aroused a great deal of feeling, which, in sentiment, was not a unit.
Deacon Bates would have ordered the immediate relief of the class from
extraneous subjects; but he had, from the beginning of the services,
groaned over the fact that next to Squire Woodhouse sat Mr. Jodderel,
and no one else could be called upon without destroying that rule of
rotation upon which the leader generally depended for relief. Silently
resolving to pack the front seats on the succeeding Sunday, he said, in
tones so subdued as to be almost pathetic:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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