else could they do? Knowing that it is the inspired word of God, and that
every action of life is to be decided by it, they had to fight for an
institution which they believed sacred, even if their own judgment and
inclination did not concede that it was right. If you thought the Bible
taught that slavery was right, what could you do?"

"I never could think anything so absurd," the rector answered, a shade of
contempt in his good-natured voice.

"But if you did," John insisted, "even if you were unable to see that it
was right,--if the Bible taught it, inculcated it?"

Dr. Howe laughed impatiently, and flung the end of his cigar down into
the bushes, where it glowed for a moment like an angry eye. "I--I? Oh,
I'd read some other part of the book," he said. "But I refuse to think
such a crisis possible; you can always find some other meaning in a text,
you know."

"But, uncle Archie," Helen said, "if one did think the Bible taught
something to which one's conscience or one's reason could not assent, it
seems to me there could be only one thing to do,--give up the Bible!"

"Oh, no," said Dr. Howe, "don't be so extreme, Helen. There would be many
things to do; leave the consideration of slavery, or whatever the
supposed wrong was, until you'd mastered all the virtues of the Bible:
time enough to think of an alternative then,--eh, Ward? Well, thank
Heaven, the war's over, or we'd have you a rank copperhead. Come! it's
time to go into the house. I don't want any heavy eyes for to-morrow."

"What a speech for a minister's wife, Helen!" Lois cried, as they rose.