en like a mon,' assented Elias Bradshaw. 'Stick to thi text,
Amos.'

'And yet, after all,' said Dr. Hale, 'I think we ought to receive
Amanda back again into our communion. The only One who ever
forgave sins drew no line as to their number, nor shade as to
their degree.'

'But durnd yo' think, doctor, that if we do as yo' want us we's be
turnin' th' Church into a shoddy hoile?' asked Elias Bradshaw.

'There are no shoddy souls,' said the doctor.

'No,' continued Mr. Penrose; 'it was not shoddy that Christ came
to seek and save.'

'Who wur it said th' gate were strait and th' road narro'?' cried
out an old man who was always known by the name of 'Clogs.'

'That's no reason why yo' should want to turn th' gate into a
steele-hoile (stile), is it?' retorted Malachi.

'Gate or steele-hoile, it's narro'; and that's enugh for me, an'
it were noan us ut made it narro'; it wur th' Almeety Hissel','
replied Clogs.

'At any rate, He made it wide enough for Amanda,' said Dr. Hale,
'and that is the matter we are now considering.'

'I'm noan so sure o' that, doctor. There's a good bit o' Scripter
agen yo' if yo' come to texes.'

'Then so much the worse for Scripture,' was the unguarded, yet
honest, retort of Mr. Penrose; and Dr. Hale laid a kind hand on
the young minister's shoulder to restrain his haste.

'It seems to me,' said Elias Bradshaw, 'as Mr. Penrose spends a
deal too mich time in poolin' up the stumps and makin' th' strait
gate into a gap as ony rubbige con go thro'. I could like to yer
him preych fro' the fifteenth verse o' th' last chapter i'
Revelation. I once yerd a grond sarmon fro' that text i' th'
pulpit up aboon here; and when it were oer, Dickey o' Sams o' the
Heights went aat o' th' chapel, and tried to draan hissel' i'
Green Fold Lodge. Naa, that's what I co powerful preychin'!'

'Pardon me, Mr. Bradshaw. We are not here to discuss the merits of
preaching. We are here to consider the request of Amanda Stott--'

'An' axin' yor pardon, Mr. Penrose, that's whod I wur comin' to.
I'm noan a fancy talker like yo'. Aw never larned to be, and I'm
noan paid to be. Whod I wur baan to say, if you'll nobbud let me,
wur this: As Jesus Christ wur a deal more particular who He leet
in than who He kept aat. That's all.'

'But who did He keep out?' asked Dr. Hale.

'Haa mony, thinksto, did He leet in, doctor? I could welly caant
um o' on both mi hands.'

'It seems to me yo' want to mak' saints as scarce as