“One moment, please. The barrel was sent out as a Christmas offering from the First Church--not the Missionary Society, mind you, but our wealthy First Church. It was returned immediately. With it came this letter, which I will now read, since it concerns you all.” The president of the Missionary Society was generously sharing honors with the church. “This is from the wife of the missionary to whom the box was sent--Mrs. Mary C. Haloran. I do not know Mrs. Haloran personally, but I am told by a lady of this congregation at whose suggestion the box was sent that she is a cultivated Christian _lady_. They have a family of four boys, ranging in age from five to eleven. This I ascertained definitely, in order that there might be no haphazard, misfit giving. I left that paper with one of our members.” She looked the assemblage over interrogatively and a lady rose with evident reluctance. “Madam President--I am ashamed to acknowledge it, but that paper was never sent to the Society. I simply forgot it.” The president shook her head sadly. “It has placed us in a mortifying position. I am sure Mrs. Woodley will pardon me for saying that it exemplifies the truth of the old saying: “Evil is wrought by want of thought As well as by want of heart.” Mrs. Woodley sat down with a very red face. “The evil in this case you will see from Mrs. Haloran’s letter, which I will now read: “DEAR MADAM: “The barrel so generously sent by the First Church is received and its contents are carefully noted. I find after prayerful consideration of our wardrobes that we really are not in need of the articles contained in it, and I return it thus promptly that it may be used in discharging the obligations of the First Church to some of its other missionaries. If sent to the right place--say to a self-respecting minister with a wife whose spirit has not been entirely crushed out by the burdens of frontier life--I should think it might be used several times for this purpose. “I add a small contribution in the shape of Scripture texts, which will enhance the value of your gifts. The home missionary is so accustomed to subsisting on the Word of God that he may be able to feed on these and be filled. Likewise, they may have the effect to clothe him with the garment of praise. It is perhaps not too much to hope that they may also do good (incidentally) to them that are of the household of faith in the First Church. To this end I will ask that they be read to the ladies of your Society while an inventory of the barrel is taken. “Very sincerely yours, “MARY C. HALORAN.” “That’s a spicy letter,” whispered one woman to another with a sparkle of appreciation. “The woman’s no fool--if she _did_ go into Home Mission work.”