Hickman. "It is blasphemy!"
"It must stop instantly," put in Mr. Wygant. And Samuel knew that when
Mr. Wygant spoke, he meant to be obeyed.
"Then there is no one here who will hear me?" he exclaimed. "Mr.
Hamerton, won't you help me?"
"What do you want us to do?" demanded Mr. Hamerton.
"I want the vestry to investigate these charges. I want you to find
out whether it is true that members of St. Matthew's have been
corrupting the government of Lockmanville. And if it is true, I want
you to drive such men from the church! They have no place in the
church, sir! Men who spend their whole time in trying to get the
people's money from them! Men who openly declare, as Mr. Wygant did to
me, that it is necessary to bribe lawmakers in order to make money!
Such men degrade the church and drag it from its mission. They are the
enemies the church exists to fight--"
"Are we here to listen to a sermon from this boy?" shouted Mr. Hickman
furiously.
"Samuel, leave this room!" commanded Dr. Vince.
"Then there is no one here who will help me?"
"I told you you could accomplish nothing by such behavior. Leave the
room!"
"Very well, then," cried the boy wildly, "I will go. But I tell you I
will not give up without a fight. I will expose you and denounce you
to the world! The people shall know you for what you are--cowards and
hypocrites, faithless to your trust! Plunderers of the public!
Corrupters of the state!"
"Get out of here, you young villain!" shouted Hickman, advancing with
a menace.
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