"
Without a word, Zephaniah took his hat and strode away from the house,
and, after much angry communing with himself, went to the minister and
deacons of his chapel, and laid the facts of the rebellion before them,
and asked their advice.
They were in favour of peace, for two of them were his tenants, and they
knew that the time could not be very far off when Jabez would take the
old man's place, and it would be a serious matter, indeed, to the chapel,
were he to be driven from its fold.
"We cannot expect that all shall see with our eyes, Zephaniah," the
minister said, "and, indeed, the offer, which thou sayest the man
Davenant made, was a generous one. It would be well, indeed, for our
brethren throughout Ireland, did all the original owners of their lands
so treat them. Thousands who, but a few months since, were prosperous
men, are now without a shelter wherein to lay their heads. The storm is
sweeping over us, the elect are everywhere smitten, and, should James
Stuart conquer, not a Protestant in Ireland but must leave its shores.
Therefore, although I would counsel no giving up of principle, no
abandonment of faith, yet I would say that this is no time for the
enforcement of our views upon weak vessels.
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