CHAPTER XLVIII. LYNCH LAW.

tion,oflayingtroublesomepropositionsonthetable.Meanwhiletheshadesofeveningdrewon,andfatherDicksonapproachedtherudechurchwhichstooddeepintheshadowofthewoods.InexternalappearanceithadnotthepretensionsevenofaNewEnglandbarn,butstillithadechoedprayersandpraisesfromhumble,sincereworshippers.AsfatherDicksonrodeuptothedoor,hewassurprisedtofindquiteathrongofmen,armedwithbludgeonsandpistols,waitingbeforeit.Oneofthesenowsteppedforwardand,handinghimaletter,said,— "Here,Ihavealetterforyoutoread!" FatherDicksonputitcalmlyinhispocket."Iwillreaditafterservice,"saidhe. Themanthenlaidholdofhisbridle."Comeouthere!"hesaid"Iwanttotalktoyou." "Thankyou,friend,Iwilltalkwithyouaftermeeting,"saidhe."It'stimeformetobeginservice." "Thefactis,"saidasurly,wolfish-lookingfellowwhocamebehindthefirstspeaker,"thefactis,wean'tgoingtohaveanyofyourd——dabolitionmeetingshere!Ifhecan'tgetitout,Ican!" "Friends,"saidfatherDickson,mildly,"bywhatrightdoyoupresumetostopme?" "Wethink,"saidthefirstman,"thatyouaredoingharm,violatingthelaws"— "Haveyouanywarrantfromthecivilauthoritiestostopme?" "No,sir,"saidthefirstspeakerbutthesecondone,ejectingalargequidoftobaccofromhismouth,tookuptheexplanationinastyleandtastepeculiarlyhisown. "Now,oldcock,youmayaswellknowfustaslast,thatwedon'tcareacussforthecivilauthorities,asyoucallthem,'causewe'sgoingtodowhatwedarnpleaseandwedon'tpleasehaveyouyowpingabolishionismroundhere,andputtingdeviltryintheheadsofourniggers!Now,thatar'splaintalk!" Thisspeechwaschorusedbyagroupofmenonthesteps,whonowbegantogatherroundandshout,— "Giveittohim!That'sintohim!Makethewoolfly!" FatherDickson,whowasperfectlycalm,nowremarkedintheshadowofthewood,atnogreatdistance,threeorfouryoungmenmountedonhorses,wholaughedbrutallyandcalledouttothespeaker,— "Givehimsomemore!" "Myfriends,"saidfatherDickson,"Icameheretoperformaduty,atthecallofmyheavenlyMaster,andyouhavenorighttostopme." "Well,howwillyouhelpyourself,oldbird?Supposingwehaven't?" "Remember,myfriends,thatweshallallstandsidebysideatthejudgmentseattogiveanaccountforthisnight'stransactions.HowwillyouanswerforittoGod?" Aloud,sneeringlaughcamefromthegroupunderthetrees,andavoice,whichwerecognizeasTomGordon's,callsout, "Heiscomingthesolemndodgeonyou,boys!Getonyourlongfaces!" "Come,"saidtheroughestofthespeakers,"thisheredon'tgodownwithus!Wedon'tknownothingaboutnojudgmentsandastoGod,wean'tnoneofusseenhim,lately.We'specthedon'ttravelroundtheseparts." "TheeyesoftheLordareineveryplace,beholdingtheevilandthegood,"saidfatherDickson. Hereoneofthemobmewedlikeacat,anotherbarkedlikeadog,andthespectatorsunderthetreelaughedmoreloudlythanever. "Isay,"saidthefirstspeaker,"youshan'tgotogettinguprat-trapsandcalling'emmeetings!Thisyerpreachingo'yournisacussedsell,andwewon'tstanditnolonger!Weshallhaveaninsurrectionamongourniggers.Prettybusiness,gettingupchurcheswhereyouwon'thaveslave-holderscommune!I'sgotniggersmyself,andIknowI'sbiggerslavethantheybe,andIwishedIwasshetofthem!ButIan'tgoingtohavenod——doldparsondictatingtomeaboutmyaffairs!Andwewon't,noneoftherestofus,willwe?'Causethemthatan'tgotanyniggersnowmeanstohave.Don'twe,boys?" "Ay,ay,thatwedo!Giveittohim!"wasshoutedfromtheparty. "It'sourrighttohaveniggers,andwewillhavethem,ifwecangetthem,"continuedthespeaker. "Whogaveyoutheright?"saidfatherDickson. "Whogaveit?Why,theConstitutionoftheUnitedStates,tobesure,man!Whodidyousuppose?An'twegotthefreestgovernmentintheworld?Iswegoingtobeshutoutofcommunion,'causeweholdsniggers?Don'tcareacussforyouroldcommunion,butit'stheprincipleI'sgoingfor!Now,Itellyouwhat,oldfellow,we'vegotyouandyouhavegottopromise,rightoffthereel,thatyouwon'tsayanotherwordonthisyersubject." "Friend,Ishallmakenosuchpromise,"saidfatherDickson,inatonesomildandsteadfastthattherewasamomentarypause. "You'dbetter,"saidamaninthecrowd,"ifyouknowwhat'sgoodforyou!" Avoicenowspokefromthecircleoftheyoungmen,— "Nevercavein,boys!" "Nofearofus!"respondedthemanwhohadtakenthemostprominentpartinthedialoguehitherto."We'llserveitouttohim!Now,yesee,oldfeller,ye'retreed,andmayaswellcomedown,asthecoonsaidtoDavy.Youcan'thelpyourself,'causewearetentooneandifyoudon'tpromisepeaceable,we'llmakeyou!" "Myfriends,"saidfatherDickson,"Iwantyoutothinkwhatyouaredoing.Yourgoodsensemustteachyoutheimproprietyofyourcourse.Youknowthatyouaredoingwrong.Youknowthatitisn'trighttotrampleonalllaw,bothhumananddivine,outofprofessedlovetoit.Youmustseethatyourcoursewi