按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
began to look at me with sympathy； and for a time
I felt very sorry for myself。 It seemed sufficiently
clear that ‘‘the gal'' was to have more trouble。
On the night of the party things went badly from
the first。 There was an evident intention among
the worst of the Free Religious Group to embarrass
us at every turn。 We opened the exercises with the
Lord's Prayer； which this element loudly applauded。
A live kitten was hung high on the Christmas tree；
where it squalled mournfully beyond reach of
rescue； and the young men of the outside group
threw cake at one another across the hall。 Finally
tiring of these innocent diversions； they began to
prepare for their dance； and I protested。 The
spokesman of the group waved me to one side。
‘‘Captain Crowell said we could；'' he remarked；
airily。
‘‘Captain Crowell；'' I replied； ‘‘has no authority
whatever in this matter。 The church trustees have
decided that you cannot dance here； and I intend
to enforce their ruling。''
It was interesting to observe how rapidly the
men of my congregation disappeared from that hall。
Like shadows they crept along the walls and vanished
through the doors。 But the preparations for the
dance went merrily on。 I walked to the middle of
the room and raised my voice。 I was always listened
to； for my hearers always had the hope； usually
realized； that I was about to get into more trouble。
‘‘You are determined to dance；'' I began。 ‘‘I
cannot keep you from doing so。 But I can and will
make you regret that you have done so。 The law
of the State of Massachusetts is very definite in re…
gard to religious meetings and religious gatherings。
This hall was engaged and paid for by the Wesleyan
Methodist Church； of which I am pastor； and we
have full control of it to…night。 Every man and
woman who interrupts our exercises by attempting
to dance； or by creating a disturbance of any kind；
will be arrested to…morrow morning。''
Surprise at first； then consternation； swept through
the ranks of the Free Religious Group。 They denied
the existence of such a law as I had mentioned； and
I promptly read it aloud to them。 The leaders went
off into a corner and consulted。 By this time not
one man in my parish was left in the hall。 As a
result of the consultation in the corner； a committee
of the would…be dancers came to me and suggested
a compromise。
‘‘Will you agree to arrest the men only？'' they
wanted to know。
‘‘No；'' I declared。 ‘‘On the contrary； I shall have
the women arrested first！ For the women ought to
be standing with me now in the support of law and
order； instead of siding with the hoodlum element
you represent。''
That settled it。 No girl or woman dared to go
on the dancing…floor； and no man cared to revolve
merrily by himself。 A whisper went round； how…
ever； that the dance would begin when I had left。
When the clock struck twelve； at which hour； ac…
cording to the town rule； the hall had to be closed；
I was the last person to leave it。 Then I locked the
door myself； and carried the key away with me。
There had been no Free Religious dance that night。
On the following Sunday morning the attendance
at my church broke all previous records。 Every
seat was occupied and every aisle was filled。 Men
and women came from surrounding towns； and
strange horses were tied to all the fences in East
Dennis。 Every person in that church was looking
for excitement； and this time my congregation got
what it expected。 Before I began my sermon I
read my resignation； to take effect at the discretion
of the trustees。 Then； as it was presumably my
last chance to tell the people and the place what I
thought of them； I spent an hour and a half in fer…
vidly doing so。 In my study of English I had ac…
quired a fairly large vocabulary。 I think I used it
all that morningcertainly I tried to。 If ever an
erring congregation and community saw themselves
as they really were； mine did on that occasion。 I
was heartsick； discouraged； and full of resentment
and indignation； which until then had been pent
up。 Under the arraignment my people writhed
and squirmed。 I ended：
‘‘What I am saying hurts you； but in your hearts
you know you deserve every word of it。 It is high
time you saw yourselves as you area disgrace to
the religion you profess and to the community you
live in。''
I was not sure the congregation would let me
finish； but it did。 My hearers seemed torn by
conflicting sentiments； in which anger and curios…
ity led opposing sides。 Many of them left the
church in a white fury； but othersmore than I had
expectedremained to speak to me and assure me
of their sympathy。 Once on the streets； different
groups formed and mingled； and all day the little
town rocked with arguments for and against ‘‘the gal。''
Night brought another surprisingly large attend…
ance。 I expected more trouble； and I faced it with
difficulty； for I was very tired。 Just as I took my
place in the pulpit； Captain Sears entered the church
and walked down the aislethe Captain Sears who
had left us at my invitation some weeks before
and had not since attended a church service。 I was
sure he was there to make another attack on me
while I was down； and； expecting the worst； I
wearily gave him his opportunity。 The big old fel…
low stood up； braced himself on legs far apart； as
if he were standing on a slippery deck during a high
sea； and gave the congregation its biggest surprise
of the year。
He said he had come to make a confession。 He
had been angry with ‘‘the gal'' in the past； as they
all knew。 But he had heard about the sermon she
had preached that morning； and this time she was
right。 It was high time quarreling and backbiting
were stopped。 They had been going on too long；
and no good could come of them。 Moreover； in
all the years he had been a member of that congre…
gation he had never until now seen the pulpit oc…
cupied by a minister with enough backbone to up…
hold the discipline of the church。 ‘‘I've come here
to say I'm with the gal；'' he ended。 ‘‘Put me down
for my original subscription and ten dollars extra！''
So we had the old man back again。 He was a
tower of strength； and he stood by me faithfully
until he died。 The trustees would not accept my
resignation （indeed； they refused to consider it at all）；
and the congregation； when it had thought things
over； apparently decided that there might be worse
things in the pulpit than ‘‘the gal。'' It was even
known to brag of what it called my ‘‘spunk；'' and
perhaps it was this quality； rather than any other；
which I most needed in that particular parish at
that time。 As for me； when the fight was over I
dropped it from my mind； and it had not entered
my thoughts for years； until I began to summon
these memories。
At the end of my first six months in East Dennis