Smart was the thing a man most needed in a New England village.
I have said before that the mother of this damsel carried a high head, as well in as out of the church.

She seemed also to have more rights than ordinary females, and would give herself a great deal of unnecessary trouble in asserting them, so much so that many of her less strong-handed sisters regarded her with fear.

The gentleman's attentions had not progressed far when it was evident to all attentive observers that there must soon be a split in the female division of his church.
Indeed, the quarrel in the female division of the church of the great progressive ideas was waged with great fierceness, and had such a number of nice little scandals mixed up in it as to make it quite interesting to people of a contemplative turn of mind.
Every meddlesome old woman in the church must put her finger in the reverend gentleman's love pie, and would speak her mind plainly enough, especially if she had daughters of her own.

To use the poor man's own language, he found himself spiked on all sides; and all for love, a thing which has brought no end of mischief on the world.

In short, from being an idol he found himself between fires that threatened to consume him, so fiercely did they burn.
The gentleman's position was indeed becoming perilous, when an unforeseen circumstance afforded him the means of relief.