I told them, therefore, that I had spoken with many of their brethren in various villages, and that I had found what I considered grave errors of doctrine.

I could not, for instance, agree with them in their belief that it was unlawful to eat pork.

This was perhaps an abrupt way of entering on the subject, but it furnished at least a locus standi--something to talk about--and an animated discussion immediately ensued.

My opponents first endeavoured to prove their thesis from the New Testament, and when this argument broke down they had recourse to the Pentateuch.

From a particular article of the ceremonial law we passed to the broader question as to how far the ceremonial law is still binding, and from this to other points equally important.
If the logic of the peasants was not always unimpeachable, their knowledge of the Scriptures left nothing to be desired.