t
nor the Levite right here in Cedar Mountain; but I will make
mention of the Good Samaritan.

"Ye see, it wasn't exactly a case of being held up by robbers; but
we had to raise enough to get the Hanky family out of their
troubles when Jack Hanky broke his arm, his leg, his buggy, and his
bank account all on one and the same unlucky day; and it was my job
to raise the wind to help him weather the storm. Well, I went about
as you all know, and got a little here and a little there; then
squeezed out a little more from some of the dry sponges, and still
was short. So I went to Jack Shives and he contributed more than
any one else; and then, on top of that, he put Hanky's buggy in
good shape without a cent of pay, and went down night after night
to sit at his bedside and help him pass the long hours away.

"Now the fact is, Jack Shives and I have had many a fight on
religious questions. He swears and drinks all he wants to, which
I'm bound to say isn't much. He jokes about the church and the
preacher and every one that goes to church. He pokes fun at the
hymn book and laughs at the Bible and every one that tries to
follow it word for word. Jack thinks he's all kinds of an infidel;
but he isn't. I have a notion of my own that he's a better
Christian than he allows, better than a good many church members I
could name. In fact, I believe if the Lord Jesus were to get off at
Cedar Mountain from to-morrow's noon train, the first thing he
would do would be to go to the post office and say: 'Can you tell
me where Jack Shives, the blacksmith, lives? He's a particular
friend of mine, he's done a lot of little odd jobs for me and I
guess I'll put up at his house while I'm in Cedar Mountain.'"

And so he talked for the allotted time, translating the age-old truth
into terms of to-day and personal application. A few of the older folk
thought he treated some very serious subjects too lightly; they
preferred the sing-song tone so long associated with scripture texts.
Others had their doubts as to Jim's theology. His eulogy of the
blacksmith was a little too impulsive, but none had any question of the
thrilling human interest of his words and the completeness of his hold
on every one's attention. It was wholesome, if not orthodox; it drove
home with conviction; it made them laugh and cry; and it was a
m