A little further conversation revealed the pleasant fact that the gentleman had that sum of money at his disposal, but that he had a very decided wish that it should be used for the erection of permanent buildings.  The Secretary suggested the obvious fact that added plant meant increased expense, and that we hardly dared to promise to meet that.

“But,” said the gentleman, “are there not places in your work where new buildings are greatly needed?”

“Most assuredly,” the Secretary replied, “there are many places where such buildings are needed.”

He was asked to give details, which he did.

Among the schools mentioned by him was one in which the scholars were inadequately provided with dormitory and recitation room facilities, and where the industries were crowded into old cabins and attic rooms.

After hearing these details, our visitor, who is a judicious and prosperous business man as well as a benevolent Christian, said, “These new buildings are needed.  I offer you the money for the two buildings at the place you have last named.  I know it will increase somewhat your current expenses, but can’t you trust the churches to come to your help?”

The results of that and subsequent interviews are two fine buildings, one giving adequate school accommodations, and the other giving a large and commodious shop, facilitating both instruction and production.

Subsequently, the same large-hearted and liberal gentleman repeated his benefaction where equally needed enlargement will soon be furnished.

Once more.  In a Southern city our school building is too small, the lot does not permit industrial work, and changes in the population have surrounded the locality with saloons and houses of ill-fame.  A change must be made or we must abandon the place.  A lady who knows these facts offers to give us $2,000 with which to purchase four acres of land most eligibly situated for our work, and to give us the money to build a school-house with eight large school-rooms with commodious fixtures and appliances.  All this, of course, implies more teachers and additional running expense.  Shall we accept the gift and trust the churches to furnish the money?  Or, to state the matter in general terms:  When the need for enlargement is very great, and God sends to us benevolent donors, who are willing to furnish the means for the enlargement, are we wrong in trusting the churches for their part of the needed help?  We believe we are not.  We think the churches would regard us as recreant to our trust if we refused to take the funds thus providentially proffered to us.