CHAPTER XXXVIII. THE PURPOSE.

eevilsofslaveryinprivatecircles,andhewillfurnishyouanynumberoffacts,ifyouwillnotgivehisauthorityforthem." "Anddon'tyouthinkthathewillbewillingtodosomething?" "No,"saidJudgeClayton,"notifthecauseisunpopular." "Why,"saidMrs.Clayton,"doyousupposethatmybrotherwillbedeterredfromdoinghisdutyforfearofpersonalunpopularity?" "No,"saidJudgeClayton"butyourbrotherhastheinterestofZiononhisshoulders,—bywhichhemeansthePresbyterianorganization,—andhewillsaythathecan'taffordtoriskhisinfluence.Andthesamewillbetrueofeveryleadingministerofeverydenomination.TheEpiscopaliansarekeepingwatchoverEpiscopacy,theMethodistsoverMethodism,theBaptistsoverBaptism.Noneofthemdareespouseanunpopularcause,lesttheothers,takingadvantageofit,shouldgobeyondtheminpublicfavor.Noneofthemwillwanttheodiumofsuchareformasthis." "ButIdon'tseeanyodiuminit,"saidMrs.Clayton."It'soneofthenoblestandoneofthemostnecessaryofallpossiblechanges." "Nevertheless,"saidJudgeClayton,"itwillbemadetoappearextremelyodious.Thecatch-wordsofabolition,incendiarism,fanaticism,willflythickashail.Andthestormwillbejustinproportiontotherealpowerofthemovement.ItwillprobablyendinEdward'sexpulsionfromthestate." "Myfather,Ishouldbeunwillingtothink,"saidClayton,"thattheworldisquitesobadasyourepresentit,—particularlythereligiousworld." "IwasnotawarethatIwasrepresentingitasverybad,"saidJudgeClayton."Ionlymentionedsuchfactsaseverybodycanseeaboutthem.Thereareundoubtedlyexcellentmeninthechurch." "But,"saidClayton,"didnotthechurch,intheprimitiveages,standagainstthewholeworldinarms?Ifreligionbeanything,mustitnottaketheleadofsociety,andbeitssovereignandteacher,andnotitsslave?" "Idon'tknowastothat,"saidJudgeClayton."Ithinkyou'llfindthefactsmuchasIhaverepresentedthem.Whatthechurchwasintheprimitiveages,orwhatitoughttobenow,isnotatalltoourpurpose,inmakingpracticalcalculations.Withoutanydisrespect,Iwishtospeakofthingsjustastheyare.Nothingisevergainedbyfalseexpectations." "Oh,"saidMrs.Clayton,"youlawyersgetsouncharitable!I'mquitesurethatEdwardwillfindbrotherreadytogoheartandhandwithhim." "I'msureIshallbegladofit,ifhedoes,"saidJudgeClayton. "Ishallwritetohimaboutit,immediately,"saidMrs.Clayton,"andEdwardshallgoandtalkwithhim.Courage,Edward!Ourwoman'sinstincts,afterall,havesomepropheticpowerinthem.Atallevents,wewomenwillstandbyyoutothelast." Claytonsighed.HerememberedthenoteNinahadwrittenhimonthedayofthedecision,andthoughtwhatabrave-heartedlittlecreatureshewasand,likethefaintbreathofawitheredrose,theshadowyremembranceofherseemedtosaytohim,"Goon!"