CHAPTER XLI. THE CLERICAL CONFERENCE.

AfewdaysfoundClaytoninthecityof——,guestoftheRev.Dr.Cushing.Hewasamaninmiddlelifeoffinepersonalpresence,urbane,courtly,gentlemanly.Dr.Cushingwasapopularandmuch-admiredclergyman,standinghighamonghisbrethrenintheministry,andalmosttheidolofalargeandflourishingchurch,amanofwarmfeelings,humaneimpulses,andfinesocialqualities,hissermons,beautifullywritten,anddeliveredwithgreatfervor,oftendrewtearsfromtheeyesofthehearers.Hispastoralministrations,whetheratweddingorfuneral,hadapeculiartendernessandunction.Nonewasmorecapablethanheofcelebratingtheholyfervorandself-denyingsufferingsofapostlesandmartyrsnonemoreeasilykindledbythosedevouthymnswhichdescribethepatienceofthesaintsbut,withallthis,foranypracticalemergency,Dr.Cushingwasnothingofasoldier.Therewasaspeciesofmoraleffeminacyabouthim,andtheveryluxuriantsoftnessandrichnessofhisnatureunfittedhimtoendurehardness.Hewasknown,inallhisintercoursewithhisbrethren,asapeace-maker,amodifier,andharmonizer.Nordidhescrupulouslyexaminehowmuchofthecreditofthiswasduetoafastidioussoftnessofnaturewhichmadecontroversydisagreeableandwearisome.Nevertheless,Claytonwasatfirstcharmedwiththesympatheticwarmthwithwhichheandhisplanswerereceivedbyhisrelative.HeseemedperfectlytoagreewithClaytoninallhisviewsoftheterribleevilsoftheslavesystemandwaspromptwithanecdotesandinstancestoenforceeverythingthathesaid."Claytonwasjustintime,"hesaid"anumberofhisministerialbrethrenwerecomingto-morrow,someofthemfromthenorthernstates.Claytonshouldpresenthisviewstothem." Dr.Cushing'sestablishmentwasconductedonthefootingofthemostliberalhospitalityandthatveryeveningthedomesticcirclewasmadelargerbytheadditionoffourorfiveministerialbrethren.AmongtheseClaytonwasgladtomeet,oncemore,fatherDickson.Theserene,goodman,seemedtobringtheblessingofthegospelofpeacewithhimwhereverhewent. Amongothers,wasonewhomwewillmoreparticularlyintroduce,astheRev.ShubaelPackthread.Dr.ShubaelPackthreadwasaministerofaleadingchurch,inoneofthenortherncities.Constitutionally,hewasanamiableandkindlyman,withveryfairnaturalabilities,fairlyimprovedbyculture.Longhabits,however,oftheologicalandecclesiasticalcontroversyhadcultivatedacertainspeciesofacutenessofmindintosuchdisproportionedactivity,thatotherpartsofhisintellectualandmoralnaturehadbeendwarfedanddwindledbesideit.Whatmight,underothercircumstances,havebeenagreeableandusefultact,becameinhimaconstantandlife-longhabitofstratagem.Whileotherpeoplelookuponwordsasvehiclesforconveyingideas,Dr.Packthreadregardedthemonlyasmediumsforconcealment.Hisconstantstudy,oneverycontrovertedtopic,wassotoadjustlanguagethat,withtheappearanceoftheutmostprecision,itshouldalwaysbecapableofadoubleinterpretation.Hewasacunningmasterofallformsofindirectionofallphrasesbywhichpeopleappeartosaywhattheydonotsay,andnottosaywhattheydosay. Hewasanadeptalsoinallthemechanismofecclesiasticaldebate,oftheintricatelabyrinthsofheresy-hunting,ofeveryschemebywhichmoresimpleandlessadvisedbrethren,speakingwithignorantsincerity,couldbeentrappedanddeceived.Hewasaufaitalsoinallcompromisemeasures,inwhichtwopartiesuniteinoneformofwords,meaningbythemexactlyoppositeideas,andcalltheagreementaunion.Hewasalsoexpertinallthoseparliamentarymodes,insynodorgeneralassembly,bywhichtroublesomediscussionscouldbeavoidedordisposedof,andcredulousbrethrenmadetobelievetheyhadgainedpointswhichtheyhadnotgainedbywhichdiscussionscouldbeatwillblindedwithdustycloudsofmisrepresentation,ortrailedonthroughinterminablemarshesofweariness,toaccomplishsomeman?uvreofecclesiasticaltactics. Dr.Packthreadalsowasmasterofeverymeansbywhichtheinfluenceofopposingpartiesmightbebroken.Hecouldspreadaconvenientreportonnecessaryoccasions,byanyofthoseformswhichdonotassert,butwhichdisseminateaslanderquiteascertainlyasiftheydid.Ifitwasnecessarytocreateasuspicionoftheorthodoxy,orofthepiety,orevenofthemorality,ofanopposingbrother,Dr.Packthreadunderstoodhowtodoitintheneatestandmosttastefulmanner.Hewasaninfalliblejudgewhetheritshouldbeaccomplishedbyinnocentinterrogations,astowhetheryouhadheard"soandsoofMr.——"or,by"charitablyexpressedhopesthatyouhadnotheardsoandso"or,bygentlesuggestions,whetheritwouldnotbeaswelltoinquireor,byshakesofthehead,andliftsoftheeyes,atproperintervalsinconversationor,lastly,bysilencewhensilencebecamethestrongestaswellassafestformofassertion. Inperson,hewasrathertall,thin,andthelinesofhisfaceappeared,everyoneofthem,tobeengravedbycautionandcare.Inhisboyhoodandyouth,themanhadhadatric