“You do well to use the word imminent,” returned the other gravely.
“But you would not, surely, have us preach that!”
“If we don’t, I fear it will preach to us,” said Mr. Clare.
“Well, to be sure, we all know your views,” said the evangelist, “and I guess most of us suspected what you were driving at; but I’ve converted too many to be an easy convert myself. You’ve got to prove it every time.”
“Prove what? the reality of the danger?”
“Well, no!” said the lecturer, “I admit the danger now and here. A government that licenses the sale of poison has got to fall, sooner or later, if God Almighty is the Ruler of heaven and earth.”
“Is He the Ruler of earth?” asked Mr. Clare.
“Well! He rules over a set of awful rebels, I admit,” replied the lecturer.
“Then, see here, my friend; while you are blaming the government for failing to exercise a power that it doesn’t possess, don’t you feel that you waste time? Wouldn’t it be wiser and more economical of nervous force to give the power to the government first, and then require its exercise?”
“But how are you going to do it?” asked the lecturer.