For the Evergreen.

THE FORCE OF TRUTH.

A NOTABLE EVENT IN THE ANNALS OF LITTLE WADDLETON.

CHAPTER I.

UNEXPECTED INFORMATION.

other unsteady souls. And besides, within a year, a straggling Baptist preacher, who was even more ignorant than the Methodist, has forced himself into notice and established a society here. So we have, at this time, four meeting-houses in a village that scarcely contains a sufficient number of inhabitants for one. And then, to add to it all, here comes this Episcopal Missionary, with his lifeless forms and dull ceremonies; and I should not wonder if he, too, gathers a little society out of such unstable materials as our village will afford. I suppose some Roman Catholic priest will be along next. It does no good for me to preach against divisions, and sects, and schisms, for people seem to think, in these days, that they can do pretty much as they please in religious matters. And with

"PARDON me, my dear, for interrupting you," said Mrs. Mason to her husband, as she entered his study one morning, "pardon me for interrupting you, for I learned something, while I was out making calls, that will surprise you. But I hope you will not allow it to give you any trouble, for I do not think you need mind it in the least." "What have you heard?" eagerly inquired her hus-them, the newest way is the best. New doctrines, band. newly invented machinery to produce and keep up ex"That an Episcopal minister is coming to preach citements, improved methods of converting the sinhere to-morrow night, in the school-house," replied hisner-indeed, every thing is new. It really seems wife. strange that men will be so mad after every new-fan

"An Episcopal minister coming to preach here!"gled opinion which any fanatic or enthusiast, haviug repeated Mr. Mason, in astonishment. "What busi- formed in his distempered brain, may feel disposed to ness has an Episcopal minister to come here, and with-promulgate. But I will not complain, for what is to out any invitation too?" be, will be;" and thus consoling himself with the doctrine of the divine decrees, he ended his soliloquy.

"No; he has been invited by Mr. Lee," said his wife. "You know Mr. Lee is himself an Episcopalian."

"Well, if he is," said Mr. Mason," he need not be inviting other ministers to come here, especially since he is the only Episcopalian in the village. But what do the people say about it? Do you think many persons will go to hear him?"

Mr. Mason was a Presbyterian minister, and was, in most respects, a very worthy man. He was firmly attached to the denomination with which he was connected, and (what in these days can rarely be said of the straitest of his sect) he frequently read, and carefully endeavored to teach and practice, the Presbyterian "Confession of Faith." He believed in a Church, -a Holy Catholic Church,-in a divinely-appointed ministry, that had continued in uninterrupted succes

"I have not heard a great deal said about it," answered she, "but yet there appeared to be some considerable curiosity excited about his coming, and Ision from the Apostles' days to the present time ;-in should not wonder if he should be favored with a respectably large audience. But you need not be in the least disturbed about it, for as it will be from pure curiosity that the people will go to hear him, as soon as that is satisfied they will have no further desire to attend his preaching, even if he should continue to come here regularly. Mr. Lee's family will be the only constant hearers that he will have, I can assure you.” And as she finished this sentence, she left the study.

But Mr. Mason did not feel so much at ease about it as did his wife. He mused awhile on the information he had received, and tried to dismiss the subject from his thoughts, but finding this impossible, he broke forth in the following soliloquy :

a word, he was what would now be called, by most of the ever-changing and professedly liberal ministers of his own sect, a High-Church Presbyterian. When he had commenced his pastoral labors in little Waddleton, there was no religious society in the village except the one over which he was placed. But “in process of time" a New-Light itinerant, or, as he was called, an Evangelist, visited Little Waddleton, and though Mr. Mason was opposed in heart to this new measure of sending gifted zealots into other ministers' congregations, yet he was unwilling to incur the censures to which he well knew that he would expose himself, if he refused to admit this innovator to his pulpit. And, besides, he thought if the Evangelist should broach any new doctrines before his people, that he himself would be easily able afterward to

"Here I have been preaching for twenty years in this village, and when I first settled here there was no other sect but my good old-fashioned Presbyterians.counteract any unwholesome influence which might Then the New-Lights came along, and though they did not give me much trouble, their legitimate descendants, the New-School Presbyterians, have since robbed me of nearly half of my congregation. And then an ignorant, boisterous Methodist ranter, intruded himself into the village, and led away a few

be thereby produced. The Evangelist, however, after a few rambling discourses, by way of experiment, finding that he did not meet with very hearty encouragement from Mr. Mason, and seeing no prospect of " getting up a revival," concluded, as he said, "not to remain long there, wasting his precious and flaming

"I presume you have heard that a Mr. Norris, an Episcopal minister, is coming here to-morrow night, have you not?"

"No, I had not heard a word of it before," answered Mr. Wiggins; "where is he to preach ?"

"In the school-house," replied Mr. Barnes. "Now

"But do you think that many of the people will go to hear him?" asked Mr. Wiggins.

words on a congregation so dull and spiritually dead ( inquiries concerning their respective families, and some as that in Little Waddleton." And thus, his right-common-place observations concerning the weather, eous soul becoming exceedingly vexed, he shook off Mr. Barnes saidthe dust of his feet against the people, and departed for a field more ripe for the harvest. But his short visit had the effect to unsettle the minds of many of the members of Mr. Mason's society, and to prepare the way for another Revivalist, who soon appeared in { the person of a New-School Presbyterian preacher. And Mr. Mason was much surprised and pained to for my part, I am free to confess that I think he is not see, in a short time, many of his own dear flock leav-needed here. Our people are cold and formal enough ing his fold and running after this strange leader, who already, without having any Episcopal minister here soon succeeded in establishing a new society. Then to make them more so." came the Methodist preacher, and he, too, appeared so zealous, that many of the people first listened to him, then began to approve of his new style of preaching; and it was not long before a Methodist society was formed in the village. Afterward a Baptist elder made his appearance, and such had now become the rage for novelty, that the people were prepared to follow almost any religious leader who might come among them. And such was the success of the lastmentioned preacher, that the others who were already established there, deemed it proper to commence a series of discourses, with the design to expose his heterodox opinions. The consequence was, that his society soon became the largest in Little Waddleton. And thus, at the period in which our narrative commences, Mr. Mason saw erected, within less than a quarter of a mile of the old parsonage, three other meeting-you think that this would answer?" houses besides his own.

CHAPTER II.

THE VILLAGE PREACHERS.

"I suppose they will run after him just as they did after Mr. Harrington, the Baptist preacher, when he came into the village," said Mr. Barnes. "Still I think we can do much towards preventing it, if we begin in time. And I wish to consult with you about the best method of keeping the people away from these Episcopal services, for if we can keep most of them away to-morrow night, Mr. Norris will find so small a congregation as to discourage him from attempting to hold his services here again."

"But what can we do to prevent our people from going to hear him?" inquired Mr. Wiggins; "for I can think of no plan, unless we appoint meetings ourselves in our respective houses of worship. How do

"It would probably be as good a plan as we could adopt," replied Mr. Barnes, "and yet I fear we will not be able to give timely notice to our congregations. And besides, if they should suspect our object in appointing these meetings, they would only feel the more inclined to thwart our purposes. Suppose we call on Mr. Harrington and consult with him about it."

Accordingly, the two brethren went together to the house of the Baptist elder, and were soon admitted to his presence. They immediately explained the object of their visit to Mr. Harrington, and requested his opinion as to the best course to be pursued to prevent the people from attending the Church services to be

Mr. Wiggins was sitting by his kitchen fire, poring over the last numbers of the "Christian Advocate and Journal," to see if he could find some suitable thoughts for a new sermon, (for he had become heartily tired of his last one, which he had preached in nearly every school-house in his "circuit,") when he heard a loud rap at the door. He hastened to open it, and was much surprised to see Mr. Barnes, the New-held the next evening. But Mr. Harrington possessed School minister, standing there.

"Good morning, brother Wiggins," said the latter, in a very complaisant tone, as he entered the house. "I have called to see you for a few moments-must beg your pardon for never having called on you before, but we clergymen, you know, have so much to occupy our time-besides, I never knew when I should find you at home, as you are most of the time, I suppose, traveling around your circuit."

Mr. Wiggins felt himself so highly honored by a visit from a Presbyterian minister, that he was very willing to accept of the proffered apology of Mr. Barnes, so inviting the latter into his best room, he waited for him to renew the conversation. After a few

no very friendly feelings towards the two ministers, who had but recently denounced him from their pulpits as an interloper, and a setter forth of strange and dangerous doctrines. He therefore coolly told them, that he had heard of Mr. Norris' intended visit to little Waddleton, but that he should give himself no particular concern about it; that, as for his part, he did not apprehend any serious loss from the members of his congregation, especially since he was credibly informed that Mr. Norris was a High-Churchman.

"I am glad," said Mr. Barnes, " to learn that he is a High-Churchman, for we shall not have so much cause to fear the consequences of his coming among us. The Low-Churchmen among the Episcopalians hold doc

recognized in our 'Confession of Faith,'" quickly observed Mr. Mason, "and I cannot conceive how any one who pretends to regard the Presbyterian Confession of Faith,' as a summary of Christian doctrine and practice, can be so inconsistent as to object to this view of the Christian ministry."

trines, and preach so nearly like ourselves, that it might be an easy matter for one of them, if he were to come here, to draw away a goodly number of our people after him. But the High-Churchman will be so full of Episcopacy, his Apostolical succession, his forms and ceremonies, that the people will have too much good sense to be captivated with so lifeless a re- Mr. Barnes perceived that this sarcastic hint wa ligion. Still we ought to do what we can towards designed for his special benefit, but he had the prupreventing their attendance at the school-house, to-dence to conceal his rising resentment. After a momorrow night; and we should be glad to have your ment's silence, he said,

opinion, Mr. Harrington."

was

"But he will also be opposed to our Calvinistic doc"I cannot conceive of any plan that can be adopt-trines, for I never knew a High-Churchman who was ed to prevent it," said Mr. Harrington, in quite an indifferent tone.

Mr. Barnes, finding the Baptist elder so disposed to avoid any thing like familiarity, was obliged to resort to all the arts that he possessed for the purpose of rendering himself agreeable. At length he succeeded in making Mr. Harrington somewhat less reserved, and Mr. Wiggins having suggested that it might be well for them to call on Mr. Mason, the Baptist elder was prevailed upon to accompany them.

not a rigid Arminian."

"That will be so much in his favor," said Mr. Wiggins, "for I cannot see how any one who professes to take the Bible as his guide, can believe your doctrines of Calvinism."

"I am far from holding all of Calvin's peculiar tenets,” hastily replied Mr. Barnes, "and, in fact, I presume there is no great difference of opinion between us New-School Presbyterians and you Methodists. And, I suppose," continued he, turning and addressing himself to Mr. Harrington, "that you and I would agree perfectly well on most doctrinal points, except concerning the mode and time of baptism, which, however, is, after all, but an unimportant disagreement."

village," said Mr. Harrington.

Great, exceedingly great, was the astonishment of the inhabitants of Little Waddleton, to see this worthy trio, (who had been publicly known to be so bitterly hostile to each other,) thus walking together up the street, and apparently on terms of the most familiar intimacy. The men and women all ran to their doors, "If you consider the differences between us to be to gaze at a sight which had never greeted their eyes so slight and trifling, I do not understand what cause before, and many an ejaculation from the latter of you had to attempt to excite the prejudices of the peo"What in the world is going to happen?" involunta-ple against my opinions, when I first came into the rily burst forth from their lips. Indeed, such an excessive "wonderment" had not been excited since the This argumentum ad hominem had the effect to time when the last menagerie had passed through the arouse Mr. Barnes to such a degree, that he lost a porvillage. The jolly landlord of the Little Waddleton ho- tion of his usual self-command, and at once entered tel rather wickedly observed, as he saw them pass, into quite a warm controversy with Mr. Harrington. that he really believed the millenium to be nigh at As one or two thrusts were made at Arminianism by hand. Nor was Mr. Mason's astonishment in any de- the former gentleman, Mr. Wiggins felt himself called gree less than that of the other inhabitants, when the upon to defend his favorite doctrine, of which, howthree Reverend gentlemen were ushered into his study. ever, he understood but little more than the mere name. "We have called on you," said Mr. Barnes, to inform The three preachers, therefore, who had entered Mr. you that Mr. Norris, an Episcopal minister, is coming Mason's study apparently on such friendly terms, were here, and intends to hold service in the school-house now separated about as far apart as possible, someto-morrow evening, and to ask your advice as to thewhat after the similitude of the vertices of an equilatbest course to be pursued, to keep our people from go-eral triangle. The controversy waxed warmer and ing to hear him."

warmer, until Mr. Mason interfered and let drop a few "I heard this morning," said Mr. Mason," that this not very indirect hints, to the amount that a minister of Mr. Norris is to visit our town to-morrow, and preach the Gospel should never forget the dignity of his callin the school-house, but I have no advice to offer oning, and that angry disputation would not promote the the subject which you desire, for I have long since learned, from dearly-bought experience, that it does no good to oppose any ministerial new-comer."

"I think it will be our duty to oppose him," said Mr. Barnes, "for I presume he holds and will teach the doctrine of a divinely-instituted ministry which has continued in uninterrupted succession from the Apostolic age to the present time, and also❞—

"I myself hold the same doctrine, for it is plainly

cause of truth.

Mr. Barnes immediately left the room in considerable excitement, Mr. Wiggins soon followed him, and Mr. Harrington also took his leave of Mr. Mason a few minutes afterward.

"I thought it would not last long," said the jolly landlord, as he saw them, one by one, re-pass the Little Waddleton hotel.

[TO BE CONTINUED.]

APRIL 5.—This day is called Good-Friday from the exalted good which we derive from the sufferings of

" It concerns me but little how the day begins, so that the sun Christ, who, "by the shedding of His own blood, obbut sets clear."-BISHOP LATIMER.

tained eternal redemption for us." This day has been set apart for a "peculiar solemnity of devotion, and rigid exercise of fasting," from the first ages of Christianity.

EASTER-EVEN.

APRIL 6.-The Church this day commemorates the state in which our Saviour was, between His death and His resurrection. This day was observed by the early Christians with extraordinary devotion and mortification. The forty days of Lent end with EasterEven.

EASTER-DAY.

APRIL 7.-This is the great festival of the resurrection of our Saviour, Christ. The word 'Easter' is derived from the Saxon 'oster,' signifying 'to rise.'

This festival, for antiquity and excellence, takes the precedence of all other festivals. Among the primitive Christians, it was called the "Queen of Feasts." They solemnized it for many days in succession, by prayer, singing praises, hearing the word of God and sermons, and receiving the Holy Eucharist. They showed, too, their thankfulness and joy, by giving alms, freeing their slaves, and by every act of charity.

PASSION WEEK.

MONDAY AND TUESDAY IN EASTER-WEEK.

APRIL 8, 9.-These festivals are celebrated for the

benefits of the same.

THE FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD SUNDAYS AFTER EASTER.

The Sundays after Easter all relate to the resurrection of Christ and the promise of the Comforter. On the first Sunday after Easter, being the octave of Eas

APRIL 1-6.-The week next before Easter has been called Passion Week, because it is particularly devo-confirmation of our faith in the doctrine of the resurted to the commemoration of the passion and death of rection, and the continued expression of our joy for the Christ. It is also called the Great Week, on account of the important transactions which it witnessed, and the inestimable benefits procured unto us thereby. And it is also called Holy Week, because it is to be spent in more than ordinary piety and devotion, as the Church has prescribed. The week was observed by the primitive Christians with great strictness of fastingter, there was formerly a repetition of part of the serand humiliation. They applied themselves to prayer, both in public and private, in hearing God's word, and in exercising a most solemn repentance for those sins which crucified the Lord of life. Some fasted three, some four, and others, who could bear it, all the six days successively.

vice of Easter-day; and hence this Sunday being celebrated in like manner as that feast, but in a low degree, obtained the name of Low-Sunday.

FESTIVAL OF ST. MARK THE EVANGELIST.

APRIL 25.-St. Mark is one of the two who are comThe Church calls us, every day this week, to the memorated by the Church as Evangelists; he having contemplation of our Lord's sufferings, which are re-written one of the four Gospels, though not called to cited in the lessons, epistles, and gospels, for the Mon- be an apostle. He was, however, the companion of day, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday before{ Paul, Barnabas, and Peter, with whom he preached the Easter, for Good Friday, and Easter Even. The Gospel. He was the son of the sister of Barnabas, his Thursday before Easter is called (Dies Mandati) Man- mother being that Mary to whose house at Jerusalem date or Maunday Thursday, because our Saviour com- the disciples much resorted, (Acts xii. 12.) He is manded his apostles to commemorate the Holy Sacra-commonly known in Scripture as John Mark, and, acment of the Supper which he this day instituted after cording to Eusebius, was the first Bishop of Alexanthe celebration of the Passover.

dria.