certainly a great book, but it would be vastly improved if once rid
of its interpolations and errors of translation. Any preacher who would
use in his pulpit such an abridged Bible would have my profoundest
respect, and I hereby pledge half my fortune to the first minister who
will do himself the honor of taking such a step."

"That will have its desired effect," smilingly commented Miss
Church-Member, "for there are some gentlemen of the cloth who would
quickly sacrifice any conviction for such a sum of money."

"And here," added the angel of light, "I hold in my hand a crown of
fame set with the gems of honor. I hereby engage to place a crown like
this on the head of each minister who will, in preaching and teaching,
abridge the Bible and ridicule its weaknesses. Of course he must not
cast reflection upon the real Word of God. He must only denounce and
destroy the errors that have crept into it."

With these words the bright messenger disappeared, and Miss
Church-Member endeavored again to know more about his identity, but
Mr. World did not altogether satisfy her curiosity.

Then, as they sped onward in their well-devised vehicle down the gravity
road to Hell, Miss Church-Member continued reading her Bible quietly.

"How changed the teachings of this book appear," she soliloquized. "I
can now see how foolish I once was in taking so narrow a view of its
truths."

I took a passing glance at the King's Highway, and saw a virtuous and
holy woman on her knees in prayer, with a Bible opened before her.