"
"Nay, nay, Abby, don't be too hard on the girl; I've watched Nathan closely,
and he has been in a dangerous and unstable state, even as long ago as his
last confession; but this piece of backsliding, grievous as it is, does n't
cause me as much sorrow as the fall of Brother Ephraim. To all appearance he
had conquered his appetite, and for five years he has led a sober life. I had
even great hopes of him for the ministry, and suddenly, like a great cloud in
the blue sky, has come this terrible visitation, this reappearance of the old
Adam. 'Ephraim has returned to his idols.'"
"How have you decided to deal with him, Daniel?"
"It is his first offense since he cast in his lot with us; we must rebuke,
chastise, and forgive."
"Yee, yee, I agree to that; but how if he makes us the laughing-stock of the
community and drags our sacred banner in the dust? We can't afford to have one
of our order picked up in the streets by the world's people."
"Have the world's people found an infallible way to keep those of their order
out of the gutters?" asked Elder Gray. "Ephraim seems repentant; if he is
willing to try again, we must be willing to do as much."
"Yee, Daniel, you are right.
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