“But I must not dwell upon the past; the Boy Scouts of America prepare for the future.  I am reminded that I am not at this moment addressing the Boy Scouts of America,—­they come to-morrow at the same hour,—­but the principle is the same.  Even as the Boy Scouts of America look only at the future, so do you.  We must not linger fondly on the days when cows grazed on Boston Common.  The purpose of this society is to save Boston Common.  That the Common has been saved many times before is true; but is that any reason why we should falter now?  ’New occasions teach new duties.’  Let us not be satisfied with a supetficial view.  While fresh loam is being scattered on the surface, commercial interests and the suburban greed to get home quick are striking at the vitals of the Common.  Citizens of Boston, awake!

“Your pastor had expected to be with you this evening, but he has at the last moment discovered that he has two other engagements, each of them of long standing.  He has therefore asked me to take his place in this interesting course of lectures on Church History.  The subject of the lecture for the evening is—­and if I am mistaken some one will please correct me—­Ulphilas, or Christianity among the Goths.  I cannot treat this subject from that wealth of historical information possessed by your pastor; but I can at least speak from the heart.  I feel that it is well for us to turn aside from the questions of the day, for the quiet consideration of such a character as Ulphilas.

“Ulphilas seems to me to be one of those characters we ought all to know more about.  I shall not weary you by discussing the theology of Ulphilas or the details of his career.  It would seem more fitting that these things should be left for another occasion.  I shall proceed at once to the main lesson of his life.  As briefly as possible let me state the historical situation that confronted him.  It is immaterial for us to inquire where the Goths were at that time, or what they were doing.  It is sufficient for us to know that the Goths at that time were pagans, mere heathen.  Under those circumstances what did Ulphilas do?  He went to the Goths.  That one act reveals his character.  If in the remaining moments of this lecture I can enforce the lesson for us of that one act, I shall feel that my coming here has not been in vain.

“But some one who has followed my argument thus far may say, ’All that you have said is true, lamentably true; but what has it to do with the Advancement of Woman?’ I answer, it is the Advancement of Woman.”

“How do you make that out?” I asked.

Bagster looked vaguely troubled.  “There is no such thing as an isolated moral phenomenon,” he said, as if he were repeating something from a former sermon; “when you attempt to remedy one evil you find it related to a whole moral series.  But perhaps I did not make the connection plain.  My address doesn’t seem to be as closely reasoned as it did when I was delivering it.  Does it seem to you to be cogent?”