as willingly as the dray-horse works
in the harness. Deacon Heedful belonged to that small minority of
human beings who know nothing of double-meanings or double-dealings;
pure in himself, he was the embodiment of that "charity that thinketh
no evil" of others; but, unfortunately, of stronger heart than head.
Perhaps an innate sense of this _crowning_ weakness made him lend a
more ready ear to the suggestions of other minds; at any rate, Mrs.
Tiptop soon had him under her easy control, through that psychological
law by which superior intellect ever governs its inferior. This
accomplished, it were unnecessary to carry the reader through the
winding ways which led her, with the deacon, to that point where she
could spread out before him the spiritual position of Mr. Worthiman
and his church, and convince him that they were "far behind the
times." Now this was "a secret" that she had not even communicated to
her husband, but in which she could not be mistaken, having come from
a town where all was "stirring" in the cause of religion--where the
preachers were "wide awake," and dead-level homilies, like Mr.
Worthiman's, were not tolerated; for her part, she should soon
languish under such enervating sermons as his; and here her fears
being profusely watered by tears, began to take root in the heart of
Deacon Heedful, who gave her a sympathetic squeeze of the hand on
parting with her one evening, and turned, poor man! to the sleepless
pillow where she had planted a thorn. He, however, determined to
deliberate some days before communicating his fears, even to his
brother officers in the church, and never to do it, unless reflection
sanctioned Mrs. Tiptop's hints.

But seeds of discontent sown in one mind, are by some Mesmeric
sympathy conveyed into another, and _another_, till a rapid,
wide-spread growth is the unlooked for consequence; yet Mrs. Tiptop
waited for another visit from the deacon, before breaking the subject
to any one else, even to "dear Mr. Tiptop;" so _she_ was not to blame
for the disaffection that was springing up around her. Deacon Heedful
arrived even sooner than she had anticipated--and most _unexpected_ to
her was his account of the spreading influence that had so
_mysteriously_ come to light. The deacon's doubts were now matured
into a strong sense of duty, and, to the complete satisfaction of Mrs.
Tiptop, he had decided to take a _stand_ in the matter.

The only proposition she made was that the leadi