Chapter One-Part One
The young girls' eyes never wavered from the young man standing behind the pulpit. She really was not conscious of what he was saying. It was his handsome, earnest face that attracted and held her interest. It was a young face, and his voice throbbed with the intensity of his words, spoken with the idealism of, as yet, his limited contact with the harsh outside world.
Phillip DuFrow was not an ordained minister of the gospel, being a lay speaker, as such a one is designated in some churches.
He had been a member of this congregation since his early childhood, being of a religious nature, inherited and taught by his parents. The Reverend Richardson was deeply impressed with Phillip since he first knew him, and had urged him the parents to allow him to study for the ministry. But the young man himself had declined, very firmly, this honor. The good man was disappointed, but did not entirely give up.
A year before, he had said to Phillip, "You see, my boy, I know good material when I see it, so I am going to ask you to help me. On next Sunday, I must be away, and I am asking you to take over for me."
"Oh, no, sir! Not me!"
"Yes, Phillip, as a very special favor to me."
"But sir, I couldn't do it!"
"Of course you can. I have watched you closely, teaching your class of young me, and if I did not know you were capable, I wouldn't have asked you."
It was then that Phillip DuFrow had consented, doing such an a outstanding work, that he had been returned several times to fill in for the Reverend Richardson.
On this particular day, the bishop of the church had been invited to hear the young lay preacher, all unknown to Phillip. Never having met Bishop Bosworth, he did not recognize him in the congregation. The service was over now, and Phillip walked to the the open doorway to greet the parishioners as they left for home.
The long line of his friends and neighbors who cordially took his outstretched hand, was almost gone, when he found himself looking into a pair of soft blue eyes shining from a pretty face, a wealth of light brown curls drawn to the back of her head and tied with a bright blue ribbon.
A shy smile curved her lips as he took her hand in his own, saying "I believe you are a newcomer here."
"Yes sir, my name is Maggie Kenwick."
"I'm glad you came, Maggie." He released her hand and she passed on through the open door.
The very last one in the line was a man who was unknown to Phillip, but his warm handclasp and friendly manner at once gave him a renewed confidence in himself.
"I want to offer my congratulations to you for the splendid piece of work you have done, and if you have the time, I would like to talk to you." The older man, seeing the puzzled look on the younger ones' face, quickly introduced himself. "I am Bishop Bosworth, and am impressed with what you have done today."
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