Dr. Dennis shrugged his shoulders.

“Such a representation!” he said.  “If the entire congregation had been canvassed, it would have been impossible to have made more curious selections.  I do wish we could have some real workers from the different churches.”

“Miss Erskine isn’t a member of the church, is she?”

“None of them are members, nor Christians; nor have they an atom of interest in any such matters.  They are going for pure fun, and nothing else.”

“Now perhaps they will happily disappoint you by coming back with a wholesome interest aroused in Sunday-school work, and will really go into the work for themselves.”

“I don’t want them,” Dr. Dennis said, stoutly.  “I wouldn’t give a dime for a hundred such workers; they are an injury to the cause.  I want Sunday-school workers who have a personal, vital sense of the worth of souls, and a consuming desire to see them converted.  All other Sunday-school teaching is aimless.”

Mr. Harrison looked thoughtful.

“We haven’t many such, I am afraid,” he said, gravely; but I agree with you in thinking that they should at least be Christians.  Still, I suppose that it is not impossible that some one of these ladies may be converted.”

“Not at Chautauqua,” Dr. Dennis said, as one who had looked into the matter and knew all about it.  “I am not entirely in sympathy with that meeting, anyway; or, that is, I am and I am not, all at once.  I think it would be a grand place for you and me.  I haven’t the least doubt but that we would be refreshed, bodily and mentally, and, for that matter, spiritually.  If the whole world were converted I should vote for Chautauqua with a loud voice; but I am more than fearful as to the influence of such meetings on the masses—­the unconverted world. They will go there for recreation.  Their whole aim will be to have a glorious frolic away from the restraints of ordinary home-life.  They will have no interest in the meetings, no sympathy with the central thought that has drawn the workers together, and the tendency will be to frolic through it all.

“The truth is, there will be such a mixing of things that I actually fear the effect will be wholesale demoralization.  At the same time I am interested in the idea, and am watching it with anxiety.  Since I have heard of the delegation from my own church I have been more convinced still of the evil influences.  It makes me gloomy to think of the fruitful field such a place will be for the fertile brain of that little Eurie Mitchell.  She is too wild now for civilized life The four walls of the church and the sacred associations connected with the building serve to keep her only half controlled when she is actually attending Sabbath service.  There will be nothing to control her in the woods, and she will lose what little reverence she possesses.  I tell you, the more I think of it, the more certain I am that for such people these great religious jubilees, holding over the Sabbath, do harm.”