y dear," said Mr. Gresley, "ignorance is at the root of any difference
of opinion on such a subject as this. I do not say wilful ignorance, but
the want of sound Church teaching. I must cut at the roots of this
ignorance."

"Dear James, it is thrice killing the slain. No one believes these
fallacies which you are exposing--the Nonconformists least of all. Those
I have talked with don't hold these absurd opinions that you put down
to them. You don't even touch their real position. You are elaborately
knocking down ninepins that have never stood up, because they have
nothing to stand on."

"I am not proposing to play a game of mental skittles," said the
clerical author. "It is enough for me, as I said before, to cut at the
roots of ignorance wherever I see it flourishing, not to pull off the
leaves one by one as you would have me do by dissecting their opinions.
This may not be novel, it may not even be amusing, but, nevertheless,
Hester, a clergyman's duty is to wage unceasing war against spiritual
ignorance. And what," read on Mr. Gresley, after a triumphant moment in
which Hester remained silent, "is the best means of coping against
ignorance, against darkness"--("It was a root a moment ago," thought
Hester)--"but by the infusion of light? The light shineth in darkness,
and the darkness comprehendeth it not." Half a page more and the
darkness was 'Modern Dissent.' Hester put her hand over her mouth and
kept it there.

The familiar drama of a clerical bull and a red rag was played out
before her eyes, and, metaphorically speaking, she followed the example
of the majority of laymen and crept up a tree to be out of the way.

When it was all over she came down trembling.

"Well! what do you think of it?" said Mr. Gresley, rising and pacing up
and down the room.

"You hit very hard," said Hester, after a moment's consideration. She
did not say, "You strike home."

"I have no opinion of being mealy-mouthed," said Mr. Gresley, who was
always perfectly satisfied with a vague statement. "If you have anything
worth saying, say it plainly. That is my motto. Don't hint this or that,
but take your stand upon a truth and strike out."

"Why not hold out our hands to our fellow-creatures instead of striking
at them?" said Hester, moving towards the door.

"I have no belief in holding out our hands to the enemies of Christ,"
Mr. Gresley began, who in the course of his pamphlet had thus gracefully
designated the great religio