CHAPTER XLI. THE CLERICAL CONFERENCE.

kofsmilingandlaughingwithoutconsideringwhythegraceofprudence,however,hadcorrectedallthis.Heneverdideither,inthesedays,withoutunderstandingpreciselywhathewasabout.Hisfacewasapartofhisstockintrade,andheunderstoodthemanagementofitremarkablywell.Heknewpreciselyallthegradationsofsmilewhichwereusefulforaccomplishingdifferentpurposes.Thesolemnsmile,thesmileofinquiry,thesmileaffirmative,thesmilesuggestive,thesmileofincredulity,andthesmileofinnocentcredulity,whichencouragedthesimple-heartednarratortogoonunfoldinghimselftothebrother,whosatquietlybehindhisface,asaspiderdoesbehindhisweb,waitingtillhisunsuspectingfriendhadtangledhimselfinincautious,impulsive,and,ofcourse,contradictorymeshesofstatement,whichwere,insomefuturehour,inthemostgentleandChristianspirit,tobetightenedaroundtheincautiouscaptive,whileasmuchbloodwassuckedasthegoodofthecausedemanded. ItisnottobesupposedthattheRev.Dr.Packthread,soskilfulandadroitaswehaverepresentedhim,failedinthenecessaryclimaxofsuchskill—thatofdeceivinghimself.Farfromit.TrulyandhonestlyDr.Packthreadthoughthimselfoneofthehundredandfortyandfourthousand,whofollowtheLambwhithersoeverhegoeth,inwhosemouthisfoundnoguile.PrudenceheconsideredthechiefofChristiangraces.HeworshippedChristianprudence,andthewholecategoryofaccomplishmentswhichwehavedescribedheconsideredasthefruitsofit.Hisprudence,infact,servedhimallthepurposesthatthestockofthetreedidtotheancientidolater."Withpartthereofheeatethfleshheroastethroast,andissatisfiedyea,hewarmethhimself,andsaith,Aha,Iamwarm,Ihaveseenthefire:andtheresiduethereofhemakethagod,evenhisgravenimagehefallethdownuntoit,andworshippethit,andprayethuntoit,andsaith,Delivermeforthouartmygod." Nodoubt,Dr.Packthreadexpectedtoenterheavenbythesamejudiciousarrangementbywhichhehadlivedonearthandsohewenton,fromyeartoyear,doingdeedswhichevenapoliticalcandidatewouldblushatviolatingthemostordinaryprinciplesofmoralityandhonorwhilehesunghymns,madeprayers,andadministeredsacraments,expecting,nodoubt,atlasttoenterheavenbysomeneatarrangementofwordsusedintwosenses. Dr.Packthread'scautiousagreeablenessofmannerformedastrikingcontrasttotheinnocentandalmostchild-likesimplicitywithwhichfatherDickson,inhisthreadbarecoat,appearedathisside.Almostaspoorinthisworld'sgoodsashisMaster,fatherDickson'sdwellinghadbeenasimpleone-storycottage,inall,savethriftandneatness,verylittlebetterthanthoseofthepoorestanditwasarareyearwhenahundreddollarspassedthroughhishands.Hehadseenthetimewhenhehadnotevenwherewithaltotakefromtheofficeanecessaryletter.Hehadseenhiswifesufferformedicineandcomforts,insickness.Hehadhimselfriddenwithoutovercoatthroughthechillmonthsofwinterbutallthosethingshehadborneasthetravellerbearsastormonthewaytohishomeanditwasbeautifultoseetheunenvying,frank,simplepleasurewhichheseemedtofeelintheelegantandabundanthomeofhisbrother,andinthethousandappliancesofhospitablecomfortbywhichhewassurrounded.Thespiritwithinusthatlustethtoenvyhadbeenchasedfromhisbosombytheexpulsiveforceofahigherloveandhissimpleandunstudiedactsofconstantgood-willshowedthatsimpleChristianitycanmakethegentleman.FatherDicksonwasregardedbyhisministerialbrethrenwithgreataffectionandveneration,thoughwhollydevoidofanyecclesiasticalwisdom.Theywerefondofusinghimmuchastheydidtheirhymn-booksandtestaments,fortheirbetterhoursofdevotionandequallyapttoletsliphisadmonitions,whentheycametothehard,matter-of-factbusinessofecclesiasticaldiscussionandmanagementyettheylovedwelltohavehimwiththem,astheyfeltthat,likeapsalmoratext,hispresenceinsomesortgavesanctiontowhattheydid. Induetimetherewasaddedtothenumberofthecircleourjoyous,out-spokenfriend,fatherBonnie,freshfromarecentseriesofcamp-meetingsinadistantpartofthestate,andreadyataminute'snoticeforeitheralaughoraprayer.Verylittleofthestereotypeprintofhisprofessionhadhethesortofwildwoodlandfreedomofhislifegivingtohismannersandconversationatoneofsylvanroughness,ofwhichDr.Packthreadevidentlystoodinconsiderabledoubt.FatherBonnie'searlytraininghadbeenthatofwhatiscalled,incommonparlance,a"self-mademan."HewasunsophisticatedbyGreekorLatin,andhadratheracontemptfortheformsoftheschools,andajoyousdeterminationtosaywhathepleasedonalloccasions.TherewerealsopresentoneortwooftheleadingPresbyterianministersofthenorth.Theyhad,infact,comeforaprivateandconfidentialconversationwithDr.CushingconcerningthereunionoftheNewSchoolPresbyterianChurchwiththeOld. Itmaybenecessarytoapprisesomeofourreaders,notconversantwithAmericanecclesiasticalhistory,thatthePresbyter