LangworthyIsaac18780524_004

But it was received as persecution for con-
science sake by the petitioners, & they went
to the adjacent grove to hold their meetings;
feeling that they were martyrs to a great
moral principle. Under the leadership of
two or three bold learned young men some
thirty five bound themselves together, by a
solemn pledge, to induce the faculty
to grant their request or they would leave
the Academy. As helpful to this alternative,
the exhibition was at hand, & among their
number was the valedictorian & other
appointees; & to them it was very plain
that without their co-operation, the exhi-
bition would have to be given up,
greatly to the damage of the institute and
chagrine of the Faculty. But Mr. John
-son & his co-laborers believed them-
selves as conscentious as these "young mar-
tyrs" & so adhered to their decision. The young
men were allowed to depart. New appoin-
tees were selected & the exhibition went off
very creditably, & the Academy survived
the depletion without serious loss.