ities, or were at best dreamers of false peace. Not only did
they, in their fervid addresses, exaggerate the vileness of human nature,
and set it against itself, but the idea of goodness placed by them before
the mind, seemed one wholly different from its own direction of progress,
if not altogether unattainable. Many simple natural affections were by
them almost represented as sinful, while they looked upon the customary
diversions in the light of unholy levities, and upon the old holiday
practices as traditions quite heathenish. In short, the heaven to which
they pointed so mystically, appeared to consist in an utter contrast to
all conceptions which were ever formed on earth, to every joy which had
been felt by men, even in their moments of purest contact with each other
and nature; the reward of some great sacrifice and toil, which were to be
undergone. There was much talk of strange, unutterable changes to take
place on the earth, for which preparation was to be made; and the new
preachers exulted in the interpretation of prophecies, which they fancied
could be understood beforehand, in making men uneasy at thought of all
outward coming of the Lord, of wars, and destruction, which would make the
world worse than ever it had been. Their meeting-house, opened in an old
barn, was at first frequented chiefly by women, since the men and older
people had a natural dislike to innovation; but eventually the very
newness of the doctrine began to gain ground for it, and the fact of its
being so distinct from that of the late pastor, only tended to reflect
upon his memory. There is, certainly, something in our nature, by which
those things most opposed to it, as in a kind of fascination at times lay
hold of it; so in hateful dreams or ghost-fears. Especially if the soul be
not regularly furnished with supplies of healthy and cheerful
enlightenment; and thus it was that this kind of unearth-like religion,
imported by men of zeal for the most part sincere and also assisted by
sympathy with other places in the neighbourhood, exerted so much influence
at the village of Groenstetten. The first symptom of this was exhibited in
a certain secret discomfort at home, a sense of division between persons
of the same household, which made them look strangely and wonderingly on
each other. It seemed, indeed, to be a principal and favourite object of
the new-comers to gain over the female members; they aimed their chief
blow at the family sacr