; there is not a man, woman or child among them
that does not--sometimes, at least--hunger for better things--that would
not enjoy the things that you enjoy, if they had the chance. I want
harmless pleasures in abundance put within their reach.

"Man is an animal before he is a soul; so I would begin by providing the
things needful for a body. All men glory in physical prowess; therefore
I want a gymnasium, and with it, the natural accompaniments of bath
house and swimming tank. In short, I don't want a church; I want an
up-to-date People's Club, with a place for all and a welcome for all."

The deacons sat back and gazed at one another. "Well," said Deacon
Starbuck, president of the Stock Bank, "you surely have a clear-thinking
business head among your gifts."

There was a distinct split in the views of the Board. The older men
objected that this was an organization for propagating the Gospel of
Christ, not for solving economic problems, and proved with many
Scripture texts that we must "first of all seek the Kingdom of God and
His righteousness," after having secured which, the rest would follow.

But the younger men took Hartigan's view that it was no time to talk
politics to a man when he was swimming for his life. Fortunately,
Hopkins was able to stave off action, pending a fuller discussion, and
brought that on at once.

"Let us understand. Is the club to be a charity, a benevolence, or a
business proposition--that is, a free gift, a partly supported
institution, or a dollar-for-dollar bargain?"

The older men believed in charity. Jim opposed it as wrong in principle.
As a business proposition it was hopeless, at present; so he definitely
labelled it a "benevolence."

"All right," said Hopkins, "now how much money do you want, and how long
to make good?"

Again Jim referred to the paper in his hand.

"I want twenty-five thousand dollars cash to provide and equip a
temporary building; I want five thousand a year to run it, and I want
one thousand dollars a year salary paid to my wife, who is with me in
all things, and will give all her time to it. I want three years to make
good, that is to make a noticeable reduction in drink and crime, which
is the same thing, and this we shall gauge by the police records. By
that time I shall have fifteen hundred families in touch with the club,
paying dues to it. I shall stand or fall by the result. If I satisfy
you, I shall ask for a hundred-thousand-dollar building