‘‘
[166]
matter to be judged of man's judgment, for, though certain people have not scrupled to call me cruel and hard of heart, yet the Lord knows I have wept in secret places over these misguided men and women.’
‘But might not life be spared?’
asked Madam Broadstreet. ‘Death is a great thing.’
‘It is appointed unto all to die,’ said Mr. Norton, ‘and after death cometh the judgment.
The death of these poor bodies is a bitter thing, but the death of the soul is far more dreadful; and it is better that these people should suffer than that hundreds of precious souls should be lost through their evil communication.
The care of the dear souls of my flock lieth heavily upon me, as many sleepless nights and days of fasting do bear witness.
I have not taken counsel of flesh and blood in this grave matter, nor yielded unto the natural weakness of my heart.
And while some were for sparing these workers of iniquity, even as Saul spared Agag, I have been strengthened, as it were, to hew them in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.
O madam, your honored husband can tell you what travail of spirit, what sore trials, these disturbers have cost us; and as you do know in his case, so believe also in mine, that what we have done hath been urged, not by hardness and cruelty of heart, but rather by our love and tenderness towards the Lord's heritage in this land.
Through care and sorrow I have grown old before my time; few and evil have been the days of my pilgrimage, and the end seems not far off; and though I have many sins and shortcomings to answer for, I do humbly ’’
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Boston and New York, Houghton, Mifflin and company, 1888-89.
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