weight. He contributed sparsely, from a lean purse, for the support of the Church. How could he be expected to have a leading voice in her councils?
Probably Mr. Hazzard, junior warden, and superintendent of the Sunday-school, would also have agreed with the rector if his opinion had been asked; but, before he could be interrogated, Westgate interrupted.
"It seems to me," he said, "to be quite futile to discuss this question at this time. Our pews are rented until Easter Monday of next year, and it is now only September. We cannot abrogate the contracts already made. I suggest, therefore, that we postpone discussion of the matter until some future meeting. In the meantime, the parish as a whole will have opportunity to consider it, and we can take it up later if it should be deemed advisable to do so."
"An excellent suggestion!" exclaimed Mr. Hughes.
"I am quite willing to yield to Mr. Westgate's judgment," said the rector.
"But," added Mr. Hughes, "there is another matter closely related to the one just under discussion, about which I desire to speak. I mean no disrespect, and I have no ill-will toward Mr. Farrar. But there has been much criticism in the parish concerning the sermons he has been preaching to us of late, especially the one of last Sunday morning. It is needless for me to specify in what manner it was objectionable. We feel that a continuance of such sermons will seriously affect, if not entirely disrupt, the church. It has occurred to me, therefore, that if the vestry, as a body, should inform the rector of the feeling in the parish, and request him to discontinue the advocacy of his favorite sociological doctrines from the pulpit, he would probably heed the request, and thus save the church from possible disaster."
The rector looked into the eyes of his critic without flinching. Moreover, there was in his own eyes a light that might or might not have been a signal of contempt and defiance.
