time, while mentally convinced, was still unsaved, and could be as
personal and ironical as Mr. Newby. They argued the point of a sinless
life for an hour, mixed a good deal of personal invective into the
argument, which drew from the crowd vociferous "ha! ha's!" and they
parted without feeling one whit better toward one another than they
did before.




CHAPTER SIX

WHAT CHURCH SHOULD I JOIN?


The week following the events that took place at the schoolhouse was
an important one in the life of Robert and Mary Davis. Having put
their hands to the plow, they could not look back. Already, they were
aware that the steps they had taken religiously were separating them
from the people about them. Robert's bold stand for a holy Christian
life made him the butt of many a joke, and a laughing-stock. They
began to hunger for companionship and spiritual fellowship with those
of like mind and hope. The gradual separation taking place, which was
throwing over their neighbors a coldness toward them, accentuated the
question of which church they were going to join. Their hearts were
hungry for soul-food, for spiritual nurture; there was a longing
within which was acutely felt, but which was unsatisfied. The
intensity of this desire for the fellowship of saints increased as
Robert and Mary studied the Scriptures and beheld glimpses of the path
which was being so clearly marked out from therein. They were willing