often
offended with what they deemed my unreasonable expectations and demands.

17. But in truth, it is not necessary for reformers to err, in order to
give offence. The best and wisest One that ever appeared on earth gave
offence to those who were wedded to error and abuses. A Christian
reformer can never please the "earthly, the sensual, and the devilish."
The history of Christ and of Paul has settled that. A Christian reformer
never does the right thing in the estimation of the idle, the selfish,
the corrupt: and if he does, he never does it at the right time, or in
the right way. He always meddles too early, or too late; and he always
goes too fast, or too slow; and he always does too much, or too little.
He interferes with their ease, their interests, and their pleasures,
and that is enough. They will, in return, endeavor to destroy his
influence, if not to take away his life. They will impute to him the
vilest motives. They will stick at no lie, no wrong, that seems likely
to damage his reputation. They will magnify his innocent weaknesses or
trifling inconsistencies, and represent them as gross and unpardonable
faults. If he is faithful they will call him rash; if he is prudent they
will call him hypocritical; and they will labor in every way to awaken
against him distrust and prejudice in the minds of the better-disposed
among their brethren.

And many of the better-disposed themselves often see what tries them
greatly in the character and doings of reformers. It is the natural
tendency of the reforming spirit to lead a man to look too much at what
is amiss in men and systems, and too little at what is right and
praiseworthy. It is what is amiss that _wants_ reforming, so he fixes
his mind on that, and makes it the constant subject of his conversation.
And so it was with myself no doubt to some extent. And this, to men of
conservative tendencies, who look more at the good and less at the evil
in the men and systems with which they are connected, seems a grievous
fault, an inexcusable piece of injustice, deserving the severest
censure. And they repay it with the sternest condemnation.

And conservatives can be as blind or one-sided as the most eager
reformers. They can shut their eyes to what is evil, or treat great
abuses as excusable trifles; while they magnify what is good beyond all
bounds. And when they get excited or vexed they can be as unjust towards
the reformer, as the most rabid reformer can be towa