"See, Ma, here is your ground. Here are the sticks, and mud, and palm
leaves and other things we need to build. Shall we build the church today?"
It did not take long for Mary to say yes. The people of the village forgot
to be lazy. They were having fun building the church. When it was finally
finished it was twenty-five feet wide by thirty feet long. We would not
think that was a very big building, but it was the biggest in the village.
"See," said the Chief of Ifako, "it is much better than the house at
Ekenge."
"It is a fine church," said Mary. "Now we must keep it clean and
nice. There should be no dirty things in or around God's house."
We would not think it was such a fine church. The walls were made of dry
mud and sticks. The roof was made of palm-leaf mats. The floors were made
of mud and so were the seats. But everything was polished and rubbed as
smooth as possible. There were no windows or doors in the building. There
were just holes in the wall to let in the light for windows and a larger
hole to serve as an entrance. But Mary thought it was a fine church
because it was the best in that part of the country and because it was a
place where people could hear about the Saviour and learn "book."
"We will hold our first service in the new church next Sunday," said
Mary. "I want you all to come."
"We will come, Ma," promised the natives.
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