living. Are they
Christianized? Cleaned up? Yet you are ready for Mexico. No; you're all
wrong, J.W. I don't believe the world's going to be saved the way you
break up prairie sod, a field at a time, and let the rest alone. We've
got to do our missionary work the way they feed famine sufferers. They
don't give any applicant all he can eat, but they try to make the supply
go 'round, giving each one a little. Remember, J.W., the rest of the
world is as human as our western hemisphere."

"I know," admitted J.W. "And I don't say I've got the right of it. I'd
have to see the Orient before I made up my mind. But those countries
have waited a long while. A few more years wouldn't be any great
matter."

Alma Wetherell now joined the opposition. It looked as though J.W. and
Jeannette must stand alone, for the old people said nothing, though they
listened with eager ears. Said Alma, "I think it would matter a lot. The
more we do for one people, while ignoring all the others, the less we
should care to drop a developing work to begin at the bottom somewhere
else."

"There's something in that," J.W. conceded. "I'm not meaning to be
stubborn. But I've had just a glimpse of the size of the missionary job
in one little corner of the world. Even that is too big for us. We could
put our whole missionary investment into Mexico without being able to do
what is needed."

"The missionary job, as you call it, is too big, certainly, for our
present resources," said the pastor. "Everybody knows that."

"Yes," said Marty, who wondered if Mr. Drury had forgotten their compact
about J.W., "but why limit ourselves to our present resources? They are
not all we could get, if the church came to believe in the bigness of
her privilege. I'd like to see for myself, as J.W. says, but I can't.
Why don't you get a real traveling job, and go about the world looking
things over for us, old man?"

"Me?" J.W. said, sarcastically; "yes, that's a likely prospect. Just as
I'm getting over being scared by a sample case. I'll do well to hold the
job I've got."

Alma didn't know what Marty's game was, but she played up to his
suggestion. "Why shouldn't you go?" she asked. "You've told us that
Cummings hardware and tools are sold all over the world. Doesn't that
mean salesmen? And aren't you a salesman? They have to send somebody;
why shouldn't they pick on you some time?"

J.W. rose to the lure, for the moment all salesman. "Nothing in it,
Alma; no chanc