"to him who came here uninvited and broke up this meetin', that it would
be well for him to remember the words of Scriptur', 'Woe unto ye, false
prophets and workers of iniquity.' Let him remember what the Divine
wisdom put into my head to read to-night: 'The pastors have become
brutish and have not sought the Lord; therefore they shall not
prosper.'"

"Amen!" "Amen!" "Amen!" "So be it!" The cries came from all parts of the
little room. They ceased abruptly, for John Ellery was on his feet.

"Captain Hammond," he said, "I realize that I have no right to speak in
this building, but I must say one word. My coming here to-night may have
been a mistake; I'm inclined to think it was. But I came not, as you
seem to infer, to sneer or to scoff; certainly I had no wish to disturb
your service. I came because I had heard repeatedly, since my arrival
in this town, of this society and its meetings. I had heard, too, that
there seemed to be a feeling of antagonism, almost hatred, against me
among you here. I couldn't see why. Most of you have, I believe, been at
one time members of the church where I preach. I wished to find out for
myself how much of truth there was in the stories I had heard and to
see if a better feeling between the two societies might not be brought
about. Those were my reasons for coming here to-night. As for my being
a false prophet and a worker of iniquity"--he smiled--"well, there is
another verse of Scripture I would call to your attention: 'Judge not,
that ye be not judged.'"

He sat down. There was silence for a moment and then a buzz of
whispering. Captain Eben, who had heard him with a face of iron
hardness, rapped the table.