Part 1 (2/2)
”Well, now, I'll tell you all about it,” said Maria. ”There weren't a great many people there, to begin with.”
”Of course not! such a night.”
”So there were plenty of empty benches, and it didn't look like a meeting at all, at first; and I wondered if it would come to anything; but then Mr. Richmond came in, and I saw _he_ meant something.”
”Mr. Richmond always does mean something,” interrupted Matilda.
”You hush, Tilly! Well, there were prayers first, of course; and then Mr. Richmond stood up in the aisle, and said he wanted to know how many of us all there were willing to be really good.”
”The servants of Christ, he said,” Matilda explained.
”Yes, the servants of Christ, of course; and he said he didn't know any better way to get at it than that we should all stand up.”
A burst of laughter from all Maria's audience a little confused her.
Only Matilda looked gravely at her sister, as if she were making bad work of it. Maria coloured, stammered, and began again.
”You all know what I mean! You know what I mean, mamma? Mr. Richmond did not say that we should _all_ stand up.”
”Then why did you say it?”
”I thought you would understand. He said that all those should stand up, so that he might see who they were, who were willing to be real workers for Christ; those who were willing to give themselves to the Lord, and to do everything or anything he gave them to do for Him. So we stood up, and Mr. Richmond went round and took our names down.”
”Everybody who was there?”
”Why, no!--those who were willing to do as Mr. Richmond said.”
”Did _you_ stand up?” asked one of her sisters.
”Yes; I did.”
”Who else?”
After a pause----
”Oh, a great many people! All the members of the church, of course; and then a good many more that aren't. Esther Trembleton rose, and Ailie Swan, and Mattie Van d.y.k.e, and Frances Barth, and Mrs. Rice. And little Mary Edwards, she was there, and she rose, and Willie Edwards; and Mr.
Bates got up and said he was happy to see this day. I think he was ready to cry, he was so glad.”
”And is this the 'Band' you spoke of?”
”This is the Sunday-School Working Band; that is what Mr. Richmond called it.”
”What work are you going to do?”
”I don't know! Mr. Richmond said he could not tell just yet; but we are to have meetings and all sorts of things. And then Mr. Richmond talked.”
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