From what we can make out, Van Dyke must have been a churchman.

The book is a good example of what Everhard would have called bourgeois thinking.

Note the similarity between the utterance of the Charleston Baptist Association quoted above, and the following utterance of Van Dyke seventy years later: "The Bible teaches that God owns the world.

He distributes to every man according to His own good pleasure, conformably to general laws." "I did not know," the Bishop murmured faintly.

His face was pale, and he seemed suffering from nausea.
"Then you have not protested ?" The Bishop shook his head.
"Then the Church is dumb to-day, as it was in the eighteenth century ?" The Bishop was silent, and for once Ernest forbore to press the point.
"And do not forget, whenever a churchman does protest, that he is discharged." "I hardly think that is fair," was the objection.
"Will you protest ?" Ernest demanded.
"Show me evils, such as you mention, in our own community, and I will protest." "I'll show you," Ernest said quietly.