n, but the back of the building being towards
Somerset, the second individual could not be seen.

The speaker at one moment glanced into the interior, and at another
at the advancing form of the architect, whom, though distinctly enough
beheld, the other scarcely appeared to heed in the absorbing interest
of his own discourse. Somerset became aware that it was the Baptist
minister, whose rhetoric he had heard in the chapel yonder.

'Now,' continued the Baptist minister, 'will you express to me any
reason or objection whatever which induces you to withdraw from our
communion? It was that of your father, and of his father before him. Any
difficulty you may have met with I will honestly try to remove; for
I need hardly say that in losing you we lose one of the most valued
members of the Baptist church in this district. I speak with all the
respect due to your position, when I ask you to realize how irreparable
is the injury you inflict upon the cause here by this lukewarm
backwardness.'

'I don't withdraw,' said a woman's low voice within.

'What do you do?'

'I decline to attend for the present.'

'And you can give no reason for this?'

There was no reply.

'Or for your refusal to proceed with the baptism?'

'I have been christened.'

'My dear young lady, it is well known that your christening was the work
of your aunt, who did it unknown to your parents when she had you in
her power, out of pure obstinacy to a church with which she was not in
sympathy, taking you surreptitiously, and indefensibly, to the font
of the Establishment; so that the rite meant and could mean nothing at
all.... But I fear that your new position has brought you into contact
with the Paedobaptists, that they have disturbed your old principles,
and so induced you to believe in the validity of that trumpery
ceremony!'

'It seems sufficient.'

'I will demolish the basis of that seeming in three minutes, give me but
that time as a listener.'

'I have no objection.'

'Very well.... First, then, I will assume that those who have influenced
you in the matter have not been able to make any impression upon one so
well grounded as yourself in our distinctive doctrine, by the stale old
argument drawn from circumcision?'

'You may assume it.'

'Good--that clears the ground. And we now come to the New Testament.'

The minister began to turn over the leaves of his little Bible, which it
impressed Somerset to observe was bound with a flap,