Some fifty had been hatched
out, but only a dozen had survived the hot weather, heavy rains, and
the many diseases prevalent among chickens.
When Mr. Gay arose to give out the first hymn, Maude said to Mr.
Merry, "Why, he looks like a different man. His red hair is a
beautiful brown."
"It's the light from the coloured glass windows," commented Mr.
Merry.
"Then it must be the curtains in Mrs. Hawkins' dining room that
colour his hair at home," retorted Maude.
How grandly rose the volume of tone from scores of throats! Even
Uncle Ike's quavering voice joined in.
"All hail the power of Jesus' name,
Let nations prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all."
The organ creaked and wheezed somewhat, but so many fresh, young
voices softened its discordant tones.
A short prayer, and Mr. Gay began his sermon, if such it can be
called.
"MY BRETHREN: My text, to-day is, 'The fool hath said in his heart,
There is no God.' All nations have a God, even if all the people do
not believe in him. The majority in each nation does believe in a
God. Are those who do not believe all fools? Unhappily, no. There are
many highly educated men and women who deny the existence of God.
They claim man is a part of Nature, and Nature is all. They forget
the poet who wrote
"'Man is but part of a stupendous whole,
Whose body Nature is, and God the soul.
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