This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIV IN WHICH THE ELDERS' REQUEST IS REFUSED The depths of Winter were still upon the land. Far down from the North, through the frozen valley of the Hudson, came the wind, to search out every nook and crevice in the white house on the Iron Hill, that it might find its way into the warmth of ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIV IN WHICH THE ELDERS' REQUEST IS REFUSED The depths of Winter were still upon the land. Far down from the North, through the frozen valley of the Hudson, came the wind, to search out every nook and crevice in the white house on the Iron Hill, that it might find its way into the warmth of even that home. It was night and in the great kitchen were gathered the same five who met before in the humbler home of Thaddeus Knox--the Elders of the Moravian Church. The fire on the great hearth lighted the farthest recesses of the room. All were seated about the clean wooden table. That night the voice of Thaddeus Knox sounded older and dryer in the great room, and his familiar suit of brown looked older and browner and shabbier, too, than before. He rose and leaned against the table and paused a moment before he spoke. "We told him," he said, "how we, the Elders, had met and discussed it all fully. We pointed out to him that not only had this been an accepted custom of our church since the beginning, but also, because it had always been used wisely and cautiously, happiness and all that was hoped for besides had invariably come. Indeed, we went further, showing him clearly that it was more than mere marriage by lot that was suggested. We told Stephen Lane that because we were the Elders, the responsibility rested with us for the I measure of success our church achieved, and how we had endeavoured to exercise with wisdom the right that was clearly ours--of deciding whether or not our church required that its minister should have a wife. If we had told him that some among us believed that he needed a woman to help him, to make a home for him, I would not have been surprised at his refusal, for all of us know how unselfish he is and he...
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