Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-12-15

la 80 il. o~l5 he watched with
". 0;c- w,rs,r thp results of that
,nr. t. promise as ii was being obeyed
n ta,.e yarisca lives Those results
were i!"cc;ty being felt all over the
city Who cocil measure their .ntlu-
eucp At the cal of the year?
one I-acticGl form OF this fellowship
showed itself in the assurances which
Edward Norman received in support Of
his paper There was a general tlocking
toward him when the meeting closed,
and the response to his appeal for help
from the CArlatian disciples in Ray
mond was fully understood 10y this little
company The valae of such a paper in
the homes and m behalf OF good citizen
ship. especially ~ the present crisis in
the city. could not be- measured 1t re-
manned To be seen what could be done
now that Che paper was endowed SO lib
orally But it stiil was true, as Edward
Norman insisted that money alone
could not make the paper "A power. 1t
must receive the support and sympathy
of the Christians in Raymond before it
could be counted rs one OF the great
Christian forces of the city
The week that followed this Sunday
meeting was one of great excitement
in Raymond 1t was the week of the
election Donald Marsh, true TO his
promise. took up his cross and bore it
manfully, but with Shuddering. with
groans and even tears for his deepest
conviction was touched, and he tore
himself out of the scholarly seclusion
of years with pain and anguish that
cost him more than anything he had
ever done as follower of Christ With
him We're few of the college professors
who had made the pledge in the First
church Their experience and suffering
were the same rs the Presidents Tor
their isolation from all the duties of
citizenship had been the same The
same WAS also true Of Henry Maxwell
who plunged into the horror Of this
fight against whisky and its allies with
scEcnirg dread Of each days en-
counter with il Never had he borne
such Il cross He staggered under it,
and il tn brief intervals when he came
IN from the vor., and sought the quiet
IF his study for rest the sweat broke
ont on his forehead, and he felt the &C
tual terror Of one who marches into
unseen, unknown horrors. Looking bach
IN il afterward. ne was amazed at his
experience He was not coward, but
he felt "A dead that any man of hi:
| habits feels when confronted suddenly
with duty which carries with it the
doing of certain things SO unfamiliar
that tie actual details connected witt
IT botray LIS ignorance and fill him
with the shame Of humiliation.
When Saturday, the election day,
came, the excitement rose to its height.
An attempt was made TO close all the
Soioons. 1t was partly successful, but
there was a great deal Of drinking go
Ing on al Day The Rectangle boiled
and hc&yed and ours d and turned its
worst side ont to the gaze Of the city
Gray had continued his meetings dur
| ing the wee. ana the results had beer
even greater than b had cared to hope.
When saturday came, il seemed TO him
| chat the crisis in his work had beer
reached The Holy Spirit and the satan
Of rum seemed - rouse mp 10 IA despcr-
ate conflict The more interest in the
meetings the more ferocity and vilencs.
| outside The saloon men no longer con
ccaled their feelings Open threats OF
violence were made Once during the
week Gray and his little company OF
helpers were assailod with missiles OF
various kinds as they left the tent late
at night The police sent down specia
protection and Virginia and Rache
were always under the protection OF
Rollin or Dr. West Rachcl's power ii
song had not diminished Rather will
each night it seemed to add TO the in
tcn,ity and reality Of the Spirits pres
ance
Gray had at first hesitated about
| having a meeting that night, but h,
mad a simple rule Of action and was al
ways guided by it The Spirit seemed
| 10 lead them TO continue the meeting
md so Saturday night he went on, az
lslal
The excitement all over the city hat
cached its climax when the polls CLOSED
|
contest in Raymond. The issue O
license or 10 license had never been al
issue under such circumstances. Neve1
before had such clements in the city
ben arrayed against each other 1t wa
an unhaard of thing that the presiden
Of Lincoln college, the pastor of tn,
First church. the dean Of the cathedral
Che professional men living in the fin,
houses on the boulevard, should come
personally into the wards and by thei1
presence and their example ropresen
the Christian conscience Of the place
The ward politicians were astonisheC
at the sight However, their astonish
ment did not prevent their activity
The fight grew hotter every hour, anC
when o clock came neither side coult
have guessed at the result with any Ger
tainty Every one agreed that neve
had there been such an election in Ray
| moud and both Sides 2y,aitpd the an