She therefore used to hold lectures in Boston once or twice a week, at which most of the women attended.

Mrs.Hutchinson presided at these meetings, sitting with great state and dignity in Grandfather's chair." "Grandfather, was it positively this very chair ?" demanded Clara, laying her hand upon its carved elbow.
"Why not, my dear Clara ?" said Grandfather.

"Well, Mrs.Hutchinson's lectures soon caused a great disturbance; for the ministers of Boston did not think it safe and proper that a woman should publicly instruct the people in religious doctrines.

Moreover, she made the matter worse by declaring that the Rev.Mr.Cotton was the only sincerely pious and holy clergyman in New England.

Now, the clergy of those days had quite as much share in the government of the country, though indirectly, as the magistrates themselves; so you may imagine what a host of powerful enemies were raised up against Mrs.Hutchinson.A synod was convened; that is to say, an assemblage of all the ministers in Massachusetts.
They declared that there were eighty-two erroneous opinions on religious subjects diffused among the people, and that Mrs.Hutchinson's opinions were of the number." "If they had eighty-two wrong opinions," observed Charley, "I don't see how they could have any right ones." "Mrs.Hutchinson had many zealous friends and converts," continued Grandfather.