Truly in this denominational hippodrome, odd yoke-fellows are sometimes
set to run together; the efforts of the children of light to equal in
wisdom the children of darkness leading the church to clap its
ecclesiastical harness upon anything that--by flattery, bribes or
intimidation, can be led, coaxed or driven to pull at the particular
congregational chariot to which the tugs are fast! When the people of
Corinth speak of Judge Strong's religion, or his relation to the Memorial
Church they wink--if the Judge is not looking. When Elder Jordan is
mentioned their voices always have a note of respect and true regard.
Elder Strong is always called "The Judge"; Nathaniel Jordan was known far
and wide as "Elder Jordan." Thus does the community, as communities have
a way of doing, touch the heart of the whole matter.
Dan recognized instinctively the difference in the characters of these
two men, yet he had found them always of one mind in all matters of the
church. He felt the subtle antagonism of Judge Strong, though he did not
realize that the reason for it lay in the cunning instinct of a creature
that recognized a natural enemy in all such spirits as his. He felt, too,
the regard and growing appreciation of Elder Jordan. Yet the two
churchmen were in perfect accord in their "brotherly administration."
When the officials met in Dan's study that day, their characters were
unmistakable. That they were both in harness was also clear.
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