The herald., 1896-08-04

surpiice daShed with scarlet, and those at
the organ, showing the white-robed organ
list, each reckoning to the people, They
were not seen in the tumult and agony, I'M
til in lull of the storm deep, full strong
voice, calling. "Cowards, keep your plac IS |!
Be men" attracted many eyes to the little
light by the organ, and fainter echo in a
similar voice-"Be Christians Be still!
| showed the face OF the vicar, and recalled
| even feelings of reverence and duty There
was faint lull in which a magnificent male
voice arose, singing the hymn that not long
since had died into the solemn hush of
prayer.
oh! God, our help in ages past"
and joined, half through the line, by the
clear notes of Ruby Eliott's trained soprano.
'Our hope for years to come"
pealed out among the echong aisles
the two blended voices, piercing and
drowning the pandemonium of human and
elemental tumult, recalling thefrantic crowd
to discipline, order and worship, as a bugle
call sounded by gallan. child has been
known to rally a scattered regiment. The
crowd paused like a curbed horse; there
was steady backward surge, freeing the
congestion, delivering the trampled and
permitting the opening of doors. while the
choir took up their several parts, and were
Joined by an increasing volume Of voices
singing in unison
Our refuge from the stormy bias.
And our eternal home,'
to the grand swing of which, helped now
by the boom Of the organ. the calm and re-
assured congregation, moved slowly and
orderly, in religious awe and exultation,
with unified hearts.
An appalling catastrophe was thus avert
ed, and in ten minutes the darkened church.
fitfully and confusedly lit up by vivid light
ning was emptied as sedately and calmly
as in the full light Of day, with this differ
ence, that all who could sing, Joined fer
vently in the noble hymn, by an irresistible
magnetism, their steps measured by the
stately rhythm Of the martial melody. The
choir marched out last, beginning the hymn
for the third time, but last Of all with his
flock we'll ahead. came the aged vicar. slow
ly descending the pulpit steps, where the
boy curate, flushed and exultant. waited to
give the old man the precedence and share
the honor Of being behind with him.
The storm had by this time abated, the
weird bell-ringing ceased, and through the
implanted clerestory and aisle windows a
full moon shot silver radiance. imparting
an unearthly lustre to the white-robed
choir, the wears white hair and the cur
ate's blond head The organ music rolled
on, but the organist was invisible, the lights
eXtinguished, and the west end shrouded in
thick smoke.
No one remembered when the organ ceased
the lad who worked the bellows could only
dimly recall being half stified with smoke,
caught UP in strong arms, and a slit and
knotted surplice tied round him by some
one who lowered him into the church, and
babe him make quickly for the open door,
visible in a shaft of moonlight. This he
did and tainted just outside.
The fire, beginning in the lightning struck
belfry. had been promptly shut off from the
organ gallery and then from the church by
closing and locking the stair-foot doors, but
a side gallery had caught, and though the
fire had been quickly got under in each
place, the smoke had become very dense at
the west end by the time the church was
emptied. Beyond few broken limbs,
bruises, and cases of nervous shock, no one
was hurt nor was the damage to the church
great.
The Westlands and Beatrice sat late
round the fire that night, the doctor elo-
quent on his cherished grievance Of INSULT
cient means of exit in case Of fire or panic,
and fervid In praise Of the sense and cour-
age Of the man who first turned of the
gas at the main, and then started the hymn