El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-02
PAGES 9 TO IL,

him were w OF the college professors
who had made the pledge in the First
church. Their experience and suffering
were the same as the presidents, for
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
sickening dread of each days en-
counter with it. Never had he borne
such a cross He staggered under it,
and in the brief intervals when he came
in from the work and sought the quiet
Of his study for rest the sweat broke
out on his forehead, and he felt the 40
tual terror of one who marches into
unseen, unknown horrors. Looking back
on it afterward, he was amazed at his
experience. He was not coward, but
he felt a dread that any man of his
habits feels when confronted suddenly
with duty which carries with it the
doing of certain things so unfamiliar
that the actual details connected with
it betray his 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
saloons. It was partly successful, but
there was great deal of drinking 60
ing on all day. The Rectangle boiled
and heaved and cursed and turned its
worst side out to the gaze of the city.
Gray had continued his meetings dur
ing the week, and the results had been
even greater than he had dared to hope
When Saturday came it seemed to him
that the crisis in his work had been
reached The Holy Spirit and the satan
of rum seemed to rouse up to a desper-
ate conflict The more interest in the
meetings the more ferocity and vileness
outside. The saloon men no longer con-
cealed their feelings. Open threats of
violence were made Once during the
week Gray and his little company of
helpers were assailed with missiles of
various kinds as they left the tent late
at night. The police sent down special
protection. and Virginia and Rachel
were, always under the protection of
Rollin or DR.. West. RachePs power in
song had not diminished Rather with
each night it seemed to add to the in
tensity and reality of the Spirits pres
ence.
Gray had at first hesitated, about
having a meeting that night, but he
had a simple rule of action and was al
ways guided by it. The Spirit seemed
to lead them to continue the meeting
and so Saturday night he went on. as
usual
The excitement all over the city had
reached its climax when the polls closed
1T 6 clock. Never had there been such
3 contest in Raymond The issue of
license or no license had never been an
issue under such circumstances Never
before had such elements in the city
been arrayed against each other. It was
IN unheard of thing that the president
IF Lincoln college, the pastor of the
First church, the dean of the cathedral,
The professional men living in the fine
houses on the boulevard, should come
into the wards and by their
presence and their example represent
he Christian conscience of the place
The ward politicians were astonished
1t the sight However. their astonish-
nent did not prevent their activity.
The fight grew hotter every hour, and
when 6 o'clock came neither side could
nave guessed at the result with any GER
;ainty. Every one agreed that never
lad there been such an election in Ray
nond, and both sides awaited the an
of the result with the
reatest interest.
It was after 10 o'clock when the
Meeting at the tent was closed. 1t had
meeting Henry Maxwell
lad come down again at Gray's request
He was completely worn out by the
lays work. but the appeal from Gray
anne to him in such form that he did
lot feel able to resist it. Donald Marsh
vas also present. He had never been to
he Rectangle, and his curiosity was
'roused from what he had noticed of
he influence of the evangelist in the
worst part of the city. DR.. West and
Sollin had come with Rachel and Vir-
,inia, and Loreen, who had staid with
1irginia, was present near the organ,
n her right mind, sober. with humil-
ty and dread of herself that kept her
g close to Virginia as faithful dog.
III through the service Loreen sat with
owed head, weeping a part of the
ime, sobbing when Rachel sang the
ong, 81 was a wandering Sheep
inging with almost visible tangible
to the one hope she had found.
to prayer and appeal and con-
ession all about her like one who was
part Of a new creation, yet fearful of
Ter right to share in it fully.
The tent had been crowded As on
ONE other occasions, there was more
r less disturbance on the outside of the
emit. This had increased as the night
dvanced, and Gray thought it wise
Ot to prOlOn1 the service Opce in
while shout as from large crowd
wept into the tent. The returns from
he election were beginning to come in.
nd the Rectangle had emptied every
'dging house. demand howell into the