n that old guy to-day looked shifty. I should say he was just
dull and uninteresting. He may have thought he had a call long ago,
but he's been asleep so long he's forgotten about it." "O Allison!
This is dreadful!"

Julia Cloud closed her Bible, and looked down in horror at the frank
young face of the boy who minced no words in saying what he thought
about these holy things that had always been so precious and sacred to
her. She felt like putting her hands over her ears and running away
screaming. Her very soul was in agony over the desecration. The
children looked into her face, saw the white, scared look, and took
warning.

"There now, Cloudy, don't worry!" said Allison, leaning over and
patting her hand awkwardly. "I didn't mean to hurt you; honest I
didn't. Perhaps I'm wrong. Of course I am if you say so. I don't
really know any ministers, anyhow. I was just saying what is the
general impression among the fellows. I didn't realize you would
_care_."

"Do the young men all think that?" Julia Cloud's lips were white, and
an agonized expression for the church of God had grown in her eyes.
She searched the boy's face with a look he did not soon forget. It
made an impression that stayed with him always. At least, there was
something in religion if it could make her look like that to hear it
lightly spoken of. At least this one woman was a sincere follower of
Christ.

"There now, Cloudy! I tell you I'm sorry I said that; and just to
prove it I'll go to that old Christian Endeavor to-night, and try to
find something interesting. I will truly. And Les will go, too!"

"Of course!" said Leslie, nestling close. "Forget what he said, and
tell us why we have to go to church, Cloudy, dear."

Julia Cloud tried to recall her troubled thoughts to the subject in
hand.

"Well, God had them build the tabernacle for worship, you know, dear;
told them how to make everything even to the minutest details, and
established worship. That was to be part of the Sabbath day, a place
to worship, and a promise that He would be there to meet any one who
came. That promise holds good to-day. You needn't ever think about the
minister. Just fancy you see Christ in the pulpit. He is there, come
to meet His own, you know. He'll be in that Christian Endeavor
to-night. He was in the tabernacle of old. There was a brightness in
the cloud of His presence to show the people that God had come down to
meet them. They were children, and had to be hel