Christian fiction; Families -- Fiction; Love stories
Shirley had at once identified herself with the struggling little
Christian Endeavor society and was putting new life into it, with her
enthusiasm, her new ideas about getting hold of the young people of the
community, and her wonderful knack of getting the silent ones to take
part in the meetings. She had suggested new committees, had invited
the music committee to meet her at her home some evening to plan out
special music, and to coöperate with the social committee in planning
for music at the socials. She always carried a few appropriate
clippings or neatly written verses or other quotations to meeting to
slip into the hands of some who had not prepared to speak, and she saw
to it that her brothers and sisters were always ready to say something.
Withal, she did her part so unobtrusively that none of the old members
could think she was trying to usurp power or make herself prominent.
She became a quiet power behind the powers, to whom the president and
all the other officers came for advice, and who seemed always ready to
help in any work, or to find a way out of any difficulty. Christian
Endeavor in the little white church at once took great strides after
the advent of the Hollisters, and even the idlers on the street corners
were moved with curiosity to drop into the twilight service of the
young people and see what went on, and why everybody seemed so
interested. But the secret of it all, Shirley thought, was the little
five-minute prayer service that the prayer-meeting committee held in
the tiny primary room just before the regular meeting. Shirley as
chairman of the prayer-meeting committee had started this little
meeting, and she always came into the larger room with an exalted look
upon her face and a feeling of strength in her heart from this brief
speaking with her Master.
Shirley was somewhat aghast the next Sabbath to have Sidney Graham
arrive and ask her to take a ride with him.
"Why, I was just going to church," she said, half hesitating, and then
smiling bravely up at him; "besides, I have a Sunday-school class. I
couldn't very well leave them, you know."
He looked at her for a moment thoughtfully, trying to bridge in his
thoughts this difference between them. Then he said quite humbly,
"Will you take me with you?"
"To church?" she asked, and there was a glad ring in her voice. Would
he really go to church with her?
"Yes, and to Sunday School if I may. I haven't been to Sunday School
in years. I'd like to go if you'll only let me."
Her cheeks grew rosy. She had a quick mental picture of putting him in
Deacon Pettigrew's Bible class.
"I'm afraid there isn't any class you would enjoy," she began with a
troubled look. "It's only a little country church, you know. They
don't have all the modern system, and very few teachers."
"I should enjoy going into your class very much if I might."
"Oh, mine are just boys, just little boys like Harley!" said Shirley,
aghast.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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