The situation had begun to unfold itself to Theron from the outset.He had recognized the episodes of the forbidden Sunday milk and of the flowers in poor Alice's bonnet as typical of much more that was to come.
No week followed without bringing some new fulfilment of this foreboding.Now, at the end of two months, he knew well enough that the hitherto dominant minority was hostile to him and his ministry, and would do whatever it could against him.
Though Theron at once decided to show fight, and did not at all waver in that resolve, his courage was in the main of a despondent sort.Sometimes it would flutter up to the point of confidence, or at least hopefulness, when he met with substantial men of the church who obviously liked him, and whom he found himself mentally ranging on his side, in the struggle which was to come.
But more often it was blankly apparent to him that, the moment flags were flying and drums on the roll, these amiable fair-weather friends would probably take to their heels.
Still, such as they were, his sole hope lay in their support.
He must make the best of them.He set himself doggedly to the task of gathering together all those who were not his enemies into what, when the proper time came, should be known as the pastor's party.There was plenty of apostolic warrant for this.If there had not been, Theron felt that the mere elementary demands of self-defence would have justified his use of strategy.
The institution of pastoral calling, particularly that inquisitorial form of it laid down in the Discipline, had never attracted Theron.He and Alice had gone about among their previous flocks in quite a haphazard fashion, without thought of system, much less of deliberate purpose.
Theron made lists now, and devoted thought and examination to the personal tastes and characteristics of the people to be cultivated.There were some, for example, who would expect him to talk pretty much as the Discipline ordained--that is, to ask if they had family prayer, to inquire after their souls, and generally to minister grace to his hearers--and these in turn subdivided themselves into classes, ranging from those who would wish nothing else to those who needed only a mild spiritual flavor.