“3d.  I promise to regard with the profoundest contempt and indifference both my own dreams or somnambulisms and those of other people.

“4th.  I promise not to unveil the secret things of Infinity, nor to encourage others to unveil them, but to mind my own finite business, and to rest satisfied with the revelations that are contained in the Bible.

“5th.  I promise not to speak unknown tongues as long as I can speak English, and not to listen to other people who commit the like absurdity, unless I know them to be Frenchmen or Dutchmen or other foreigners of some human species.

“6th.  I promise not to heal the sick by any unnatural and miraculous means, but rather to call in for their aid properly educated physicians, giving the preference to those of the allopathic persuasion.

“7th.  I promise not to work signs in heaven nor wonders on earth, but to let all things take the course allotted to them by a good and wise Providence.”

Of course Dr. Potter looked upon this production as the height of irreverence and irreligion, and proposed to excommunicate the authors of it.  Hence the dissenters declared themselves seceders, and took immediate steps to form a new society.

It was at this stage of the excitement that I returned to Troubleton and made my call upon the Doctor.  I felt anxious to save my old friend and worthy pastor.  I saw, that, if he continued in his present courses, he would strip himself, one after the other, of his influence, his position, his religion, and his reason.  That very evening, after the usual conference-meeting was over, I called again on him, and found him in a truly lyrical frame of spirit.

“Ah, my dear friend, there is no end to it!” exclaimed he.  “The doors are opening, one beyond another.  Wonder shows forth after wonder, miracle after miracle.  Behind the veil! behind the veil!”

“Indeed!” said I, rather vexed.  “You’ll find yourself behind a grate some day.”

“There is now no question of the physical value as well as the spiritual sublimity of these revelations,” he continued, without observing my sneer.  “Life and death, the sparing of precious blood, the prevention of crime, the punishment of the guilty,—­you can appreciate these things, I presume.”

“When I am in my senses,” returned I.  “But what is the row? if I may use that worldly expression.  Has Mr. John M. Riley been brought to confess any state-prison offences?”

“Ah, Elderkin!” sighed the Doctor, letting go my hand with a look of sad reproach.  “But no:  you cannot remain forever in this skepticism; you will be brought over to us before long.  Let me tell you what has happened.  But, remember, you must keep the secret until to-morrow, as you value precious lives.  Mr. Riley has just left me.  He has made me a revelation, a prophecy, which will be proof to all men of the origin of our present experiences.  He has had a vision, thrice repeated.  It foretold that this very night a robbery and murder would be attempted in the city of New Haven.  The evil drama will open between two and three o’clock.  There will be three burglars.  The house threatened is situated in the suburbs, to the east of the city, and about a mile from the colleges.”