uch less this house that I have
builded.'--Then the other side would answer, 'The Lord hath chosen
Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.' I cannot tell you how
sweet it was. There was another chant they were very fond of. A few
would begin with Solomon's petition--'Have thou respect unto the prayer
of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto
the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee
to-day: that thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day,
even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there:
that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make
toward this place,'--and here a number of the other builders would join
in with their cry--'Hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall
make!' And so in the next verse, when it came near the end the others
would join in--'And when thou hearest, forgive!'--"

"I should think you would love it!" said Eleanor, with her eyes full of
tears. "And I should think the Lord would love it."

"Come in, and see how it looks on the inside."

The inside was both simple and elegant, after a quaint fashion; for it
was Fijian elegance and Fijian simplicity. A double row of columns led
down the centre of the building; they looked like mahogany, but it was
only native wood; and the ornamental work at top which served for their
capitals, was done in sinnet. Over the doors and windows triangular
pediments were elaborately wrought in black with the same sinnet. The
roof was both quaint and elegant. It was done in alternate open and
close reed-work, with broad black lines dividing it; and ornamental
lashings and bandings of sinnet were used about the fastenings and
groinings of spars and beams. Then the wings of the communion rail were
made of reed-work, ornamented; the rail was a beautiful piece of nut
timber, and the balusters of sweet sandal wood. The whole effect
exceeding pretty and graceful, though produced with such simple means.

"Mr. Ruskin ought to have had this as an illustration of his 'Lamp of
Sacrifice,'" said Eleanor. "How beautiful!--"

"The 'Lamp of Truth,' too," said Mr. Rhys. "It is all honest work. That
side was done by our heathen neighbours. The heathen chief sent us his
compliments, said he heard we were engaged in a great work, and if we
pleased he would come and help us. So he did. They built that side of
the wall and the roof."

"Did they do it well?"

"Heartily."