them.  First, he gave a list of the points at variance; then he said that he understood that these, quoting from his document, were the views of his Scotch brethren; and he then proceeded to give briefly the arguments with which he had been furnished.  He said that his reverend brother and himself were much wearied with long travel, and that they would fain defer the debate for another two days, but that in the meantime they would be glad to hear the views of their friends.  Then did one after another of these eight worthy men rise, and for six mortal hours they poured forth their views.  I do not know whether it was most difficult to avoid laughter or yawning; but, indeed, Master Harry, it was a weary time.  I dared not look at William, for he put such grave attention and worshipful reverence on his face that you would have thought he had been born and bred to the work.  When the last of the eight had sat dawn he rose again, and expressed a marvelous admiration of the learning and eloquence which his brethren had displayed.  Many of their arguments he said, were new to him—­and in this, indeed, I doubt not he spoke truth—­and he perceived that it would be hard to answer all that they had so learnedly adduced.  Upon the other hand, he had much to say; but he was willing to allow that upon some points he should have difficulty in combating their views.  He prayed them, therefore, to defer the meeting for two days, when he would willingly give them his views upon the subject, and his learned brother would also address them.  He proposed that the party should be as small a one as that he saw before him, and that, after hearing him, they should, if possible, come to some arrangement upon a few, at least, of the points in dispute, so as to leave as small a number as might be open to for the public disputation which would follow.  The worshipful party appeared mightily taken with the idea, and, after an hour’s prayer from the chairman, we separated.  I hardly slept all night for laughing, and I would give much to see the faces of that honorable council when they hear that they have been fooled.”

“You have both shown great wisdom, Jacob,” Harry said, “and have behaved in a sore strait with much judgment and discretion.  It was lucky for you that your reverend friend did not, among his eight champions, think of inviting our little friend from London, for I fear that he would at once have denounced you as not being the divines whose credentials you presented.”

“I was afraid of that,” Jacob said, “and therefore begged him specially, on this our first conference, to have only ministers of his own circle present.  He mentioned that one or two godly ministers from London were present in the capital.  I replied that I was well aware of that, but that, as these men were not favored with the instructions of the convention, and knew not the exact turn which affairs had taken up to the period of my leaving, their presence might be an embarrassment—­which, indeed, was only the truth.”