Middletown transcript., 1899-12-30


I "I feel as if l were called to go down
there tonight. and will leave it with
you to say whether you will go on with
the meeting here. 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 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 inger in his mind to vex him
az he went on his way, but it was sim
ply part of his whole new conception
Of the meaning of Christian disciple
ship
When he and his little company of
volunteers reached the Rcctangle. the
tent was already crowded. They had
difficulty in getting to the little plat
form. Rachel was there, with Virginia
and Jasper Chase. vino 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 a 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 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 blokef'' 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.
"Did you say Fust churchH l know
him. My landlord has got front pew
up there" said another voice, and there
was laugh, for the speaker was sa-
loon keeper.
'T'row out de life line cross de dark
wavel" began drunken man near by.
singing in such an unconscious imita-
tion Of local travelling singer 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 outI'' stGive the Fust church |
chancer' 'Song. songl Give us an
other songl''
Henry Maxwell stood up, and great |
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
Maxwell raised his arm and his voice
The crowd in the tcnt began to pay
some attention. but the noise on the
outside increased In u few minutes the
audience was beyond Maxwell S control
He turned to Rachel with sad smile.
"Sing something. Miss Winslow
They will listen to you. he said and
then sat down and put his face in his
hands.
1t was Rachel's opportunity. and she
was fully equal to it. Virginia was at
the organ. and Rachel asked her to play
few notes of the hymn:
Saviour. follow on.
Guided by thee.
Seeing not yet the hand
That leadeth me.
flushed be my heart and still;
Fear ] no further i'll;
Only to meet thy will
Ny will shall be.
Rachel had not sung the first line be-
fore the people in the tent were all
turned toward her. hushed and rever-
ent Before she had finished the verse
the Rectangle was subdued and tanned
II lay like some wild beast at her feet,
and she sang it into harmlessness Ali
What were the fiippant. perfumed.
critical audiences in concert halls COM
pared with this dirty. drunken, impure,
degraded. besotted humanity that trem-
bled and wept and grew strangely, sad
ly thoughtful under the touch Of the
divine ministry of this beautiful young
womanf Henry Maxwell as he raised
his head and saw the transformed mob
had glimpse Of something that Jesus
would probably do with a voice like
Rachel Winslow's Jasper Chase sat
With his eyes on the singer, and his
greatest longing as an ambitious authQf
was swallowed mp in the thought Of
what Rachel WinsloW's love might
some time mean to him. And over in !
the shadow outside stood the last person
any one might have expected to see at I
q gospel tent service. Rollin Page. who,
jostled on every side by rough men and |
women, who stared at the swell in the
fine clothes, seemed careless of his sur
roundings and at the same time evi-
IDENTIFY swayed by the power that Rachel
possessed He had just come over from
the club. Neither Rachel nor Virginia
law him that night
The song was over Henry Maxwell
rose again This time he felt calm
What would Jesus dot He spoke as he
thought once he never could Who were .
4
these peoplss Fhey were immortal
,ouls. What was Christianitys A cali
Ing of sinners, not the righteous. to re-
pentance. How would Jesus speak?
What would be sayf He could not tell s
all that his message would include, but
be felt sure Of part of 1t. and In that
certainty he spoke on. Never before
had be felt compassion for the multi !.
tude |" What had the multitude been !
10 him during his ten years in the First
church but Q vague, dangerous, dirty. {
Troublesome factor in society. outside !
of the church and his reach; an clement
that caused him occasionally an un-
pleasant feeling of consciencci d factor '
IN Raymond that was talked about at :
associations as the 'smasses In papers
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