Page:Hannah More (1887 Charlotte Mary Yonge British).djvu/141

Rh slavery, either black or white, were suspected as revolutionary, excited bitter sneers from the Anti-Jacobin Review. It was still more distressing that an old friend and neighbour, Archdeacon Daubeny, was alarmed at the latter chapters of her book, which he considered to have a strong flavour of Calvinism. Indeed, considering that the authoress believed herself a thorough church woman, they are curiously lacking in any reference to church ordinances or means of grace. She had said nothing not borne out by the Articles and Liturgy; the point was what she had not said. However, she wisely made no attempt to argue publicly with the Archdeacon, and his letters were not answered. The serious thing was that the rumour of these attacks, on religious and political grounds, stirred up her only half-conquered enemies in the more reluctant parishes to an endeavour to put an end to her work among them.

It began at Wedmore—which was a "peculiar" under the patronage of the Chapter of Wells. The farmers presented a petition against the schools, with the statement that the master had called the Bishops dumb dogs, and said that all who went to church without hearing him would go to hell. The Bishop, Dr. Moss, knew and valued the good ladies, and invited them to dine whenever they passed through Wells. But Wedmore was a "peculiar" where he had no power, and it is impossible not to remark that there is