Page:Robert Carter- his life and work. 1807-1889 (IA robertcarterhis00coch).pdf/193

Rh like to go there.” “I think I should, for two reasons. I never take horses out on Sunday if there is a church I can walk to, and we might be able to do some good in that church. The Stockbridge one is strong, and does not need us.” From that time he threw himself heartily into church work there, attending Sunday school and evening meetings as if he was a deacon or an elder. The prayer meetings were exceedingly interesting and very largely attended. Mr. Carter and his sons were cordially welcomed, and it is believed that great good was done in that quiet neighborhood. The people had grown disheartened, the church was in great need of repairs, but they felt unable to do anything. Mr. Carter spoke words of encouragement, and when he offered a liberal subscription on condition that they would do their best, the people took hold with a good will, and when he came back the next summer the shabby little building was transformed to such a degree as to be hardly recognizable. The whole church life was revived and spiritualized. It seemed as if the dry bones lived. The Sunday school was a special field of labor to him. Here and in many other schools he offered prizes to the children for different forms of Bible research. One of these was the offer of an attractive book to every member of the Sunday school who would bring him a written list of all the names of Christ that he could find. Such a list has been found prepared by himself, and containing one hundred and sixty-five names of our Lord. Books were promised to any one who would come and tell him that he or she had read the Bible through. In the course of his life he must have given thousands of volumes in this way. Another favorite scheme of his was to tell some young man who was beginning to use tobacco that he