"'There are, say about three hundred callin' days in the year. He can
easy make fifteen calls a day on an average--equals four thousand five
hundred calls a year, at $450. Of course, there's the records, but they
won't cost over $50 at the outside--you can shave 'em off and use 'em
over again, you know.'

"'But there's the personality of the pastor,' somebody speaks up. 'It's
that which attracts folks and fills the pews.'

"'Personality shucks!' says I. 'Haven't we had personality enough? For
every man it attracts it repels two. Your last preacher was one of the
best fellers that ever struck this town. He was a plum brick, and had
lots o' horse sense, to boot. He could preach, too, like a house afire.
But you kicked him out because he wasn't sociable enough. You're askin'
an impossibility. No man can be a student and get up the rattlin'
sermons he did, and put in his time trottin' around callin' on the
sisters.

"'Now, let's apply business sense to this problem. That's the way I run
my store. Find out what the people want and give it to 'em, is my motto.
Now, people ain't comin' to church unless there's somethin' to draw 'em.
We've tried preachin', and it won't draw. They say they want
sociability, so let's give it to 'em strong. They want attention paid to
'em. You turn my friend here loose in the community, and he'll make each
and every man, woman and child think they're it in less'n a month. If
anybody gets disgruntled, you sic John Henry here on 'em, and you'll
have 'em come right back a-runnin', and payin' their pew rent in
advance.