church on prayer-meeting night, so the responsibility that fell upon the
class-leader was increased. Also it so happened that the man who was
acknowledged as class-leader had fallen back in his religious life until he
needed the excitement of a big meeting to stir him up to diligence. Austin
already knew when he was elected as assistant that to him would fall most
of the meetings, for Deacon Bond was seldom there.

The advice given by the Pastor was of great service to Austin, and
following it he sought out each week some one who was willing to read a
portion of the Word and give the few comments necessary. He was proving
himself a good leader for the meetings, and Pastor Bennet took a real
delight in him.

Before many weeks the time for the quarterly meeting had once more rolled
around, and the presiding elder was guest of the Pastor. He had come in
late on prayer-meeting evening and went with Brother Bennet to the meeting.
Both men had spent the day in travel and conversation and were quite weary,
and they knew the congregation was not expecting them and had expected to
have their meeting without the pastor's presence. Therefore they insisted,
when Austin came to them to offer them the charge of the meeting, that he
go ahead as had been planned, as if no preacher were present.

Austin carried this word back to the old brother who had promised to read
the Word that evening, but he fainted in spirit at sight of two preachers
and would do nothing. There was no way but that the young class-leader take
the meeting, which he did with fair success and a rich blessing to his own
soul. This little incident was always a source of much encouragement to
Austin in his life as a Christian, for in it he learned that if he did his
duty, God would help him through.