am. For, when all is said, this is the world we live in, not the
Kingdom of Heaven. And while I never knew any man who understood the
archangelic politics of the latter place better than he did, there were
constantly occurring occasions down here on the earth, between his
pulpit and the Post Office, when this same New Jerusalem statescraft
rendered him one of the most obtuse and stubborn men in creation. It
was then that I used to feel like one of those cheerful, clever little
dogs we sometimes see leading a blind man through a dangerously crowded
thoroughfare. It was then only that I ever had the delightful
sensation of filling the star role in the really great drama of life we
were acting together. And it was usually a deliciously double role,
for William never knew that he was led by anything but the voice of God
and the peculiar Scripture wisdom of the prophets, and the man of the
world in the situation who had to be corraled and brought back into the
fold rarely suspected, either, what was happening to him.

In regard to the latter I will say I think some very good people will
be obliged to wait until they actually get in the Kingdom of Heaven
before they experience the shine and illumination of a spiritual
nature. I have seen many a one of this class on William's Circuits,
and they are about the most difficult saints of all to manage, because
they could do what they conceived to be their duty and listen a
lifetime to the gospel without ever catching the least hint of its real
significance. The strongest sermon William could preach on "Sell all
your goods and follow me" never induced a single rich man to do it. He
was fortunate if such a man gave five dollars extra to foreign missions
on the strength of the appeal.

The wonderful thing about William was that these facts never clouded
his convictions or discouraged him. He had a faith over and above the
vain pomps and show of this world. He wore clothes so old they
glistened along every seam, and little thin white ties, and darned
shirts, and was forever stinting himself further for the sake of some
collection to which he wanted to contribute. And all these made him an
embarrassingly impressive figure when he looked out over the gew-gaws
of his Sunday congregation, calling upon them to sell all their goods
to feed the poor, or to lay down their life for Him, or to put on the
whole armor of God and present their bodies a living sacrifice, which
was their