t the Haugians, men who despised the house of God, and
worshipped Him in their own dismal meetings, where all sorts of
profanities were said to be carried on.

From the official class this spirit of suspicion, and often of
hatred, spread itself among educated people, to the injury of these
peaceable and thoroughly worthy folks.

From such sources the current literature also proceeded to picture
the ignorant lay-preachers, and to draw comparisons with the regular
deans and pastors, the men of light and peace. The writers of the
day, as a rule, knew but little about the lay-preachers, and relied
on these descriptions; the clergyman they were well acquainted with.

Most people knew him from holiday visits to the parsonage, which
stood out as bright spots in the memories of their younger days--the
journey thither in summer by moonlight through the woods, and in
winter over the crisp white snow, with accompaniment of tinkling
sledge-bells.

It was thus that they knew their pastor, genial, friendly, and
earnest. What a capital talker he was at the social board, and how
ready to join in harmless merriment! How pleasant, too, was the great
roomy parsonage, full of youthful mirth, tempered by the gentle
gravity of their reverend host!

He was the central point of attraction for all, not only for the
cares of wives and daughters, but in all the joys and sports of
youth. "Father's" presence was looked upon as necessary to complete
enjoyment.

His meerschaum pipe was kept filled for him, and when it went out,
the children rushed to light it again with paper spills. When the
wife, with a practised hand, enveloped him in his furs and wraps as
he drove off to his other church the day after Christmas, all
gathered round him, in an affectionate circle.

Nor could any one forget the quiet Saturday afternoons when all left
the house in order not to disturb the pastor, who was preparing his
sermon in the study, the smoke of his pipe stealing out of the
keyhole like a blue serpent. Nor could they forget the Sunday
mornings when his reverence took his dose of egg-flip before church,
in order to clear his voice.

But this genial pastor could be quite another man when he sat alone
among his peasants, discussing school or parish affairs; for language
such as one would hardly expect from a man of light and peace might
then be heard inside his study.

Sometimes it happened that, if on such occasions the young people
gathered in the h