It was an artificial woman, neatly attired and filled with a complicated mechanism so constructed that when certain electric keys were touched by the unseen operator, articulate sounds like unto a human voice issued forth, while the expression of the whole face, and the natural-like heaving of the breast, all moved in harmony with the artificial sounds. The invention so much resembled a living creature of beauty that Miss Church-Member at first thought it was really human.
Mr. World was so well pleased with the novelty that he unconsciously seated himself upon a couch and looked on in amazement. The beauty of the female form attracted his attention as much as the voice that pealed forth bewitchingly from the lips.
“The greatest thing in the world!” he said after a period of ecstatic silence. “The church that gets such a singer into its choir will have a packed house at every service.”
“I never so much as dreamed of such a thing before. Have any of the churches yet tried the experiment?” wonderingly asked Miss Church-Member.
“The time has not yet come,” replied the manager. “Our experts have been perfecting this fine piece of mechanism for many years, but it is not yet quite satisfactory. We shall continue until it is well-nigh perfect. In the meantime we are trying to prepare the way so that the people will gladly receive such an addition to their church machinery. It is our intention to be able to supply _angelettes_, (for that is the name by which this invention will be known) of any size, and with apparel suitable for any special or ordinary occasion of church worship. The angelette is to be so perfected that it will render vocal music without a break. That will be a happy day when people can worship God without aging themselves hoarse or without being annoyed by the discords so prevalent in congregational and choir singing and, moreover, have none of the evil effects that come from choir quarrels.”
“I can plainly see,” commented Miss Church-Member as they moved toward another floor, “that the church is only in the morning twilight of its progress. The wonders of today will pale into insignificance at the coming of the greater things.” They dropped to a lower floor and stepped from the elevator.
“This floor is devoted to the ‘_Order of Church Service_’” explained the manager. “It is indeed surprising to see what a variety of devices are here suggested to get the churches to pin themselves down to a fixed law of service in such a way that all else must bend to it or appear ridiculous. Some churches, claiming to be led by the Spirit, are constantly out of order. One cannot even imagine what is coming next. That is a foolish, haphazard way of conducting a religious service. We are doing all we can to correct these errors. I will take you at once to the expert’s room and let you see the latest piece of mechanism which we hope very soon to offer for public use.”
Far out in one end of the building I saw the three enter a room where men were busily engaged at work.
“Will you kindly show these two visitors the workings of your new invention called the ‘Service Regulator,’” requested the manager as he looked at the chief inventor.
A large curtain was raised and there it hung. No larger than a family clock. The inventor opened a door of the Regulator, and carefully explained its works. He called their attention especially to a roll of blackboard canvas that passed from an upper to a lower cylinder when the Regulator was running.