is moral condition. The pastor
expressed his own opinion, always in the conversational tone, in a
talk of ten minutes' duration, in the course of which he applauded,
not censured, the delicacy which causes most people to shrink from
doing it. He said that a man's personality was not a macadamized
road for every vehicle to drive upon at will, but rather a sacred
inclosure, to be entered, if at all, with the consent of the owner,
and with deference to his feelings and tastes. He maintained,
however, that there _were_ times and modes in which this might
properly be done, and that every one _had_ a duty to perform of
this nature. When he had finished his observations, he said the
subject was open to the remarks of others; whereupon a brother
instantly rose and made a very honest confession.

He said that he had never attempted to perform the duty in question
without having a palpitation of the heart, and a complete turning
over of his inner man. He had often reflected upon this curious
fact, but was not able to account for it. He had not allowed this
repugnance to prevent his doing the duty; but he always had to rush
at it and perform it by a sort of _coup de main_, for if he allowed
himself to think about the matter, he could not do it at all. He
concluded by saying that he should be very much obliged to any one
if he could explain this mystery.

The pastor said: "May it not be the natural delicacy we feel, and
ought to feel, in approaching the interior consciousness of another
person?"

Another brother rose. There was no hanging back at this meeting;
there were no awkward pauses; every one seemed full of matter. The
new speaker was not inclined to admit the explanation suggested by
the pastor. "Suppose," said he, "we were to see a man in imminent
danger of immediate destruction, and there was one way of escape,
and but one, which _we_ saw, and he did not, should we feel any
delicacy in running up to him and urging him to fly for his life?
Is it not a want of faith on our part that causes the reluctance
and hesitation we all feel in urging others to avoid a peril so
much more momentous?"

Mr. Beecher said the cases were not parallel. Irreligious persons,
he remarked, were not in imminent danger of immediate death; they
might die to-morro