The Reverend Cleveland just glanced at his host, and then looked out of the window with disengaged contemplativeness, tapping his fingertips together.
“Now, Mr Billing” suddenly observed Mr Blackwood, changing the topic with frankly exclusive regard to his own inclination, “I was glad to hear — from some one or other — that you were a Liberal. Now, if there is anything that makes me feel thoroughly rubbed up the wrong way, it is all this Toryism and Conservatism, and all those other “isms,” that really mean utter selfishness, and disregard of all classes but one’s own. If there is anything that makes me feel drawn towards a man, it is when I hear that he is a genuine Liberal. A grand word that — Liberal.”
“Well, I think I may claim to be genuine; I do not regard myself as a spurious article,” said Mr Billing, a sense of his effort at humour prompting him the next moment to turn a little red, glance at Mr Hutton, and look at his hands.
“Well, I am glad to hear it,” said Mr Blackwood. “You and I must have some walks and talks together.”
Mr Billing jumped, and looked towards Dr Cassell — feeling in the warmth of his emotions a desire to soothe that wounded gentleman and draw him again into converse.
“You are a Liberal too, I suppose, Dr Cassell?”
“No,” said Dr Cassell, pausing after this word, as though hardly able again to evince a generous loquaciousness; and then leaning towards Mr Billing, and speaking in hesitating, narrative tones, “I do not regard myself as belonging to any particular — political party. I have never been able to find — justification in the Bible — for a man’s giving of his time and interest to political matters; and I withhold mine. It seems to me that religion is so much the greatest thing in life, that energy bestowed upon other things is energy wasted.”
“But I meant on which side do you vote?” said Mr Billing, choosing what he supposed the most direct way of ridding himself of perplexity.
“I do not vote,” said Dr Cassell, pregnantly.
Mr Billing, not being a member of the doctors’ circle at Millfield, looked a little bewildered and glanced round the company.
“Ah, Mr Billing, now that is a subject upon which the doctor and I do not agree,” said Mr Blackwood loudly, coming to the help of his guest with the assignment of the local leaders of thought to their sides. “The doctor, you know, believes in that theory, that the world will go on getting worse and worse, and all that sort of thing, until at last it reaches the stage when the elect are caught up in the air,”—there was no suggestion of a flippant attitude towards Dr Cassell’s convictions in Mr Blackwood’s tone, rather the dropping that belongs to sacred reference—“and the world with every one else is left to the dealings of the Devil, and that sort of thing — you know those views, of course; and so he does not think it worth while to try and make things better—”
“I do not think it of any avail” broke in Dr Cassell, leaning forward.
“Well, it is all the same in practice, doctor,” said Mr Blackwood. “And it is practice we have to think of. Now, Mr Billing, what I believe is, that little by little the whole world will be evangelized, and that the gospel will be preached in every corner of it, as we are told in the Bible. That is what I believe; and that is what I think we ought to believe. I have no sympathy with this living for oneself, and not thinking of one’s duty to one’s fellow-creatures myself. I think—”
“If I had sympathy with that course, I do not think I should give all my spare time to — preaching the gospel to — and otherwise working for the good of — my fellow — creatures,” said Dr Cassell; just glancing at Mr Blackwood to make this rather bitterly-voiced observation; and then turning to Mr Billing, as though unable to refrain longer from putting his case for himself. “I regard it as impossible — I think I may say know it is impossible, from scriptural sources — to materially benefit the world — in its spiritual aspect — or to arrest its ultimate downfall; beyond endeavouring to — increase the number of the elect by evangelistic work. I think the true Christian should stand apart from the world.”
“Ruskin’s view — with religion in the place of letters and the arts,” said Mr Hutton, in a very low and somewhat caustic tone.
“Well,” said Mrs Merton-Vane, with a mingling of sadness and bitterness, “I am a Conservative myself, and so is my hus-band. Our fam-i-lies have been Conservative from the earliest times. Of course, we both come of such very old fam-i-lies. Lord Loftus was saying to me only yesterday, ‘My dear Mrs Merton-Vane, if every one held the opinions of your husband, the world would be a different place.’ That is what he said, Mr Hut-ton.”
“But — er — how do you suggest, Dr Cassell,” said Mr Billing, “that the necessary work in other matters, the work needful for the welfare of the nation, should be carried on, if no — er — righteous person must take part in it? Should we not all do our duty in the political system of our country, that the existing scheme may answer as well as possible? What of the practical results if everybody stood aside?”
Dr Cassell leaned forward, looking somewhat ruffled. He had so long interpreted a conversation as a didactic utterance by himself, that argument on equal terms struck him as deliberate baiting. “I base,” he said, in a tone at once huffy and impressive, “all my actions and all — my opinions — as far as in me lies — upon scriptural grounds. The Bible — and nothing but the Bible — is my authority for them. I am answerable to no man for them.”
Poor Mr Billing fidgeted, and looked as if he would like to apologise, if he could call to mind a definite ground for apology; and was much relieved by an appeal from his hostess.
“Mr Billing, I really cannot agree with Dr Cassell in his view that Christians should stand apart from the world. It seems to me that they ought to mingle in the world, and do their best to lift it to a higher plane, and hasten the day when the gospel shall be known amongst all nations. You know all really great men have felt in that way. Socrates and Dr Johnson, and so many people like that, found their greatest pleasure in mingling with men. You know, Socrates would have saved his life if he had consented to go away from Athens — the city he loved. I think that standing apart from the world is the very last thing for a Christian.”
Mr Billing looked his appreciation and uncertainty how to express it; and Dr Cassell, after a moment’s pause, leaned forward with a clearing brow.
“Do you know the reply — Mrs Blackwood — that Dr Johnson made, on being asked to take a walk in the country?”
“No, doctor, no; let us hear it,” said Mr Blackwood in an easy tone.
“His reply was,” said Dr Cassell, “‘Sir, when you have seen one green field, you have seen all green fields. Sir, I like to look upon men. Let us walk down Cheapside.’”
“How very interesting,” said Mr Blackwood, “and how like Dr Johnson! I think he would have been such an interesting man to know, do not you, Mr Billing? Boswell’s ‘Life of Johnson’ is such an illuminating biography — the best biography I have read, I think; and I have always been so fond of biography as a form of literature. Do you not admire it, Mr Billing?”