Mr. World and Miss Church-Member Part 21

"Everything is perfectly arranged. If you could see the underground world between the two sites you would readily observe the logical relation of all parts. But the bell rings; I must go," continued the guide. "If you wish further information you may obtain it at the office," and with a courteous bow he withdrew.

That same day I saw the two travelers climb with ease to the summit from whence they beheld the most curious sight that had yet met their gaze since their fellows.h.i.+p had begun.

Down in the long and deep sloping vale before them, shut in from all the world, lay a large city of fantastic structures.

The weird outlines of this marvelous city extended downward into the darkness of the earth, while the height of its buildings varied from the common even unto the amazing.

The form of the city, and the shape of its buildings, were the most bizarre features of all. Only a few of the edifices bore resemblance to any which the travelers had ever before seen.

Toward one end of the city they saw a cl.u.s.ter of buildings which, taken as a whole, resembled a gigantic tree towering to a great height and covered with strange foliage.

[Ill.u.s.tration: In the "Wizard City" Satan devises novelties, such as "Angelette" for choir singing the "Service Regulator" for taking the Holy Spirit's place in wors.h.i.+p, etc.]

At the other end of the city the structures were divided into more than a hundred groups, resembling somewhat variously-shaped balloons of monstrous size.

The sides of the city were constructed somewhat after the manner of immense Ferris wheels, of amazing diameter. The compartments therein actually moved up or down according to the range of vision desired by the Inventors in their experimenting.

The central part of the city was the most notable of all. Here, with an average diameter of ten hundred feet, rose a circular structure tapering irregularly until it settled to a point six thousand feet in the air. Around this, as a center, ranged terraces, hanging gardens, aerial boulevards, and spiral electric railways.

After viewing this wonderful valley for many hours, the companions took one of the perfected automobiles and covered the long gradual descent to a depth of ten thousand feet perpendicular.

As they neared the base, I looked at Blackana, and asked: "How long have those Schools of Invention been in operation?"

"Since the creation of man."

"What is the real purpose of their existence?"

"To invent devices and weapons helpful to our cause in peace or war, and more particularly to concoct new schemes for the use of the churches along the King's Highway and the Way of the World."

"Oh! that the earth might see all this foul inwardness, and discern aright the bland deception with which those subtle plots are executed!"

A Satanic smile covered the features of Blackana as he a.s.sured me that the earth does know of these things, and has known of them for ages, but is too well pleased with them to offer serious opposition.

In disgust I turned from Blackana and saw that Mr. World and Miss Church-Member had reached the suburbs of the Wizard City where they read this unexpected notice over a large brazen gate:

NONE ADMITTED EXCEPT THEY TO WHOM THE PORTER OPENETH.

"Ah! all our toil may be in vain," sighed Miss Church-Member.

They stood for a brief time in a quandary, discussing how one may know whether or not the Porter will open the gate. Finally the stalwart Porter approached them and spoke: "With what motive and for what purpose would ye enter?"

Mr. World, with native tact, was ready with an answer: "I am in full sympathy with the work done in this city and have with me my friend who is still a member of a church standing along the King's Highway."

The Porter advanced with graceful bearing and bowed to Miss Church-Member. "Perchance," said he, "you have come to receive some new ideas for the benefit of the church?"

"You have surmised it," she blus.h.i.+ngly replied. "The church to which I belong is sadly behind the age in its methods of work. I am hoping that the inventive genius of this city can give me some features new and attractive, that I may, in my missionary work, help to introduce them into antiquated churches."

"Yours is a worthy mission," politely said the Porter, "and I herewith hand you a card which will admit both of you into the department of the city, number seven hundred and seventy-seven."

Instantly the gate flew wide open, and the happy couple pa.s.sed through joyfully. They walked by the many fairy-like buildings, closing their eyes to all the special scenes so that they might give their first attention to the department indicated by the Porter.

With little difficulty they found the place desired, and handed the card to a curator who conducted them to the general manager.

"I infer, by this card," said the manager, "that you are hoping to find some new schemes to facilitate the work and service of the church."

"That is our aim," answered Miss Church-Member.

"I am glad that you are so ambitious to keep apace with the times. In this marvelous age of mechanism all things are done by devices and machinery, and the church that would keep step with the spirit of progress must also be run by mechanism. The services of such a congregation should be controlled by a rigid methodical law, so that everything will move like clock-work. The church of to-day, in its movement towards form and ceremony, is approaching the highest laws of universal harmony. This hopeful tendency is most helpful to the soul of man and most pleasing to G.o.d."

"Just my idea exactly," chimed in Mr. World. "The churches along the King's Highway are stubbornly fighting these modern improvements. They are very slow in catching up with the spirit of the age. Does that not seem true, Miss Church-Member?"

"I must confess I see it more clearly now than ever. Nature is run by unerring, unchangeable law; why should not all spiritual operations come under the same principle? Formality, after all, is the highest point to be reached."

"Your mind easily grasps the truth, I perceive," responded the manager.

"What can bring things into better form than to get as much machinery as possible into church wors.h.i.+p? In this building a thousand experts are constantly employed in devising and perfecting mechanical arrangements to facilitate the services of the church. Perhaps you would be pleased to see some of the results of our work by pa.s.sing through some of the sub-departments?"

"For my part," replied Miss Church-Member, "I am more than pa.s.singly interested in these things, and if Mr. World does not object to accompany us, I will be grateful to improve this opportunity to look upon your work."

After completing preliminary arrangements I saw the manager conduct his two visitors on the easy running elevator to the floor which was devoted especially to singing.

"As it is your wish," said the manager "to see the latest, we will not tarry at these lesser rooms, but proceed immediately to the corner of the chief experts where I will be pleased to show to you the best novelty on the floor." They walked down the long room, pa.s.sing on each side of the aisle one set of busy workers after another. They stopped at one of the far corners and beheld, in advance, the latest novelty to be used for singing in church service.

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 wors.h.i.+p.

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 wors.h.i.+p G.o.d without aging themselves hoa.r.s.e 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 roil of blackboard canvas that pa.s.sed from an upper to a lower cylinder when the Regulator was running.

I heard the inventor, in explaining, use these words: "The minister arranges the program in advance and then marks the whole order of service on the canvas roll, allowing as much time for each part of the service as he thinks proper. The canvas is then replaced and the Regulator hung on the wall. When the minute comes to commence services, the Regulator is wound with a key and it starts to run. The canvas, in pa.s.sing down at a fixed rate, informs the congregation of every change in the service, just as it had been previously planned."

"What think you of it?" asked the manager, after the partial explanation.