Page:The Diothas, or, A far look ahead (IA diothasorfarlook01macn).pdf/201



had arrived not long before the hour for entering the building designed for religious purposes. This, it may be remarked, was of considerable size and stately aspect, and stood in the centre of a large open space, planted with trees, some of which seemed coeval with the venerable edifice itself. The building consisted of two stories. The lower story was assigned to the use of the younger portion of the community. The upper story, divided into two almost equal portions, afforded places of assembly to the two great divisions of religious thought. Because they differed honestly on certain speculative subjects, it was not considered necessary that they should either hate or despise each other. On the contrary, the members of the one communion frequently resorted to the services of the other.

It thus came about that this building became, once a week at least, the gathering-point of almost the whole population of the district. Indeed, much of the social life of a neighborhood centred round these stated meetings of kinsmen and neighbors.

Imitating the example of the rest, I left my curricle at

193