“Hum！Queerweatherforawalk，Icallit。Won’tbemanyoutto-
night，exceptCome-Outersgoin’tohollertheirlungslooseatprayermeetin’。He，he！Youain’tturnedCome-Outer，haveyou，Mr。Ellery？You’veheadedrightforthechapel。“
Ellery’sreplywashurriedandabitconfused。Hesaidgoodnightandwenton。
“Laviny，“whisperedtheshockedKyan，“doyouthinkthatwasa——er——
politethingtosaytoaparson？Thatabouthisturnin’Come-
Outer？Hedidn’tmakemuchanswer，seemedtome。Youdon’tthinkhewasmad，doye？“
“Idon’tcareifhewas，“snortedMissPepper。“Hecouldtellabodywherehewasgoin’then。Nobodycansnubme，ministerornot。
Ithinkhe’skindofstuck-up，ifyouwanttoknow，andifheis，he’llgettookdowninahurry。Comealong，don’tstandtherewithyourmouthopenlikeaflytrap。I’dliketoknowwhathewasupto。I’veapreciousgoodmindtofollowhim；wouldif’twa’n’tsomuchtrouble。“
Shedidn’t。Yet，ifshehad，shewouldhavedeemedthetroubleworthwhile。ForJohnEllerystumbledonthroughthemisttillhereachedthe“Corners“wherethestorewaslocatedandtheroadsforked。There，heturnedtotheright，intothewaycalledlocally“Hammond’sTurn-off。“Ashortdistancedownthe“Turn-off“stoodasmall，brown-shingledbuilding，itswindowsalight。Oppositeitsdoor，ontheothersideoftheroad，grewaspreadinghornbeamtreesurroundedbyaclusterofswampblackberrybushes。IntheblackshadowofthehornbeamMr。Ellerystoodstill。Hewasdebatinginhismindaquestion：shouldheorshouldhenotenterthatbuilding？
Ashestoodthere，groupsofpeopleemergedfromthefoganddarknessandpassedinatthedoor。SomeofthemhehadseenduringhisfortnightinTrumet。Otherswerestrangerstohim。A
lanterndancedandwabbledupthe“Turn-off“fromthedirectionofthebayshoreandthepacketwharf。Itdrewnear，andhesawthatitwascarriedbyanoldmanwithlongwhitehairandchinbeard，whowalkedwithaslightlimp。Besidehimwasathinwomanwearingablackpokebonnetandashawl。Intherearofthepaircameanotherwoman，ayoungwoman，judgingbythewayshewasdressedandherlithe，vigorousstep。Thetriohaltedontheplatformofthebuilding。Theoldmanblewoutthelantern。Thenhethrewthedooropenandastreamofyellowlightpouredoverthegroup。
TheyoungwomanwasGraceVanHorne。Theministerrecognizedheratonce。Undoubtedly，theoldmanwiththelimpwasherguardian，CaptainEbenHammond，who，bycommonreport，hadspokenofhim，Ellery，asa“hiredpriest。“
Thedoorclosed。Afewmomentsthereafterthesoundofasqueakymelodeoncamefromwithinthebuilding。Itwailedandquaveredandgroaned。Then，withasuddennessthatwasstartling，camethefirstverseofahymn，sungwithtremendousenthusiasm：
“Oh，whoshallanswerwhentheLordshallcallHisransomedsinnershome？“
Thehallelujahchoruswasstillringingwhenthewatcheracrossthestreetsteppedoutfromtheshadowofthehornbeam。Withoutapausehestrodeovertotheplatform。Anothermomentandthedoorhadshutbehindhim。
TheministeroftheTrumetRegularchurchhadenteredtheCome-
OuterchapeltoattendaCome-Outerprayermeeting！
CHAPTERV
INWHICHTHEPARSONCRUISESINSTRANGEWATERS
TheCome-Outerchapelwasasbareinside，almost，asitwaswithout。Barewoodenwalls，abeamedceiling，araisedplatformatoneendwithatableandchairsandthemelodeonuponit，rowsofwoodensetteesforthecongregation——thatwasall。Astheministerentered，theworshiperswerestandinguptosing。Threeorfoursputteringoillampsbutdimlyilluminedtheplaceandmaderecognitionuncertain。
ThesecondverseofthehymnwasjustbeginningasEllerycamein。
Mostofthefortyormoregrownpeopleinthechapelweretoobusywrestlingwiththetunetoturnandlookathim。Achildhereandthereinthebackrowtwistedacuriousneckbuttwistedbackagainasparentalfingerstuggedatitsear。Theministertiptoedtoadarkcornerandtookhisstandinfrontofavacantsettee。
ThemanwhomElleryhaddecidedmustbeCaptainEbenHammondwasstandingonthelowplatformbesidethetable。Aquaintfigure，patriarchalwithitsflowingwhitehairandbeard，puritanicalwithitsset，smooth-shavenlipsandtuftedbrows。CaptainEbenheldanopenhymnbookbackinonehandandbeattimewiththeother。Heworebrass-bowedspectacleswelldowntowardthetipofhisnose。
Swingingaheavy，stubbyfingerandsinginginahigh，quaveringvoiceofnoparticularregister，heledoffthethirdverse：
“Oh，whoshallweepwhentherolliscalledAndwhoshallshoutforjoy？“
Themelodeonandthehymnbookwereinaccordastothetune，butCaptainEbenandthevariousmembersofthecongregationseemedtohaveadesiretoimprovise。Theysangwithspirit，however，andtherhythmicpatoffeetgrewlouderandlouder。Hereandtheremenandwomenwereswayingandrockingtheirbodiesintimetothemusic。Thechorusforeachversewaslouderthantheoneprecedingit。
Anotherhymnwasgivenoutandsung。Andanotherandstillanother。Thewindowsrattled。Thepattinggrewtoasteady“thump！thump！“Momentarypausesbetweenlineswerepunctuatedbyhallelujahsandamens。Standingdirectlyinfrontoftheministerwasasix-foot，raw-bonedindividualwhoseclothessmelledstronglyoffish，andwhosehands，eachswungattheendofanexposedfiveinchesofhairyredwrist，lookedlikeflippers。Attheendofthethirdhymnthispersonagesprangstraightupintotheair，crackedtheheelsofapairofredcowhidebootstogether，andwhooped：
“Glorybe！SendthePAOWER！“inavoicelikethescreechofanortheastgale。Mr。Ellery，whomthisgymnasticfeathadtakenbysurprise，jumpedinsympathy，althoughnotashigh。
Thesingingover，theworshiperssatdown。CaptainEbentookafiguredhandkerchieffromhispocketandwipedhisforehead。Thethin，nearsightedyoungwomanwhohadbeenhumpedoverthekeyboardofthemelodeon，straightenedup。Theworshipersrelaxedalittleandbegantolookabout。
ThenthecaptainadjustedhisspectaclesandopenedaBible，whichhetookfromthetablebesidehim。Clearinghisthroat，heannouncedthathewouldreadfromtheWord，tenthchapterofJeremiah：
“’ThussaiththeLord。Learnnotthewayoftheheathen，andbenotdismayedatthesignsofheaven；fortheheathenaredismayedatthem。
“’Forthecustomsofthepeoplearevain：foronecuttethatreeoutoftheforest，theworkofthehandsoftheworkmen，withtheax。’“
Hereadinameasuredsingsong，stoppingoccasionallytoholdthebookinabetterlightandpeeringatthefineprintthroughhisspectacles。Andasheread，therewasasuddenrustleononeofthebackbenches。Achildhadturned，stared，andpulledatitsmother’ssleeve。Therustlegrewandspread。
CaptainEbendrawledontothetwentiethverse：
“’Mytabernacleisspoiledandallmycordsarebroken：mychildrenaregoneforthfromme，andtheyarenot：thereisnonetostretchforthmytentanymore，andtosetupmycurtains！
“’ForthepastorsarebecomebrutishandhavenotsoughttheLord：
thereforetheyshallnotprosper，and——’“
“A-MEN！“
Theshoutcamefromthesecondbenchfromthefront，whereEzekielBassett，clamdiggerandferventreligionist，wasalwaystobefoundonmeetingnights。EzekielwasthefatherofSusannahB。
Bassett，“SukeyB。“forshort，whoplayedthemelodeon。Hehadbeen，bysuccessiveseizures，aSeventhDayBaptist，aSecondAdventist，aMillerite，aRegular，andwasnowthemostenergeticofCome-Outers。LaterhewastobecomeaSpiritualistandpresideattable-tippingseances。
Ezekiel’samenwassosuddenandemphaticthatitstartledthereaderintolookingup。Insteadofthefacesofhiscongregation，hefoundhimselftreatedtoaviewoftheirbackhair。Nearlyeveryheadwasturnedtowardtherearcorneroftheroom，therewasabuzzofwhisperingand，infront，manymenandwomenwerestandinguptolook。CaptainEbenwasscandalized。
“Well！“heexclaimed。“Isthisaprayermeetin’or——or——what？
Brethrenandsisters，Imustsay——“
EzekielBassettsteppedforwardandwhisperedinhisear。Thecaptain’sexpressionofrighteousindignationchangedtooneofblankastonishment。He，too，gazedatthedarkcorner。Thenhislipstightenedandherappedsmartlyonthetable。
“Brethrenandsisters，“hethundered，inthevoicewhich，ofold，hadenforcedobedienceaboardhiscoastingschooner，“rememberthisisthehouseoftheLord。Bereverent！“
Hewaiteduntileveryeyehadswungabouttomeethis。Thenheregardedhisabashedbutexcitedhearerswithasteadyandprolongedstare。
“Myfriends，“hesaid，“letusbowinprayer。“
JohnEllerycouldhaverepeatedthatprayer，almostwordforword，yearsafterthatnight。Thecaptainprayedforthefewheregatheredtogether：Letthembesteadfast。Letthembeconstantintheway。Thepaththeyweretreadingmightbenarrowandbesetwiththorns，butitwasthepathleadingtoglory。
“Scoffersmaysneer，“hedeclared，hisvoicerising；“theymaymakeamockofus，theymayevencomeintoThypresencetolaughatus，buttheirsisthelaughthatturnstogroanin’。OLord，strengthenusto-nighttospeakwhat’sinourhearts，withoutfear。““A-
men！““ToprophesyinThyname！Tobidthemockersandthemthatdare——daretoprofanethissanctuarybecareful。Hiredsingersandtrumpetsandvainshowswehavenot““ThanktheLord！Amen！“，“butthetruefaithandthejoyofitwedohave。““Hallelujah！
Hallelujah！Glory！“
Andsoon，hisremarksbecomingmorepersonalandeverpointinglikeacompassneedletotheoccupantofthatseatinthecorner。
Theminister’sdeterminationtoattendaCome-Outermeeting，thoughithadreachedthestickingpointonlyahalfhourbefore，wastheresultofconsiderabledeliberation。Hehadarguedwithhimselfandhadmadeuphismindtofindoutforhimselfjustwhatthesepeopledid。Hewasfindingout，certainly。Hismotivesweregoodandhehadcomewithnodesiretoscoff，but，forthelifeofhim，hecouldnothelpfeelinglikeacriminal。Incidentally，itprovokedhimtofeelthatway。
“OLord，“prayedCaptainHammond，theperspirationinbeadsonhisforehead，“ThouhastsaidthatthepastorsbecomebrutishandhavenotsoughtTheeandthattheyshan’tprosper。Helpustonighttolaborwiththisonethathemayseehiserrorandrepentinsackclothandashes。“
Theysangoncemore，ahymnthatprophesiedwoetotheunbeliever。
ThenEzekielBassettroseto“testify。“Thetestimonywasmainlytotheeffectthathewashappybecausehehadfledtothearkofsafetywhiletherewasyettime。
“Ifoundout，“heshouted，“thatfancymusicand——ah——and——ah——sotsermonsandfinedudsandsuchlikewa’n’tgoin’todoMEnogood。
Ineededsomethin’else。Ineededgoodtimesinmyreligion“
“Hallelujah！““andI’vefound’emrighthere。Yes，sir！righthere。AndIsaythisoutloud，“turningtoglareattheintruder，“andIdon’tcarewhocomestopokefunatmeforsayin’it。“
“Amen！“
Asharp-nosedfemalefollowedMr。Bassett。Shespokewithevidentfeelingandinavoicethattrembledandshookwhenheremotioncarrieditaloft。SHE’Dhadenoughofhigh-tonedreligion。Yes，andofthemthatupheldit。WhenherbrotherSimeonwastookbadwithphthisic，“wheezin’likeabustedbellerses“and’twas“upanddown，trot，trot，trot，“tofetchandcarryforhimdayinandnightout，didthefolksfromtheReg’larchurchhelpher？SheguessedNOT。TheonlyonethatcamenighherwasLavinyPepper，andshecameonlytogasandgabbleandfindoutthingsthatwa’n’tnoneofherbusiness。WhathelpshegotwasfromaCome-Outer，fromEbenHammond，blesshisgoodsoul！“Amen！“ThatphthisicsettledherforReg’larism。Yes，andforthemthatpreachedit，too。Sothere！
CaptainEbencalledformoretestimony。Butthetestifierswere，tousetheoldminstreljoke，backwardincomingforwardthatevening。Atanordinarymeeting，bythistime，theshoutsandenthusiasmwouldhavebeenattheirheightandhalfadozenCome-
Outersontheirfeetatonce，relatingtheirexperiencesandproclaimingtheirhappiness。Buttonighttherewasadamper；thepresenceoftheleaderoftheoppositioncastashadowoverthegathering。Onlythebravestattemptedspeech。Theotherssatsilent，showingtheirresentmentandcontemptbyfrowningglancesovertheirshouldersandportentousnodsonetotheother。
“Come，brethren，“commandedthecaptainsharply；“wearewaitin’tohearyou。Areyouafraid？Ifyourfaithisreal，nothin’nornobodyshouldkeepyoufromcryin’itoutloud。Now，ifever，istheacceptedtime。Speakupforthespiritthat’sinyou。“