"'All right,' said the doubter; 'go ahead, if you have set your heart upon it. You may come up to the house for the hundred dollars any time to-day.'" "And with many a backward look the generous doubter passed on, half beginning to doubt his doubts. Evidently, the Baptists of Lexington were beginning to do something. It had been many a year since they had made such a noise as that in the village. And it was a noise destined to be heard a long, long way; much farther than the doubter and a great many able scientists have supposed that sound would 'carry.'" "After the doubter came a good-natured man who disliked churches in general, and therefore enjoyed the fun of seeing a preacher tug and puff in the heavy work of demolition, for the many-tongued rumor by this time had noised it all around Lexington that the new preacher was tearing down the Baptist meeting-house. He looked on until he could no longer keep his enjoyment to himself." "'Going to pull the whole thing down, are you?' he asked." "'Yes, sir,' replied the working preacher, ripping off a strip of siding, 'and begin all new.'" "'Who is going to pay the bills?' he asked, chuckling." "The preacher tucked up his sleeves and stepped back to get a good swing at an obstinate brace; 'I don't know,' he said, 'but the Lord has money somewhere to buy and pay for all we need.'" "The man laughed, in intense enjoyment of the absurdity of the whole crazy business." "'I'll bet five dollars to one,' he said, with easy confidence of a man who knows his bet will not be taken up, 'that you won't get the money in this town.'" "Mr. Conwell brought the axe down with a crashing sweep, and the splinters flew out into the air like a cloud of witnesses to the efficacy of the blow." "'You would lose your money, then,' quietly said the preacher, 'for Mr.---- just now came along and has given me a hundred dollars without solicitation.'" "The man's eyes opened a trifle wider, and his next remark faded into a long-drawn whistle of astonishment. Presently--'Did you get the cash?' he asked feebly." "'No, but he told me to call for it to-day.'" "The man considered. He wasn't enjoying the situation with quite so much humor as he had been, but he was growing more interested." "'Well! Is that so! I don't believe he meant it,' he added hopefully. Then, a man after all not disposed to go back on his own assertion, he said, 'Now I'll tell you what I'll do. If you really get that hundred dollars out of that man, I'll give you another hundred and pay it to-night,'" "And he was as good as his word." "All that day the preacher worked alone. Now came in the training of those early days on the farm, when he learned to swing an axe; when he builded up rugged strength in a stalwart frame, when his muscles were hardened and knotted with toil."