Willmar tribune., 1899-09-13


wonld oondu duct 81 slI so. that God . king
ION would zbe evid IDENTIFY tie first. object
:ought. On those general principles, as
Issay, am working. must have time
TO complete the details. 4 4 z..s.=
When Henry Maxwell finally left
Million right, he was prof foundly im-E
pressed with the revolution that was
being wrought already in the business.
AS he passed outsof, the store he caught
of thesnew spirit Of the place.
There was no nnistaking the fact that
Milton Wright's new relations to. his,
employees were beginning, even SO soon,
after less than two weeks, to transform
The entire business This was apparent:
in the conduct and faces Of the clerks. i,
"f Milton Wright keeps on, he will
be one Of the most influential preachers
h Raymond, said Henry Maxwell to
himself when he reached his study. The
question rose as to his continuance in
this course when he began to lose:
money by it, as was possible. Henry
Maxwell prayed that the Holy Spirit,
who had shown himself with growing
power in the company of the First
church disciples, might abide long with
them all, and with that prayer on his
lips and in his heart he began the prep
aration of a sermon in which he was
going to present to his people on Sun
lay the subject of the saloon in Ray
mond, as he now believed Jesus would
10. He had never preached against the
saloon in this way before. He knew
that. the things he should say would
lead to serious results. Nevertheless he
went on with his work.. and every SEN
tence he wrote or shaped was preceded
with the question, ''Would Jesus say
that :" Once in the course Of his study
be went down on his knees. No one ex-
:ept himself could know what that
meant to him. When had he done that
In the preparation of sermons before
the change. that had come into his
thought Of discipleship3 AS he viewed
his ministry now he did not dare to
preach without praying for wisdom. He
40 longer thought Of his dramatic de-
livery and its effect on his audience.
The great question with him now was,
"Wbat would Jesus dor
Saturday night at the Rectangle wit
aessed some of the most remarkable
scenes that Mr.: Gray and his wife had
ever known. The meetings had intensi-
led with each night Of Rachel's sing
ing. A stranger passing through the
Rectangle in the daytime might have
heard asgood deal about the meetings in
,ne way and another. It cannot be said
that up to that Saturday night there
was any appreciable lack of oaths and
lmpurity and heavy drinking: The Rec
tangle would not have acknowledged
that it was growing any better or that
sven the singing had softened it's con-
versation or, it's outward manner. i, It
had too much local pride in being
"tough." But. in spite of itself, there
was yielding to power it had never
measured and did not know well enough
10 resist beforehand.
Gray had recovered, his voice, so that
Saturday he was able to speak. The
fact that he was obliged to use his voice
carefully made it necessary for the peo.
pie to be very quiet if they wanted to
hear. Gradually they had come to un.
aerstand that this man was talking
these many weeks and using his time
and strength to give them knowledge
Of Saviour, all out Of perfectly un.
selfish love for them. Tonight the great
crowd was as quiet as Henry Maxwell
sdecorous audience ever was. The fringe
around the tent was deeper, and the
saloons were practically empty. The
Holy Spirit had come at last, and Gray
knew that one Of the great prayers o.
bis life was going to be answered.
And Rachel-her singing was thu
best, most wonderful Virginia or Jasper
Chase had ever known. They had come
together again tonight with DR.. West
who had spent all his spare time tha'
week in the Rectangle with some char
My cases. Virginia was at the organ
Jasper sat on front seat looking up a
Rachel, and the Rectangle swayed a.
one man toward the platform as sh'
sang: .s
''Just as am, without one plea,
But that thy blood was shed for me
And that thou bidst me come to thee
o Lamb Of God. come. cone!'
Gray said hardly word. He stretch
I'D out his hand with gesture Of invi
tation, and down the two aisles Of tn
tent broken, sinful creatures, men ant
women, stumbled toward the platform
One woman out of the street was nea;
the organ. e, .'.=-..: e.. '.
Virginia caught the look of her face
and for the first time in the life Of tn
rich girl the thought Of what Jesus wa
10 sinful woman came with sudden
ness and power that were like nothing
but new birth. Virginia left the OF
gan. went to her, looked into her fac
and caught her hands in her own. Th
other girl trembled, then fell on he
knees. sobbing. with her head dow
upon the back Of the: bench in front Q
her, still clinging to Virginia. And Vii
ginia. after q moments hesitation