her secluded state, had discovered another five, making twelve
[sic] in all: the adjusting of the existence or fallacy of these five
faiths served for a most enlightened discussion of nearly
seventeen hours; in the course of which the two got warm in their
arguments, always in proportion as they receded from nature,
utility, and common sense. Wringhim at length got into unwonted
fervour about some disputed point between one of these faiths
and TRUST: when the lady, fearing that zeal was getting beyond
its wonted barrier, broke in on his vehement asseverations with
the following abrupt discomfiture: "But, Sir, as long as I
remember, what is to be done with this case of open and avowed
iniquity?"

The minister was struck dumb. He leaned him back on his chair,
stroked his beard, hemmed--considered, and hemmed again, and
then said. in an altered and softened tone: "Why, that is a
secondary consideration; you mean the case between your
husband and Miss Logan?"

"The same, Sir. I am scandalized at such intimacies going on
under my nose. The sufferance of it is a great and crying evil."

"Evil, madam, may be either operative, or passive. To them it is
an evil, but to us none. We have no more to do with the sins of
the wicked and unconverted here than with those of an infidel
Turk; for all earthly bonds and fellowships are absorbed and
swallowed up in the holy community of the Reformed Church.
However, if it is your wish, I shall take him to task, and
reprimand and humble him in such a manner that he shall be
ashamed of his doings, and renounce such deeds for ever, out of