"That may well be so, mother. I am willing to acknowledge all their
good qualities," said her son; "but these numerous forms which intrude
themselves upon every occasion seem like fetters and bonds to free
souls. So much unnatural restraint and parade of sanctity is offensive
to me. I never could tolerate hypocrites, and such they surely must
be, although, of course, they would be shocked at the idea; for under
all this excessive humility, this parade of piety, I venture to say
there lies much concealed of which we do not dream. One can imagine
how much Herr von Karsdorf, an old epicure and man of the world, must
have dissimulated to conform himself to the manners of this community,
to be allowed to end his days here."

His mother shook her head. "I think," she said, "that the subdued,
pious bearing of the members has become like a second nature to them,
and is now, therefore, not hypocritical. Besides, think how excellent
is the domestic economy of the settlement; how active and prosperous
they are in trade and various industries. They have many practical,
temporal, as well as spiritual objects to which they devote themselves."

"I grant all that; but such immense importance is attached to little
things. Their work would be very trifling and ridiculous if attempted
on a large scale. It resembles the wonderful industry in an ant-hill,
unremitting and earnest, but petty labor. No genius is displayed.
What great men have arisen from among them? Who are the distinguished
scholars and artists which have gone forth from their ranks?"

"And how about their sufferings?" interposed the other, quickly.
"Their struggles amidst privation and misery, and persecutions of all
kinds in distant lands, for the sake of their faith, and to rescue wild
heathens from depravity and barbarism, and win them over to the