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happiness as this？ So I took my whistle from my lips and asked：
〃Is God dead？〃
I shall never forget the indescribable look of horror and astonishment
that swept over the young man's face。
〃What do you mean； sir？〃 he asked with an air of stern authority which
surprised me。 His calling for the moment lifted him above himself： it was
the Church which spoke。
I was on my feet in an instant； regretting the pain I had given him； and
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yet it seemed worth while now； having made my inadvertent remark； to
show him frankly what lay in my mind。 Such things sometimes help men。
〃I meant no offence； sir；〃 I said； 〃and I apologize for my flummery； but
when I saw you coming up the hill； looking so gloomy and disconsolate on
this bright day； as though you disapproved of God's world； the question
slipped out before I knew it。〃
My words evidently struck deep down into some disturbed inner
consciousness； for he askedand his words seemed to slip out before he
thought：
〃Is THAT the way I impressed you？〃
I found my heart going out strongly toward him。 〃Here；〃 I thought to
myself； 〃is a man in trouble。〃
I took a good long look at him。 He still a young man； though worn…
lookingand sad as I now saw it； rather than gloomywith the sensitive
lips and the unworldly look one sees sometimes in the faces of saints。 His
black coat was immaculately neat； but the worn button…covers and the
shiny lapels told their own eloquent story。 Oh； it seemed to me I knew him
as well as if every incident of his life were written plainly upon his high；
pale forehead！ I have lived long in a country neighbourhood； and I knew
himpoor flagellant of the rural churchI knew how he groaned under the
sins of a Community too comfortably willing to cast all its burdens on the
Lord； or on the Lord's accredited local representative。 I inferred also the
usual large family and the low salary （scandalously unpaid） and the
frequent moves from place to place。
Unconsciously heaving a sigh the young man turned partly aside and
said to me in a low； gentle voice：
〃You are detaining my boys from church。〃
〃I am very sorry；〃 I said； 〃and I will detain them no longer；〃 and with
that I put aside my whistle； took up my bag and moved down the hill with
them。
〃The fact is；〃 I said； 〃when I heard your bell I thought of going to
church myself。〃
〃Did you？〃 he asked eagerly。 〃Did you？〃
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I could see that my proposal of going to church had instantly affected
his spirits。 Then he hesitated abruptly with a sidelong glance at my bag
and rusty clothing。 I could see exactly what was passing in his mind。
〃No；〃 I said； smiling； as though answering a spoken question； 〃I am
not exactly what you would call a tramp。〃
He flushed。
〃I didn't meanI WANT you to come。 That's what a church is for。 If I
thought〃
But he did not tell me what he thought； and； though he walked quietly
at my side； he was evidently deeply disturbed。 Something of his
discouragement I sensed even then； and I don't think I was ever sorrier for
a man in my life than I was for him at that moment。 Talk about the
suffering sinners！ I wonder if they are to be compared with the trials of the
saints？
So we approached the little white church； and caused； I am certain； a
tremendous sensation。 Nowhere does the unpredictable； the unusual；
excite such confusion as in that settled institutionthe church。
I left my bag in the vestibule； where I have no doubt it was the object
of much inquiring and suspicious scrutiny； and took my place in a
convenient pew。 It was a small church with an odd air of domesticity； and
the proportion of old ladies and children in the audience was pathetically
large。 As a ruddy； vigorous； out…of…door person； with the dust of life upon
him； I felt distinctly out of place。
I could pick out easily the Deacon； the Old Lady Who Brought
Flowers； the President of the Sewing Circle； and； above all； the Chief
Pharisee； sitting in his high place。 The Chief Phariseehis name I learned
was Nash； Mr。 J。 H。 Nash （I did not know then that I was soon to make his
acquaintance）the Chief Pharisee looked as hard as nails； a middle…aged
man with stiff chin…whiskers； small round； sharp eyes； and a pugnacious
jaw。
〃That man；〃 said I to myself； 〃runs this church；〃 and instantly I found
myself looking upon him as a sort of personification of the troubles I had
seen in the minister's eyes。
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I shall not attempt to describe the service in detail。 There was a
discouraging droop and quaver in the singing； and the mournful…looking
deacon； who passed the collection…plate seemed inured to disappointment。
The prayer had in it a note of despairing appeal which fell like a cold hand
upon one's living soul。 It gave one the impression that this was indeed a
miserable； dark； despairing world； which deserved to be wrathfully
destroyed； and that this miserable world was full of equally miserable；
broken； sinful； sickly people。
The sermon was a little better； for somewhere hidden within him this
pale young man had a spark of the divine fire； but it was so dampened by
the atmosphere of the church that it never rose above a pale luminosity。
I found the service indescribably depressing。 I had an impulse to rise
up and cry outalmost anything to shock these people into opening their
eyes upon real life。 Indeed； though I hesitate about setting it down here； I
was filled for some time with the liveliest imaginings of the following
serio…comic enterprise：
I would step up the aisle； take my place in front of the Chief Pharisee；
wag my finger under his nose； and tell him a thing or two about the
condition of the church。
〃The only live thing here；〃 I would tell him； 〃is the spark in that pale
minister's soul； and you're doing your best to smother that。〃
And I fully made up my mind that when he answered back in his
chief…pharisaical way I would gentlybut firmly remove him from his seat；
shake him vigorously two or three times （men's souls have often been
saved with less！）； deposit him flat in the aisle； and yesstand on him while
I elucidated the situation to the audience at large。 While I confined this
amusing and interesting project to the humours of the imagination I am
still convinced that something of the sort would have helped enormously
in clearing up the religious and moral atmosphere of the place。
I had a wonderful sensation of relief when at last I stepped out again
into the clear afternoon sunshine and got a reviving glimpse of the smiling
green hills and the quiet fields and the sincere treesand felt the welcome
of the friendly road。
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I would have made straight for the hills； but the thought of that pale
minister held me back； and I waited quietly there under the trees till he
came out。 He was plainly looking for me； and asked me to wait and walk
along with him； at which his four boys； whose acquaintance I had made
under such thrilling circumstances earlier in the day； seemed highly
delighted； and waited with me under the tree and told me a hundred
important things about a certain calf； a pig； a kite； and other things at
home。
Arriving at the minister's gate； I was invited in with a whole…
heartedness that was altogether charming。 The minister's wife； a faded…
looking woman who had once possessed a delicate sort of prettiness； was
waiting for us on the steps with a fine chubby baby on her armnumber
five。
The home was much the sort of place I had imagineda small house
undesirably located （but cheap！）； with a few straggling acres of garden and
meadow upon