[Footnote: Cotton, _Way of New
England Churches_, p. 52.] Unfortunately also for herself, she was one
of the enthusiasts who believe themselves subject to divine revelations,
for this pretension would probably in any event have brought upon her the
displeasure of the church. It is worth while to attempt some logical
explanation of the dislike felt by the Massachusetts elders to any
suggestion of such supernatural interposition. The half-unconscious train
of reasoning on which they based their claim to exact implicit obedience
from the people seems, when analyzed, to yield this syllogism: All
revelation is contained in the Bible; but to interpret the ancient sacred
writings with authority, a technical training is essential, which is
confined to priests; therefore no one can define God's will who is not of
the ministry. Had the possibility of direct revelation been admitted this
reasoning must have fallen; for then, obviously, the word of an inspired
peasant would have outweighed the sermon of an uninspired divine; it
follows, necessarily, that ecclesiastics so situated would have been
jealous of lay preaching, and absolutely intolerant of the inner light.
In May, 1636, the month of Vane's election, Mrs. Hutchinson had been
joined by her brother-in-law, John Wheelwright, the deprived vicar of
Bilsby. Her social influence was then at its height; her amiable
disposition had made her popular, and for some time past she had held
religious meetings for women at her house.
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