As pastor Armin Ritter prepares to retire and turn over his church to his successor, the son of a fellow pastor, he reflects on his life: Upon graduating from seminary school in St. Louis, Ritter is called to Norwald, a backwoods community with no church or parsonage. However, with help from the community, Armin constructs a small church, and marries Evangeline Lockley, one of the local helpers. Over the years, he advises people with various problems and, notably, helps to reform alcoholic carpenter Peter Kerl. He also has to deal with the town's figurehead, Jacob Torgel, who regards the church as his personal chapel and walks out when Kerl is allowed communion. Armin also helps Torgel's daughter Magda, who is disowned by her father when she marries Ted Horner, a reformed "moonshiner." Torgel returns to the church, however, after he attempts to make a new trail through the hills and breaks a leg, then is rescued by Kerl and Horner. Armin and Evangeline have two sons, Ben and Carlie, and a daughter Jeanie. The years pass and Armin is transferred to a larger community, White Plains, which has a church, but few churchgoers. After making himself known and gaining the respect of the community, he is rewarded by the rapid growth of the congregation. The last time his parents see Ben is when he is on leave from the Army during World War I and is able to attend his sister's seventeenth birthday party. Ben returns to duty and, soon after, Armin and Evangeline receive the tragic news that he has been killed in battle, sacrificing his life for another. Sustained by his faith, Armin carries on serving his congregation. Eventually, Armin is retired on a pension and receives a heart-felt, farewell tribute from a host of friends.
