The Pioneers; Or, The Sources of the Susquehanna

by James Fenimore Cooper

  CHAPTER XI.

  "And fools who came to scoff, remained to pray." --Goldsmith.

  Notwithstanding the united labors of Richard and Benjamin, the "longroom" was but an extremely inartificial temple. Benches; made in thecoarsest manner, and entirely with a view to usefulness, were arrangedin rows for the reception of the Congregation; while a rough, unpaintedbox was placed against the wall, in the centre of the length of theapartment, as an apology for a pulpit. Something like a reading-deskwas in front of this rostrum; and a small mahogany table from themansion-house, covered with a spotless damask cloth, stood a little onone side, by the way of an altar. Branches of pines and hemlocks werestuck in each of the fissures that offered in the unseasoned andhastily completed woodwork of both the building and its furniture; whilefestoons and hieroglyphics met the eye in vast profusion along the brownsides of the scratch-coated walls. As the room was only lighted by someten or fifteen miserable candles, and the windows were without shutters,it would have been but a dreary, cheerless place for the solemnities ofa Christmas eve, had not the large fire that was crackling at each endof the apartment given an air of cheerfulness to the scene, by throwingan occasional glare of light through the vistas of bushes and faces.

  The two sexes were separated by an area in the centre of the roomimmediately before the pulpit; amid a few benches lined this space,that were occupied by the principal personages of the village and itsvicinity. This distinction was rather a gratuitous concession made bythe poorer and less polished part of the population than a right claimedby the favored few. One bench was occupied by the party of Judge Temple,including his daughter, and, with the exception of Dr. Todd, no one elseappeared willing to incur the imputation of pride, by taking a seat inwhat was, literally, the high place of the tabernacle.

  Richard filled the chair that was placed behind another table, in thecapacity of clerk; while Benjamin, after heaping sundry logs on thefire, posted himself nigh by, in reserve for any movement that mightrequire co-operation.

  It would greatly exceed our limits to attempt a description of thecongregation, for the dresses were as various as the individuals. Someone article of more than usual finery, and perhaps the relic of otherdays, was to be seen about most of the females, in connection withthe coarse attire of the woods. This wore a faded silk, that hadgone through at least three generations, over coarse, woollen blackstockings; that, a shawl, whose dyes were as numerous as those of therainbow, over an awkwardly fitting gown of rough brown "woman's wear."In short, each one exhibited some favorite article, and all appearedin their best, both men and women; while the ground-works in dress,in either sex, were the coarse fabrics manufactured within their owndwellings. One man appeared in the dress of a volunteer company ofartillery, of which he had been a member in the "down countries,"precisely for no other reason than because it was the best suit he had.Several, particularly of the younger men, displayed pantaloons ofblue, edged with red cloth down the seams part of the equipments of the"Templeton Light Infantry," from a little vanity to be seen in "boughtenclothes." There was also one man in a "rifle frock," with its fringesand folds of spotless white, striking a chill to the heart with the ideaof its coolness, although the thick coat of brown "home-made" that wasconcealed beneath preserved a proper degree of warmth.

  There was a marked uniformity of expression in Countenance, especiallyin that half of the congregation who did not enjoy the advantages ofthe polish of the village. A sallow skin, that indicated nothingbut exposure, was common to all, as was an air of great decency andattention, mingled, generally, with an expression of shrewdness, and inthe present instance of active curiosity. Now and then a face and dresswere to be seen among the congregation, that differed entirely from thisdescription. If pock-marked and florid, with gartered legs, and a coatthat snugly fitted the person of the wearer, it was surely an Englishemigrant, who had bent his steps to this retired quarter of the globe.If hard-featured and without color, with high cheek-bones, it was anative of Scotland, in similar circumstances.

  The short, black-eyed man, with a cast of the swarthy Spaniard in hisface, who rose repeatedly to make room for the belles of the village asthey entered, was a son of Erin, who had lately left off his pack, andbecome a stationary trader in Templeton. In short, half the nations inthe north of Europe had their representatives in this assembly, thoughall had closely assimilated themselves to the Americans in dress andappearance, except the English man. He, indeed, not only adhered to hisnative customs in attire and living, but usually drove his plough amongthe stumps in the same manner as he had before done on the plains ofNorfolk, until dear-bought experience taught him the useful lesson thata sagacious people knew what was suited to their circumstances betterthan a casual observer, or a sojourner who was, perhaps, too muchprejudiced to compare and, peradventure, too conceited to learn.

  Elizabeth soon discovered that she divided the attention of thecongregation with Mr. Grant. Timidity, therefore, confined herobservation of the appearances which we have described to stolesglances; but, as the stamping of feet was now becoming less frequent,and even the coughing, and other little preliminaries of a congregationsettling themselves down into reverential attention, were ceasing, shefelt emboldened to look around her. Gradually all noises diminished,until the suppressed cough denoted that it was necessary to avoidsingularity, and the most pro found stillness pervaded the apartment.The snapping of the fires, as they threw a powerful heat into the room,was alone heard, and each face and every eye were turned on the divine.

  At this moment, a heavy stamping of feet was heard in the passagebelow, as if a new-corner was releasing his limbs from the snow that wasnecessarily clinging to the legs of a pedestrian. It was succeeded byno audible tread; but directly Mohegan, followed by the Leather-Stockingand the young hunter, made his appearance.

  Their footsteps would not have been heard, as they trod the apartment intheir moccasins, but for the silence which prevailed.

  The Indian moved with great gravity across the floor, and, observing avacant seat next to the Judge, he took it, in a manner that manifestedhis sense of his own dignity. Here, drawing his blanket closely aroundhim so as partly to conceal his countenance, he remained during theservice immovable, but deeply attentive. Natty passed the place that wasso freely taken by his red companion, and seated himself on one end ofa log that was lying near the fire, where he continued, with his riflestanding between his legs, absorbed in reflections seemingly of no verypleasing nature. The youth found a seat among the congregation, andanother silence prevailed.

  Mr. Grant now arose and commenced his service with the sublimedeclaration of the Hebrew prophet: "The Lord is in His holy temple; letall the earth keep silence before Him." The example of Mr. Jones wasunnecessary to teach the congregation to rise; the solemnity of thedivine effected this as by magic. After a short pause, Mr. Grantproceeded with the solemn and winning exhortation of his service.Nothing was heard but the deep though affectionate tones of the reader,as he went slowly through this exordium; until, something unfortunatelystriking the mind of Richard as incomplete, he left his place and walkedon tiptoe from the room.

  When the clergyman bent his knees in prayer and confession, thecongregation so far imitated his example as to resume their seats;whence no succeeding effort of the divine, during the evening, was ableto remove them in a body. Some rose at times; but by far the largerpart continued unbending; observant, it is true, but it was the kindof observation that regarded the ceremony as a spectacle rather than aworship in which they were to participate. Thus deserted by his clerkMr. Grant continued to read; but no response was audible. The shortand solemn pause that succeeded each petition was made; still no voicerepeated the eloquent language of the prayer.

  The lips of Elizabeth moved, but they moved in vain and accustomedas she was to the service of the churches of the metropolis, she wasbeginning to feel the awkwardness of the circumstance most painfullywhen a soft, low female voice repeated after the priest, "We have leftundone those
things which we ought to have done." Startled at findingone of her own sex in that place who could rise superior to naturaltimidity, Miss Temple turned her eyes in the direction of the penitent.She observed a young female on her knees, but a short distance from her,with her meek face humbly bent over her book.

  The appearance of this stranger, for such she was, entirely, toElizabeth, was light and fragile. Her dress was neat and becoming;and her countenance, though pale and slightly agitated, excited deepinterest by its sweet and melancholy expression. A second and thirdresponse was made by this juvenile assistant, when the manly sounds ofa male voice proceeded from the opposite part of the room, Miss Templeknew the tones of the young hunter instantly, and struggling to overcomeher own diffidence she added her low voice to the number.

  All this time Benjamin stood thumbing the leaves of a prayer-book withgreat industry; but some unexpected difficulties prevented his findingthe place. Before the divine reached the close of the confession,however, Richard reappeared at the door, and, as he moved lightly acrossthe room, he took up the response, in a voice that betrayed no otherconcern than that of not being heard. In his hand he carried a smallopen box, with the figures "8 by 10" written in black paint on one ofits sides; which, having placed in the pulpit, apparently as a footstoolfor the divine, he returned to his station in time to say, sonorously,"Amen." The eyes of the congregation, very naturally, were turned to thewindows, as Mr. Jones entered with his singular load; and then, as ifaccustomed to his "general agency," were again bent on the priest, inclose and curious attention.

  The long experience of Mr. Grant admirably qualified him to perform hispresent duty. He well understood the character of his listeners, whowere mostly a primitive people in their habits; and who, being a gooddeal addicted to subtleties and nice distinctions in their religiousopinions, viewed the introduction of any such temporal assistance asform into their spiritual worship not only with jealousy, but frequentlywith disgust. He had acquired much of his knowledge from studying thegreat book of human nature as it lay open in the world; and, knowinghow dangerous it was to contend with ignorance, uniformly endeavoredto avoid dictating where his better reason taught him it was the mostprudent to attempt to lead, His orthodoxy had no dependence on hiscassock; he could pray with fervor and with faith, if circumstancesrequired it, without the assistance of his clerk; and he had even beenknown to preach a most evangelical sermon, in the winning manner ofnative eloquence, without the aid of a cambric handkerchief.

  In the present instance he yielded, in many places, to the prejudicesof his congregation; and when he had ended, there was not one of his newhearers who did not think the ceremonies less papal and offensive, andmore conformant to his or her own notions of devout worship, than theyhad been led to expect from a service of forms, Richard found in thedivine, during the evening, a most powerful co-operator in his religiousschemes. In preaching, Mr. Grant endeavored to steer a middle coursebetween the mystical doctrines of those sublimated creeds which dailyinvolve their professors in the most absurd contradictions, and thosefluent roles of moral government which would reduce the Saviour to alevel with the teacher of a school of ethics. Doctrine it was necessaryto preach, for nothing less would have satisfied the disputatious peoplewho were his listeners, and who would have interpreted silence on hispart into a tacit acknowledgment of the superficial nature of hiscreed. We have already said that, among the endless variety of religiousinstructors, the settlers were accustomed to hear every denominationurge its own distinctive precepts, and to have found one indifferent tothis Interesting subject would have been destructive to his influence.But Mr. Grant so happily blended the universally received opinions ofthe Christian faith with the dogmas of his own church that, althoughnone were entirely exempt from the influence of his reasons, very fewtook any alarm at the innovation.

  "When we consider the great diversity of the human character, influencedas it is by education, by opportunity, and by the physical and moralconditions of the creature, my dear hearers," he earnestly concluded "itcan excite no surprise that creeds so very different in theirtendencies should grow out of a religion revealed, it is true, but whoserevelations are obscured by the lapse of ages, and whose doctrines were,after the fashion of the countries in which they were first promulgated,frequently delivered in parables, and in a language abounding inmetaphors and loaded with figures. On points where the learned have,in purity of heart, been compelled to differ, the unlettered willnecessarily be at variance. But, happily for us, my brethren, thefountain of divine love flows from a source too pure to admit ofpollution in its course; it extends, to those who drink of its vivifyingwaters, the peace of the righteous, and life everlasting; it enduresthrough all time, and it pervades creation. If there be mystery in itsworkings, it is the mystery of a Divinity. With a clear knowledge of thenature, the might, and the majesty of God, there might be conviction,but there could be no faith. If we are required to believe in doctrinesthat seem not in conformity with the deductions of human wisdom, let usnever forget that such is the mandate of a wisdom that is infinite. Itis sufficient for us that enough is developed to point our path aright,and to direct our wandering steps to that portal which shall open on thelight of an eternal day. Then, indeed, it may be humbly hoped that thefilm which has been spread by the subtleties of earthly arguments willbe dissipated by the spiritual light of Heaven; and that our hour ofprobation, by the aid of divine grace, being once passed in triumph,will be followed by an eternity of intelligence and endless ages offruition. All that is now obscure shall become plain to our expandedfaculties; and what to our present senses may seem irreconcilable toour limited notions of mercy, of justice, and of love, shall standirradiated by the light of truth, confessedly the suggestions ofOmniscience, and the acts of an All-powerful Benevolence."

  "What a lesson of humility, my brethren, might not each of us obtainfrom a review of his infant hours, and the recollection of his juvenilepassions! How differently do the same acts of parental rigor appearin the eyes of the suffering child and of the chastened man! When thesophist would supplant, with the wild theories of his worldly wisdom,the positive mandates of inspiration, let him remember the expansion ofhis own feeble intellects, and pause--let him feel the wisdom of Godin what is partially concealed as well as that which is revealed; inshort, let him substitute humility for pride of reason--let him havefaith, and live!"

  "The consideration of this subject is full of consolation, my hearers,and does not fail to bring with it lessons of humility and of profit,that, duly improved, would both chasten the heart and strengthen thefeeble-minded man in his course. It is a blessed consolation to be ableto lay the misdoubtings of our arrogant nature at the thresh old of thedwelling-place of the Deity, from whence they shall be swept away, atthe great opening of the portal, like the mists of the morning beforethe rising sun. It teaches us a lesson of humility, by impressing uswith the imperfection of human powers, and by warning us of the manyweak points where we are open to the attack of the great enemy of ourrace; it proves to us that we are in danger of being weak, when ourvanity would fain soothe us into the belief that we are most strong; itforcibly points out to us the vainglory of intellect, and shows usthe vast difference between a saving faith and the corollaries of aphilosophical theology; and it teaches us to reduce our self-examinationto the test of good works. By good works must be understood the fruitsof repentance, the chiefest of which is charity. Not that charity onlywhich causes us to help the needy and comfort the suffering, but thatfeeling of universal philanthropy which, by teaching us to love,causes us to judge with lenity all men; striking at the root ofself-righteousness, and warning us to be sparing of our condemnation ofothers, while our own salvation is not yet secure."

  "The lesson of expediency, my brethren, which I would gather from theconsideration of this subject, is most strongly inculcated by humility.On the heading and essential points of our faith, there is but littledifference among those classes of Christians who acknowledge theattributes of the Saviour, and d
epend on his mediation. But heresieshave polluted every church, and schisms are the fruit of disputation. Inorder to arrest these dangers, and to insure the union of his followers,it would seem that Christ had established his visible church anddelegated the ministry. Wise and holy men, the fathers of our religion,have expended their labors in clearing what was revealed from theobscurities of language, and the results of their experience andresearches have been em bodied in the form of evangelical disciplineThat this discipline must be salutary, is evident from the view of theweakness of human nature that we have already taken; and that it may beprofitable to us, and all who listen to its precepts and its liturgy,may God, in his infinite wisdom, grant!--And now to," etc.

  With this ingenious reference to his own forms and ministry, Mr. Grantconcluded his discourse. The most profound attention had been paid tothe sermon during the whole of its delivery, although the prayers hadnot been received with so perfect demonstration of respect. This was byno means an intended slight of that liturgy to which the divine alluded,but was the habit of a people who owed their very existence, as adistinct nation, to the doctrinal character of their ancestors. Sundrylooks of private dissatisfaction were exchanged between Hiram and oneor two of the leading members of the conference, but the feeling went nofurther at that time; and the congregation, after receiving the blessingof Mr. Grant., dispersed in Silence, and with great decorum.