Page:The Life of Mary Baker G. Eddy.djvu/29

Rh tiger for temper, and always in a row." "You could no more move him than you can move old Kearsarge" (a local mountain). "An ugly disposition, but faithful to his church, and immovable in his politics." These are the comments of his old neighbours in Tilton to-day.

Inevitably, he carried his religion and politics to extremes. In the Congregational church he was an active figure, faithful and punctilious in performing all its requirements. Not only did he fulfil his own church obligations, but he saw that his brethren and sisters fulfilled theirs. He brought charges of backsliding against fellow-members when they failed to attend public worship or communion, and was willingly appointed to visit and "labour" with the delinquents. It seems probable that Mark enjoyed this duty and performed it thoroughly. He had his own church troubles, too. The yellowed books of the Tilton Congregational Church record many a disputation between him and the brethren. A quarrel between Mark Baker and William Hayes was aired before the congregation year after year, but the two were never reconciled. The church did not follow Mark's wishes in the settlement of the differences, and after bringing up the old charges again and again, and receiving no satisfaction, he applied for a letter of dismissal, because he "could not walk in covenant with this church." When his request was refused, he placed himself on record as "feeling aggrieved at the doings of the church on this subject."

A story which has passed into neighbourhood tradition illuminates the man and shows the strength and quality of his religious feeling. One Sunday in his later years he mistook the day and worked as usual about his place. On Monday