ked, "what's the first thing we ought to think
about for Mexico?"

"I told you I don't know anything about Mexico, except at second-hand.
But, I should say, schools. Schools are good for any land, don't you
think, Mr. Drury? And in Mexico they are such great disturbers of the
old slouching indifference. They will make the right kind of
discontent. Schools bring other things; new ideas of health and
sanitation, home improvement, social outlook, and all that. Then, with
the schools, I guess, the straight gospel. The Mexicans won't get
converted all at once, and they won't become like us, ever. But I'm
about ready to say that whether missions are needed anywhere else or
not, they surely are needed in Mexico. And Mexico is the first
stepping-stone to South America; which is next on my list of the places
that ought to have the whole scheme of Christian teaching and life."

"Yes," said Alma, "and you know, I suppose, that the beginning of our
Panama Mission was an Epworth League Institute enterprise? Well, it was.
California young people assumed the support of the first missionary sent
there, and later he went on down to South America, with the same young
people determined to take him on as their representative, just as they
did in Panama."

"Where did you get that story?" J.W. wanted to know.

"Oh, I forgot," Alma answered him, laughing. "You haven't had time to
read The Epworth Herald in Saint Louis."

"Yes, I have, young lady," J.W. retorted, "but I missed that. Anyway,
it's on the right track. I think we've got to change the thinking of all
Latin America about Christianity, if we can. Most of the men, they say,
are atheists, made so very largely by their loss of faith in the church;
and many of the women substitute an almost fierce devotion to the same
church for what we think of as being genuine religion."

The minister spoke up just here. "I should think it would be pretty
difficult to treat our United States Mexicans in one way, and those
across the Rio Grande in another. We must evangelize on both sides of
the river, but only on this side can we even attempt to Americanize."

"That's right," J.W. affirmed. "And even on this side we can't do what
we may do in Delafield. The language is a big question, and it has two
sides. But no matter what the difficulties, I'm for a great advance of
missions and education, starting with Mexico and going all the way to
Cape Horn."

"That's all very fine," interposed Marty, "