From Blackwood's Magazine.
EDGAR WAYNE'S ESCAPE.
BY MRS. OLIPHANT.

I.

The two grand idols of lawyers, the King | and the Lord of the Manor, are soon found to be something which has not been from eternity, something which has crept in unawares, something which has gradually swallowed up the rights and the A GREAT many people in Lorton shook lands which once belonged to the people. their heads when they heard that Edgar Do I plead for any violent dispossession Wayne was to be the new pastor of of either? There is no man from whose Meadow Street Chapel. The most cenmind such a thought is further removed. sorious, however, could not bring forWhatever exists by law should be changed ward many serious objections. He was only by law, and when things, however very young, said some, for so responsiwrongful in their origin, have become ble a charge, but time could be truste rightful by long prescription, even lawful changes are not to be made hastily or lightly. But it is well to remind babblers that the things which they most worship, which they fondly believe to be ancient, are, in truth, innovations on an earlier state of things towards which every modern reform is in truth a step backwards. It is well to remind them that the prerogatives of the hereditary King, of the hereditary noble, of the territorial potentate, can all of them be historically shown to be encroachments on the ancient rights of the people. It does not follow that anything is to be changed recklessly; it does not follow that anything need be changed at all. But it does follow that none of these things are so ancient and sacred as to be beyond the reach of discussion, so ancient and sacred that it is wicked even to think of the possibility of changing them. I see no reason to meddle with our constitutional monarchy that is, to make a change in the form of our executive government - because I hold that, while it has its good and its bad points, its good points overbalance the bad. But I hold that a man who thinks otherwise has as good a right to maintain his opinion, and to seek to compass his ends by lawful means, as if it were an opinion about school-boards or public-houses or the equalization of the county and borough franchise. I respect the kingly office as something ordained by law, and I see no need to alter the law which ordains it. But I can go no further. I cannot take on myself to condemn other nations, nor can I hasten to draw general inferences from single instances. But I do hold that the witness of history teaches us that, in changing a long-established form of executive government, whether it be the change of a kingdom into a commonwealth or of a commonwealth into a kingdom, the more gently and warily the work is done, the more likely it is to be lasting.

LIVING AGE.

EDWARD A. FREEMAN.
VOL. IV.

178

to remedy that defect. Others doubtfully
hoped that he had been seriously called
to the ministry, and that worldly motives
had had nothing to do with his choice of
the Church as a profession. A third party
sincerely wished he might be sound; but
young Mr. Wayne had been educated at
Cambridge, where, as everybody knows,
Rationalism is only too much in vogue:
while his predecessor, Mr. Bonnyman,
who was as orthodox as the most exact-
ing congregation could require, had
never been inside a college all his life-
time. But Edgar Wayne's greatest fault
was that he was a native of Lorton. A
prophet has rarely honour in his own coun-
try; and the people among whom he had
been born and brought up, and who looked
upon him as one of themselves, could
hardly think of Edgar Wayne with the re-
spect and feeling of reverence which were
due to the minister of Meadow Street
Chapel. Meadow Street Chapel was the
most aristocratic and orthodox of Dissent-
ing congregations. Everybody of any so-
cial standing in Lorton went there; and
there would be quite a crush of carriages
at the east door on a rainy afternoon.
The two Misses Fernside, old Squire
Fernside's co-heiresses, were devoted
adherents to the Meadow Street Chapel,
although they had been Churchwomen
in their father's lifetime; and gossip had
not failed to spitefully remark how close-
ly Miss Cecilia's "awakening
incided with Dr. Wordly the Rector's
marriage. The Waynes had always been
Dissenters; and it was by their exertions
and liberality that a congregation had
been first formed in Lorton. There were
old folks in town who could remember
when Bartholomew Wayne came to Lor-
ton as a poor pedlar about the outbreak
of the first French Revolution. Religious
liberality was not so well understood
then as nowadays, but the villagers could
not help being favourably disposed to the
pushing young man who was so regular in
his conduct and so honest in his dealings,

" had co

466

EDGAR WAYNE'S ESCAPE.

and they overlooked his studied absence | badly the deacon's court wanted new from the parish church. By-and-by the blood in it, and members had themselves pack grew into a shop, the shop into a to thank for such a slight when they alwarehouse, and the warehouse into a bank, lowed all the power to be usurped by an until the Waynes came to be looked upon exclusive clique. And Swift, the manuas one of the wealthiest and most respect- facturer, who had made a fortune before able families not only in Lorton but in the he had made for himself a position in the whole county; and there was very little little society of Lorton, cried out loudly doubt that, if Lorton were to return a against the arrogance of the aristocracy, Member, in conjunction with Hornham and their unchristian disregard for the and Combeport-as many good poli- feelings of their fellow-members. If he ticians averred that it ought to do- Mr. were to have any voice in the matter, Silas Wayne's name would be at the every man in the church should have his head of the poll. It was the Wayne fam- free vote, and the election should be deily that had built the original little brick termined by the voices of the majority; meeting-house in Meadow Street; that if their freedom as a congregation was to had borne the greater part of the cost of be sacrificed in this manner, they might the present elegant chapel forty years as well belong to the Established Church later; that had enlarged and decorated or to the Roman Catholics at once. it ten years afterwards; and that had when old Mr. Chesham stood up at the endowed both chapel and schools with a church-meeting and announced that, afhandsome annual income. There were other rich merchants in Lorton who would not be outdone by the Waynes in munificence; and the Dissenting pastor drew a better stipend than Dr. Wordly of the Established Church did, with all his glebes and tithes to help him; and still a large surplus was left for charitable and congregational purposes.

But

ter due consideration, and with a deep sense of their responsibility, a committee of the congregation had determined to invite their young townsman, Mr. Edgar Wayne, to become the successor of their late lamented pastor, and were now willing to have the opinion of the brethren Goodsir, Phillips, and Swift, and the on the subject - where then were Messrs. It was not strange, then, that when other mouthpieces of popular discontent? Mr. Bonnyman was struck down with Goodsir perhaps be thought himself how paralysis, the heads of the congregation great a convenience it would be if a cershould have made up their minds as to tain bill of his, due at Wayne's bank in Edgar Wayne's being the next minister about a fortnight, could be renewed for out. another term; and Phillips had shaken before the old man's breath was course, hands with Mr. Silas Wayne a few days themselves, of The Waynes could not move in the matter, but there before at the railway station, when the were plenty of people in Lorton anxious banker had said how much pleasure it to oblige the banker's family. So the would give him if they could have the Hoskinses, and the Lanes, and the Ches-advantage of Mr. Phillips's activity and hams, and the other heads of the congre-experience in the deacon's court, and had gation, took counsel together, and unani- promised to lend the chemist his hearty mously agreed that young Mr. Wayne support at the next election. As for was just the man to suit them, and that | Swift, an invitation to second Mr. Chesin fact, no other person need apply for ham's proposal had converted that gennaturally a tleman into one of Mr. Wayne's staunchthe vacancy. There was good deal of grumbling among the other est supporters; and when he rose to members when, along with the tidings of speak, he went much farther length than Mr. Bonnyman's death, they received the even Mr. Chesham had done in eulogiz news that a successor had been alreadying the good qualities of their proposed selected. Goodsir, the grocer, pointed pastor. At first, as Mr. Smith frankly out to everybody who came into his shop confessed, he had been inclined to prethat this was but another instance of the judge the selection of the committee, and arbitrary manner in which the affairs of to fear that their choice had been regthe congregation were being conducted; ulated more by social considerations than and that goodness only knew where it by a regard for the welfare of the Church; Careful inquiry was all to end, unless members stood up but it was the duty of independent men more firmly for their rights. Phillip to try every case upon its own merits and the chemist, who had aspired in vair o apart from prejudice. be an office-bearer for the last ten years, had convinced him, not only that Mr. said that this was a fresh proof of how Edgar Wayne was the best candidate

whom they could pitch upon, regard do householders, and prosperous shopbeing had to his Christian character, keepers at the least. Of course there education, and ministerial gifts, but that were both poverty and vice in Lorton as the Meadow Street Church might ac- in every other town of the same size; count itself truly fortunate if its members and at one period in his career Mr. Boncould induce so pious, so excellent, but nyman had been brought face to face for his youth he would say so eminent, a with the alternative of facing these evils divine as Mr. Edgar Wayne to become or shirking his duty. But though a hard, its pastor. They all knew him (Mr. unimpressionable man, Mr. Bonnyman Swift) that he was not a man to allow his was too sensible of his responsibilities as judgment to be biassed by wealth or a minister to turn his back to the needy worldly position; and if he could think and to wash his hands of his erring breththat there was another man who would ren. It was at this juncture that old Mr. do better service to the congregation and Bartholomew Wayne and Mr. Hoskins, the cause of the Gospel than Mr. Edgar the two richest men in the congregation, Wayne, he might command his (Mr. had come forward and volunteered to Swift's) warmest support were he the son erect a new mission chapel in Factory of the poorest man in Lorton; but men Lane for the destitute part of the popula of Mr. Wayne's stamp were rare- tion, provided the other members would mournfully rare — in these evil times. A aid them in endowing the building. The little buzz the nearest approach to ap- reason assigned by these worthy men plause admissible in such a place fol- was, that Mr. Bonnyman, in justice to his lowed Mr. Swift's peroration; and after present congregation, could not enter that, all thoughts of opposition were at upon a wider field of labour; but the an end, although many doubts and mis- censorious did not hesitate to allege that givings continued to be bandied about neither Mr. Wayne nor Mr. Hoskins regarding Edgar Wayne's capacity for cared to see fustian jackets interspersed ministerial work. with the broadcloth coats in the pews of It has been said already that the Meadow Street. It may have been the Meadow Street Chapel was rigidly ortho- one or the other of these feelings, or a dox. Its doctrines held hard and fast by mixture of both, that raised the Factory the lines of the Puritan fathers, and a Lane Chapel, but it did a great deal of dash of Calvinism had imparted to it a good among the lower classes; and the more than ordinary rigidity. Mr. Bonny- congregation in Meadow Street became man had been a shrewd, self-educated still more select than it had been before. Scot, whose theology was strongly fla- Between chapels standing in the relation voured by the tenets of his Presbyterian of Meadow Street and Factory Lane, countrymen, but whose national prudence entire cordiality could hardly have been had taught him to modify his opinions to expected; and every now and then little the views of his English hearers. Thus, bickerings and jealousies would crop up though Predestination and Election, the which required all the office-bearers' tact Infallibility of the Elect and a Limited to keep from breaking out into public Atonement, were standing canons on the scandals. If Meadow Street took pride Meadow Street statute-book-and to in its easy, well-to-do, Christian respecdoubt them would have been regarded as tability, Factory Lane was just as ready the rankest heresy-one might have to parade its poverty, and to pity the dislistened to Mr. Bonnyman from year's proportionate endowment of worldly end to year's end without catching the goods and heavenly grace that had fallen slightest allusion to any of these dogmas. to the lot of the other. In Meadow The Meadow Street Chapel was animated Street, sermons savouring of morality by a keen missionary spirit. Not a were in great repute; while Factory Line congregation in the county raised a would listen to nothing but the plain larger sum per member for evangelical letter of the Gospel and justification by purposes, and nowhere was an appeal for faith: so that when the two ministers funds in aid of any denominational chanced to exchange pulpits, the Factory enterprise more cordially responded to Lane folk refused point-blank to listen to than in Lorton. But Meadow Street such an old, dry, moral stick as they said could afford to be thus munificent with- Mr. Bonnyman was; and the Meadow out being taunted with the trite adage Street members were equally positive that "charity begins at home." There that it was much more profitable to read were no poor in Mr. Bonnyman's congre- a sermon at home for themselves, than gation, for all the members were well-to-go to church to be disgusted by a ranter

like Mr. Booth. Factory Lane stigma-mittee, who had only asked the Factory tized Meadow Street with its Christian Lane pastor because they could not civdeadness, and coldness, and formality; illy avoid doing so, were delighted, and and Meadow Street retorted by pointing hastened to secure the services of Dr. significantly to the large £, followed also Courtenay, who was minister of St. by four goodly figures, which closed its Augustine's Chapel at Hornham, and annual subscription list-and by a hint private chaplain to Lady Pottersfield. that even coldness and formality might About this time it was remarked that Mr. sometimes be preferable to misdirected Booth took very gloomy views of the fuzeal and extravagant enthusiasm. ture of the Church. What could be exWhen young Mr. Wayne was called to pected of the people, he asked, when the the Meadow Street pastorate, the Factory ministry was treated as a secular profesLane members did not seek to dissemble sion, like the interpretation of the law and their disgust, but thanked heaven that the practice of physic- a cure not of they, at least, were free from aristocratic souls, but of silver? They talked of influences, and that their chapel was not simony and the imposition of unsuitable a living in the gift of the Wayne family. pastors upon unwilling flocks in the case At first there were hopes of some of the of other Churches: were their own eyes Meadow Street malcontents joining the so free from beams that they could Factory Lane congregation; but though clearly see motes in the eyes of other they frequently dropped in for evening sects? They heard much nowadays of worship about the time of Mr. Wayne's university honours and worldly accomsettlement, they speedily fell back upon plishments; but did these avail as qualithe old pews in the more commodious fications for the ministry if grace and and fashionable sanctuary. Worse than godly fear were lacking? Were the that, some of the wealthiest members of twelves apostles university men? Was a Factory Lane, whom a distaste for Mr. knowledge of profane languages and Bonnyman had driven thither, now be- heathen philosophy required of them trayed indications of returning to Mead-that sought ordination in the primitive ow Street. Poor Mr. Booth had thought Church? Far be it from him to deprehis lines hard enough when his claims ciate knowledge, for without knowledge upon the Meadow Street pulpit had been allowed to lie unmooted, but that was a light matter compared to his flock being allured away from him. In vain did he demand from the pulpit what they went out into the wilderness for to see, and warn them against the danger of turning aside either to the right hand or the left in the Christian race to search for novelties. But by the week of Mr. Wayne's ordination, five of the best pews in the Factory Lane Chapel were standing empty at the disposal of the committee; and Mr. Booth clearly foresaw that not only would Mr. Wayne attempt to draw his people away from him, but that he would be for acting as his suffragan in the Factory Lane Chapel; and the good man had made up his mind to undergo martyrdom rather than suffer the principles of the Church to be thus trampled upon in his instance. So when Mr. Chesham invited Mr. Booth to introduce the new minister to his flock, it unfortunately happened that Mr. Booth had already ered by Dr. Courtenay at Meadow arranged an exchange of pulpits with Brother Morgan of Combeport; and the engagement could not possibly be altered. Mr. Booth considered this refusal a daring defiance of the whole aristocracy of Lorton; but the Meadow Street com

there could be no faith, and without faith there could be no salvation; but there was a knowledge that puffed men up, and was it not written that "the wisdom of the world was foolishness with God"? The man who had but the least spark of that knowledge which maketh wise unto salvation, albeit he knew not even a letter, was a more truly learned man than he at whose feet kings and princes sought for wisdom. Might He who was the fount of all true knowledge save them from the sin of boasting themselves of learning, and impart to each and all there present, &c. &c.

But very soon it was noticed that Mr. Booth's language underwent a remarkable change. A day or two after Mr. Wayne's induction, the young minister called to pay his respects to his elder colleague. Mr. Booth was engaged upon a sermon on the duties of the pastorate, in which he drew a contrast between St. Paul's charge to Timothy and that deliv

Street-infinitely to the advantage of
the former-when Mr. Wayne's name
was brought up to him.
The starchy
manner and stiff dry tones which he of
Factory Lane thought fit to assume,
speedily melted away before Wayne's

renial frankness; and when the young But Wayne would not hear of thanks minister acknowledged how much he the obligation was his; for how could h stood in need of counsel from his senior's be responsible for the house and grounds long and varied experience, and begged unless he put them into trustworthy that he might be allowed to work under hands? He could not go to Meadow him among the poor of the locality, Mr. Street every morning and see that some Booth's reserve fairly broke down, and he burglar had not walked away with the gave the new-comer a hearty brotherly Villa overnight. But he cautioned Mr greeting. But it was not long before Booth that he would be remorselessly Wayne had adroitly contrived to heap evicted if any likely young damsel were several shovelfuls of very hot coals upon so far left to herself as to fancy him for a the bald scalp of Mr. Booth. When the husband - an event so improbable that young minister began to talk in a laugh- it need hardly be taken into calculation. ing way about his being a miserable And then Mr. Booth laughed, and said bachelor, and to say that he would be in- he was sorry Mr. Wayne had mentioned finitely obliged if the other would occupy it, for it would be somewhat hard upon Meadow Villa at a nominal rent-say human nature to wish heartily for his half as much as he gave for his present friend's happiness, since it would entail house Mr. Booth's face turned quite on them the loss of such a paradise. scarlet at the startling proposal, and he After this they became quite confidential, felt sorely tempted to cry there and then and exchanged opinions regarding the before his visitor. Was this the man office-bearers of both congregations, whom he and all his congregation had which, for the peace of those worthy been villifying for weeks past? the man brethren, we shall not repeat. And whom he had suspected of wishing to finally, Mrs. Booth was quite startled by lead away his congregation, and of bish- the appearance of the unpopular minisoping it over himself? As Mr. Booth's ter in her husband's company in the little eye fell upon the sermon on his writing- parlour where she was cutting thick table, he felt as if he would like to fling bread and butter for tea; and still more back the offer in the young Pharisee's by Mr. Wayne's ready assurance that he teeth either that or to acknowledge would not be a stranger in future at that like a man how little he merited kindness family meal. The half-finished sermon at Mr. Wayne's hands. But the latter was committed to the grate; and when course required more courage than Mr. Mr. Booth preached next Sunday, it was Booth could muster, and there were more from the text, "Judge not, that ye be not considerations than one that kept him judged," and his discourse was against from rashly refusing Mr. Wayne's gen-giving place to censorious and uncharitaerous proffer. There was no house for ble thoughts and words. We are not the minister attached to the Factory sure that the Factory Lane congregation Lane Chapel, and Mr. Booth's present habitation was a dingy, confined, brick building, in a locality that enjoyed the pre-eminence of being the most unsanitary in Lorton. A change from Factory Lane to Meadow Villa would have saved poor Susan when she died of the relapse from typhus a year ago, thought Mr. Booth sadly. The pale-faced children IT was not without a remonstrance on would soon gather rosy cheeks running the part of his relations that Edgar about among the green shrubberies and upon the trim grass-plots of Meadow Villa. Why, his wife would get quite a girl again if she could be removed from the smoke and smells of Factory Lane; and what sermons, for strength and pathos, would not he himself compose most worthy man, but when walking bareheaded in the open" but" meant could be gathered only air up and down the long secluded alley from the shrug of Mr. Silas's shoulders; at the back of the Villa! When he and, besides, ministers were commanded thought of all this, what could poor to be given to hospitality, and how could Booth do but thank Mr. Wayne for his he be hospitable unless he had a house of Kindness the best way he possibly could? his own? Edgar laughingly replied in

relished this sermon as well as the preceding ones; but of this we are convinced, that every word came from Mr. Booth's heart, and that the sermon was addressed more to his own failings than to the errors of his flock.

II.

Wayne was allowed to give up the minister's house to Mr. Booth. Mr. Silas cautioned him against Quixotry and overgenerosity at the outset, and also about taking up too much with Mr. Booth. Mr. Booth, to be sure, was a worthy man, a What this