of truth. Such a man could get the young Christians together evenings
and lay out their Bible reading for them, spending an hour or two
perhaps, each week, in explaining the more difficult passages. If I
had time I would be glad to do the work myself, for there's nothing
I like better than teaching. I don't know, I might possibly find time
if the Brethren thought best for me to take the work. I am always ready
to do what the Lord wants me to, and I promise you that I'd teach those
young people the Scriptures, and make them interested, too. Why, when
I was in Bear City, down in Oklahoma, I had a--"

"But, Brother Wickham," interrupted Uncle Bobbie, who knew from
experience that if the good deacon ever got started on his work in
Oklahoma they never would get to the business of the evening, "it
strikes me you ain't got jist the right ide' of this. Tain't to be a
Sunday School, ner a place to teach the Bible, as I understand it,
though I reckon it's in line with the teachin' of Christ. It is--"

"Not to teach the Bible?" ejaculated the astonished deacon. "What on
earth can you teach in the church except the Bible, and what kind of
a reading room can you have in the Lord's house I'd like to know?"

"The ide', Brother Wickham," said the old elder, as gently as he could,
"is to furnish some place where young men of the town can go and spend
their time when they aint working. This room will be stocked with the
latest books, magazines and papers; there will be tables with writin'
material and sich stuff, if a feller wants to write to his girl, you
know, and the room in there will be fixed with easy chairs and sofas
for them that wants to talk er play games, er have a good time
generally. Seems to me what we want fer a manager is some young man
who's got good boss sense, and who could make things pleasant, even