les further still for the sake of
hearing one of their own kirk and country preach the same Gospel in the
name of the same Lord. And so the Reverend Mr Hollister, and Deacon
Moses Turner, and other good men among them, thought themselves
justified in setting them down as narrow-minded and bigoted, and
incapable of appreciating the privileges which had fallen to their lot.

There was really no good reason why they should not all have worshipped
together as one community, for in the doctrines which they held, the
descendants of the Pilgrim Fathers differed little from those who had
been taught in Scottish kirks the truth for which their fathers had
fought and died. The little band who kept together, and held to the
form of church government which they had learned to revere in their
native land, were by reason of their isolation, practically as
independent in regard to the matters of their kirk as were their Puritan
neighbours who claimed this independence as their right.

In point of numbers, and in point of means, the older settlers were the
stronger of the two parties; in point of character and piety, even they
themselves were not sure that the superiority was on their side.
However that might be, all felt that the coming in among them of the
North Gore men and their families was much to be desired, and after a
time measures were taken to bring the subject of union before them in
the most favourable manner.

So, accompanied and encouraged by Deacon Turner, Mr Hollister, the
minister, visited the North Gore folk family by family, and was
respectfully and kindly received by them all, but he did not make much
progress in the good work he had undertaken. His remarks about
brotherly love and the healing of breaches were for the most part
listened to in silence, and so were Deacon Turner's cautious allusions
to the subscription-list for the dealing with current expenses. Nowhere
did they meet with much encouragement to hope that their efforts to
bring the two communities together would be successful. For several
years after this the North Gore folk continued to make their
"Sabbath-day's journey" past the village church. Then for a while they
had the monthly ministrations of a preacher of their own order in their
own neighbourhood, and on other days kept up meetings among themselves,
and did what they could in various ways to keep themselves to themselves
as of old.

But time wrought changes. The children who had co