Deep Creek gets the same sort of
chance as this circuit of yours. If only they knew where to find another
Martin Luther Shenk--that's the rub!" And with a last handclasp the
chums went their separate ways.

On Monday J.W. called up Pastor Drury and gave that gentleman, who was
expecting it, a five-minute summary of his day with Marty. "I'm awfully
glad I happened to think of going over there," he said, "not only for
the sake of being with the old boy again, but because I've got some new
notions about the country church, and about what we Methodists are
beginning to do for the places where Methodism got its start."

And Walter Drury said, "Yes, I'm glad, too." So he was; he could put
down a new mark on the credit side of the Experiment.

CHAPTER VI

"IS HE NOT A MAN AND A BROTHER?"

The colored Methodists of Delafield, who called their church "Saint
Marks," had always been on good terms with their white co-religionists.
Mr. Drury and the pastor of Saint Marks found many occasions of helping
each other in their work. The single way in which these two showed
themselves conscious of the color line was that while the pastor of
First Church often "preached" in Saint Marks, when the pastor of Saint
Marks appeared in the pulpit of First Church, it was "to speak on some
aspect of his work."

J.W. knew Saint Marks of old. In his high-school days that church had
for its preacher one of a fast-vanishing race, a man mighty in
exhortation, even though narrowly circumscribed in scholastic equipment.
His preaching was redolent of the camp meeting, and he counted that
sermon lost which did not evoke a shout or two from the front benches.

A few of First Church's younger people often went to sing at Saint Marks
on special occasions, and went all the more cheerfully because of the
chance it afforded to hear Brother King Officer preach. Where he got
that name is not known, but he had no other.

Do not think the young people either went to scoff or remained to pray.
If at times they were amused at Brother Officer's peculiarities, so
were some members of his own flock, and Brother Officer was wise enough
to assume that no disrespect was intended. And if the white visitors
treated his fervent appeals to the unconverted and backsliders as part
of the program, but having no slightest application to them, this was
also the regular thing, and nobody was troubled thereat.

But while J.W. was away at college a new pastor had come to