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ly took his advice and borrowed seven hundred
dollars。 After I returned from Europe I repaid the
loan in monthly instalments； and eventually got my
bonds； which I still own。 They will mature in 1916。
I have had one hundred and five dollars a year from
them； in interest； ever since I received them in 1878
more than twice as much interest as their face
valueand every time I have gone abroad I have
used this interest toward paying my passage。 Thus
my friend has had a share in each of the many visits
I have made to Europe； and in all of them her
memory has been vividly with me。
With my return from Europe my real career as
a minister began。 The year in the pulpit at Hing…
ham had been merely tentative； and though I had
succeeded in building up the church membership to
four times what it had been when I took charge； I
was not reappointed。 I had paid off a small church
debt； and had had the building repaired； painted； and
carpeted。 Now that it was out of its difficulties it
offered some advantages to the occupant of its pul…
pit； and of these my successor； a man； received the
benefit。 I； however； had small ground for com…
plaint； for I was at once offered and accepted the
pastorate of a church at East Dennis； Cape Cod。
Here I went in October； 1878； and here I spent seven
of the most interesting years of my life。
V
SHEPHERD OF A DIVIDED FLOCK
On my return from Europe； as I have said； I
took up immediately and most buoyantly the
work of my new parish。 My previous occupation
of various pulpits； whether long or short； had always
been in the role of a substitute。 Now； for the first
time； I had a church of my own； and was to stand
or fall by the record made in it。 The ink was barely
dry on my diploma from the Boston Theological
School； and； as it happened； the little church to
which I was called was in the hands of two warring
factions； whose battles furnished the most fervid
interest of the Cape Cod community。 But my in…
experience disturbed me not at all； and I was bliss…
fully ignorant of the division in the congregation。
So I entered my new field as trustfully as a child
enters a garden； and though I was in trouble from
the beginning； and resigned three times in startling
succession； I ended by remaining seven years。
My appointment did not cause even a lull in the
warfare among my parishioners。 Before I had
crossed the threshold of my church I was made to
realize that I was shepherd of a divided flock。
Exactly what had caused the original breach I never
learned； but it had widened with time； until it
seemed that no peacemaker could build a bridge
large enough to span it。 As soon as I arrived in
East Dennis each faction tried to pour into my ears
its bitter criticisms of the other； but I made and
consistently followed the safe rule of refusing to
listen to either side； I announced publicly that I
would hear no verbal charges whatever； but that if
my two flocks would state their troubles in writing
I would call a board meeting to discuss and pass
upon them。 This they both resolutely refused to
do （it was apparently the first time they had ever
agreed on any point）； and as I steadily declined
to listen to complaints； they devised an original
method of putting them before me。
During the regular Thursday…night prayer…meet…
ing； held about two weeks after my arrival； and at
which； of course； I presided； they voiced their diffi…
culties in public prayer； loudly and urgently calling
upon the Lord to pardon such and such a liar； men…
tioning the gentleman by name； and such and such
a slanderer； whose name was also submitted。 By
the time the prayers were ended there were few un…
tarnished reputations in the congregation； and I
knew； perforce； what both sides had to say。
The following Thursday night they did the same
thing； filling their prayers with intimate and sur…
prising details of one another's history； and I en…
dured the situation solely because I did not know
how to meet it。 I was still young； and my theo…
logical course had set no guide…posts on roads as
new as these。 To interfere with souls in their com…
munion with God seemed impossible； to let them
continue to utter personal attacks in church； under
cover of prayer； was equally impossible。 Any course I
could follow seemed to lead away from my new parish；
yet both duty and pride made prompt action neces…
sary。 By the time we gathered for the third prayer…
meeting I had decided what to do； and before the
services began I rose and addressed my erring chil…
dren。 I explained that the character of the prayers
at our recent meetings was making us the laughing…
stock of the community； that unbelievers were
ridiculing our religion； and that the discipline of
the church was being wrecked； and I ended with
these words； each of which I had carefully weighed：
‘‘Now one of two things must happen。 Either
you will stop this kind of praying； or you will re…
main away from our meetings。 We will hold prayer…
meetings on another night； and I shall refuse ad…
mission to any among you who bring personal criti…
cisms into your public prayers。''
As I had expected it to do； the announcement
created an immediate uproar。 Both factions sprang
to their feet； trying to talk at once。 The storm
raged until I dismissed the congregation； telling the
members that their conduct was an insult to the
Lord； and that I would not listen to either their
protests or their prayers。 They went unwillingly；
but they went； and the excitement the next day
raised the sick from their beds to talk of it； and
swept the length and breadth of Cape Cod。 The
following Sunday the little church held the largest
attendance in its history。 Seemingly； every man
and woman in town had come to hear what more
I would say about the trouble； but I ignored the
whole matter。 I preached the sermon I had pre…
pared； the subject of which was as remote from
church quarrels as our atmosphere was remote from
peace； and my congregation dispersed with expres…
sions of such artless disappointment that it was all
I could do to preserve a dignified gravity。
That night； however； the war was brought into
my camp。 At the evening meeting the leader of one
of the factions rose to his feet with the obvious pur…
pose of starting trouble。 He was a retired sea…cap…
tain； of the ruthless type that knocks a man down
with a belaying…pin； and he made his attack on me
in a characteristically ‘‘straight from the shoulder''
fashion。 He began with the proposition that my
morning sermon had been ‘‘entirely contrary to the
Scriptures；'' and for ten minutes he quoted and mis…
quoted me； hammering in his points。 I let him go
on without interruption。 Then he added：
‘‘And this gal comes to this church and under…
takes to tell us how we shall pray。 That's a high…
handed measure； and I； for one； ain't goin' to stand
it。 I want to say right here that I shall pray as I
like； when I like； and where I like。 I have prayed
in this heavenly way for fifty years before that gal
was born； and she can't dictate to me now！''
By this time the whole congregation was aroused；
and cries of ‘‘Sit down！'' ‘‘Sit down！'' came from
every side of the church。 It was a hard moment；
but I was able to rise with some show of dignity。
I was hurt through and through； but my fighting
blood was stirring。
‘‘No；'' I said； ‘‘Captain Sears has the floor。 Let
him say now all he wishes to say； for it is the last
time he will ever speak at one of our meetings。''
Captain Sears； whose exertions had already made
him apoplectic； turned a darker purple。 ‘‘What's
that？'' he shouted。 ‘‘What d'ye mean？''
‘‘I mean；'' I replied； ‘‘that I do not intend to
allow you or anybody else to interfere with my
meetings。 You are a sea…captain。 What would
you do to me if I came on board your ship and
started a mutiny in your crew； or tried to give you
orders？''
Captain Sears did not reply。 He stood still； with
his legs far apart and braced； as he always stood
when talking； but his eyes shifted a little。 I answered
my own question。
‘‘You would put me ashore or in irons；'' I re…
minded him。 ‘‘Now； Captain Sears； I intend to
put you ashore。 I am the master of this ship。 I
have set my course； and I mean to follow it。 If
you rebel； either you will get out or I will。 But
until the board asks for my resignation； I am in
command。''
As it happened； I had put my ultimatum in the
one form the old man could understand。 He sat
down without a word and stared at me。 We sang
the Doxology； and I dismissed the meeting。 Again
we had omitted prayers。 The next day Captain
Sears sent me a letter recalling his subscription tow…
ard the support of the church； and for weeks he
remained away from our services； returnin