comfortable home; and surely charity's mantle should at least cover the
sins of ignorance, and that certainly was the hardest verdict we could
render against those of our number who had become interested in these
ideas, for that they were good and true people appeared from their
doctrines. The only difference was this: That the love of God was so
great for his children that not one of them would be lost or cast into
the terrible fires, which, according to our old belief, burned for the
guilty through endless time. And now as I reflect I can surely see it
was more through fear of being thus cast off, and not because I could
put my hand on anything so terribly wicked in myself or my acts, that I
early desired and had communication with the church. Somehow I felt more
secure to know I was approved of by men, and my name enrolled on the
church list. As I grew older this was a troublesome thought that now and
then, asked for a hearing. As we came out of church, Deacon Grover with
his small black eyes peering into aunt Hildy's face, said to her:

"Smart sermon; good talk, Miss Patten, how did you enjoy it?"

"Well as I could," and I nearly laughed in his face, although I knew he
did not realize what she meant. She never liked fiery sermons, as she
called them, and believed that the only way to heap coals of fire on the
head of the unrighteous, was by living so rightly as to make them
ashamed of their ways and do better. Mr. Benton and Louis walked with
Ben and aunt Hildy, and our ride home was a nearly silent one. I knew my
father had not been any more edified than myself, but it was not his way
to talk of it, and not until the next evening was the subject mentioned.
The fire of reproof was begun by your humble servant, and I said many
things which were unnecessary, and expressed my determination to
investigate the new doctrine. If father had been with us I should have
spoken less freely, and as it was I shocked my mother and almost myself,