As it happened, the money had been lent by a deacon in the church, but notwithstanding this fact, he felt that he should have his money, and perhaps he really needed it.
Anyhow, he proposed to take such steps as were necessary to get it.
The matter came to a head one Sunday morning, when the minister announced from the pulpit that the $2,000 would have to be raised, or we should lose our church building.

I therefore found myself at the door of the church as the congregation came and went.
As each member came by I buttonholed him, and got him to promise to give something toward the extinguishing of that debt.

I pleaded and urged, and almost threatened.

As each one promised, I put his name and the amount down in my little book, and continued to solicit from every possible subscriber.
This campaign for raising the money which started that morning after church, lasted for several months.

It was a great undertaking to raise such a sum of money in small amounts ranging from a few cents to the more magnificent promises of gifts to be paid at the rate of twenty-five or fifty cents per week.