And we now come to the New Testament.' The minister began to turn over the leaves of his little Bible, which it impressed Somerset to observe was bound with a flap, like a pocket book, the black surface of the leather being worn brown at the corners by long usage.

He turned on till he came to the beginning of the New Testament, and then commenced his discourse.

After explaining his position, the old man ran very ably through the arguments, citing well-known writers on the point in dispute when he required more finished sentences than his own.
The minister's earnestness and interest in his own case led him unconsciously to include Somerset in his audience as the young man drew nearer; till, instead of fixing his eyes exclusively on the person within the summer-house, the preacher began to direct a good proportion of his discourse upon his new auditor, turning from one listener to the other attentively, without seeming to feel Somerset's presence as superfluous.
'And now,' he said in conclusion, 'I put it to you, sir, as to her: do you find any flaw in my argument?
Is there, madam, a single text which, honestly interpreted, affords the least foothold for the Paedobaptists; in other words, for your opinion on the efficacy of the rite administered to you in your unconscious infancy?
I put it to you both as honest and responsible beings.' He turned again to the young man.
It happened that Somerset had been over this ground long ago.

Born, so to speak, a High-Church infant, in his youth he had been of a thoughtful turn, till at one time an idea of his entering the Church had been entertained by his parents.

He had formed acquaintance with men of almost every variety of doctrinal practice in this country; and, as the pleadings of each assailed him before he had arrived at an age of sufficient mental stability to resist new impressions, however badly substantiated, he inclined to each denomination as it presented itself, was 'Everything by starts, and nothing long,' till he had travelled through a great many beliefs and doctrines without feeling himself much better than when he set out.
A study of fonts and their origin had qualified him in this particular subject.