"That she had been too ill for the last half year to come to the services but she was proud to say she had not missed a single Whist Drive."
"Oh you mustn't give way," repeated Rachel earnestly. Then she added, laying a hand on his arm, "You know what I shall be doing."
When Luke smiled his face was transfigured.
He smiled now.
"You will be doing the part of Moses," he said. "I am not sure that I should not fail if it were not for that." Then he opened the door and was gone.
Rachel stood where he had left her looking absently at the door which he had shut after him.
That the Church Councils were not always happy meetings she knew. Luke said the right people were not on it. There were some really in earnest, but these often seemed afraid of speaking. Those who spoke the most often and the loudest were those who wanted to make their Church the most popular in the town by way of parish dances, whist drives, etc. Luke, Rachel knew, had always stood out against such methods of work, but people were growing persistent, and the subject was to come up again this evening. His last words had surprised her and made her anxious, for they showed her that his resistance was growing weaker and that he felt himself in real danger of giving way.
She knew what giving way would mean to him. It would lie on his heart like lead. He would not look for blessing so expectantly and hopefully in his parish if once his church began to cater for the amusement of his people instead of putting its full strength into the spiritual work. By this time Rachel knew her husband so well, that she felt sure that he would grow melancholy and depressed, and his work would be robbed of zeal and happiness in consequence.
It was not as if he had any doubts as to the wrongfulness of such methods for Church work. He absolutely disapproved of them and had made his opinions known. If he gave way or countenanced such proceedings, in the least, people would cease to believe in him.
Well there was one thing she could do to help him to be strong; she would go and do it. And while Luke was wrestling with his Church Council, Rachel was wrestling in prayer.