Cowfold, however, was not satisfied. Mr. Allen would not, as a man
of the world, have thought so much of such an indiscretion. Why was
Mr. Thomas late? Cowfold could not endure simple suspense of
judgment. Any theory, however wild, is more tolerable than a
confession that the facts are not sufficient for a decision, and the
common opinion, corroborated, it was declared, by surest testimony,
was that Mr. Thomas had been to the theatre. There was not a tittle
of evidence to support this story, but everybody was certain it was
true. Everybody repeated it, and constant repetition will harden the
loosest hearsay into a creed far more unshakable than faith in the
law of gravity.
Just before Mr. Broad's last illness, the secession of the Allens was
imitated by about twenty of the younger members of the congregation,
who met together on Sunday, under Mr. Allen's guidance, and
worshipped by themselves, each of them in turn making some attempt at
an exposition of the Bible and a short address. By the time Mr.
Broad died Tanner's Lane had sunk very low; but when his successor
was chosen the seceders exercised their rights, and were strong
enough to elect a student fresh from college, who had taken an M.
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