* * * * *

*A CONVERSATION--ITS RESULTS, ITS LESSONS.*

About two years ago a gentleman came to this office, and said to one
of the Secretaries:

"If a person has eight or ten thousand dollars which he would like to
devote to some good object, where would you advise him to give it?"

To this the Secretary promptly replied: "To the American Missionary
Association, of course."

"All right," said the gentleman, "but to what special purpose would
you advise it to be applied?"

"Our great need," said the Secretary, "is to meet current expenses,
and I would advise that it be devoted to that."

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?"