El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-11

COulQ uOG COue OOWh OOhASho eN
preach 1 am suffering with severe
cold. do not dare to trust my voice
again know it is asking a good deal
for such busy man. but if you can't
come say SO freely. and III try some
where else.
I'm sorry. but it s my regular prayer
meeting night. said Henry Maxwell
Then he flushed and added: IL shall be
able to arrange it in some way so as to
come down You can count on me.
Gray thanked him earnestly and rose
to 60
won't you stay a minute. Gray.
and let us have prayer togetherf
Eyes" said Gray simply.
So the two men kneeled together in
the study. Mr. Maxwell prayed like
child Gray was touched to tears as he
kneeled there. There was something al
most pitiful in the way this man. who
had lived his ministerial life in such
narrow limit of exercise. now begged
for wisdom and strength to speak
message to the people in the Rectangle
Gray rose and held out his hand.
'sGod bless you, Mr.. Maxwell I'm
sure the Spirit will give you power to-
night.
Henry Maxwell made no answer. b.
| did not even trust himself to say tia
| he hoped so, but he thought of hi.
promise, and it brought certain peact
| that was refreshing to his heart anG
| mind alike.
So that is how it came about that
| when the First church audience ca11-s
into the lectsre room that evening i.
was met with another surprise
There was an unusually large num-
Der present. The pray . meetings ever
| since that remarkable Sunday morning
, had been attended as never before il
the history of the First church
Henry Maxwell came at once to the
point. He spoke of Gray's work and O.
his request.
ST feel as if were called to go dow
| there tonight. and will leave it witt
you to say whether you will go on witt
the meeting here. I think perhaps the
best plan would be for few volunteers
| to go down to the Rectangle with me.
prepared to help in the after meeting,
| and the rest remain here and pray that
the Spirits power may go with us .
| So half dozen of the men went with
Henry Maxwell, and the rest of the au-
| dience staid in the lecture room. Max
well could not escape the thought as he
left the room that probably in his entire
| church membership there might not be
found a score of disciples who were
capable of doing work that would sue
| cessfully lead needy, sinful men into
the knowledge of Christ The thought
| did not Iinger in his mind to vex him
as he went on his way, but it was SIM
| ply a part OF his whole new conception
of the meaning Of Christian disciple
ship.
When he and his little company Of
volunteers reached the Rectangle. the
| tent was already crowded. They had
difficulty in getting to the little plat
form. Rachel was there. with Virginia
and Jasper Chase. who had come in
stead of the doctor tonight.
| When the meeting began with song
in which Rachel sang the solo and the
| people were asked to join in the chorus.
| not foot of standing room was left in
the tent The night was mild. and the
sides of the tent were up. and a great
| border of faces stretched around, look
ing in and forming part of the audience.
| After the singing and a prayer by
one of the city pastors who were present
! Gray stated the reasons for his inability
| to speak and in his simple manner
turned the service over to Brother
| Maxwell of the First church.
..Who's de bloke2'' asked a hoarse
voice near the outside of the tent.
ode Fust church parson. We've got
de whole high tone swell outfit to-
night. -
Ibid you say Fust church, know
him. My landlord has got front pew
up there" said another voice, and there
was a laugh. for the speaker was a sa-
loon keeper.
s'T'row out de life line cross de dark
waver' began a drunken man near by.
singing in such an unconscious imlta-
ton of local travelling singers nasal
tone that roars of laughter and jeers of
approval rose around him. The people
in the tent turned in the direction of
the disturbance. There were shouts of
"Put him outl'' "Give the Fust church
a chancel'' ''Song. songl Give us an
other songl'
Henry Maxwell stood up. and greet
wave of actual terror went over him
This was Lot like preaching to the well
dressed, respectable. good hammered
people on the boulevard. He began to
speak. but the confusion increased
Gray went down into the crowd, but
did not seem able to quiet it. Henry
MaNWeI raised MS arm anu MS VOICE
The crowd in the tent began to pay
some attention. but the noise on the
outside increased. In few minutes the
audience was beyond Maxwell rs control
He turned to Rachel with sad smile.
''Sine something. Miss Winslow.
They will listen to you" he said and
then sat down and put his face in his
hands.
1t was Rachels opportunity. and she
Was fully enual to IL Xirginia WAS at