Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-12-22

'lNtI Tue CuuICu III the silence tHdt
followed this strange scene, sobs and
the noise of weeping arose When had
the First church yielded 10 such a bap-
tism of tearsy What had become of its
regular, precise, cold, conventional or
der of service. undisturbed by any vul-
gar emotion and unmoved by any fool
ish excitement? But the people had
lately had their deepest convictions
touched They had been living so long
on their surface feelings that they had
almost forgotten the deeper wells Of
life. Now that they had broken to the
surface the people were convinced OF
the meaning of their discipleship.
Henry Maxwell did not ask this
morning for volunteers TO join those
who had already pledged to do IS Jesus
would but when the congregation had
finally gone and he had entered the lee
ture room it needed but glance to
show him that the original company Of
followers had been largely increased.
The meeting was tender. 1t glowed
with the Spirit presence; it was alive
with strong and lasting resolve 10 begin
war on the whisky power of Ray
mond that would break its reign. Since
the first Sunday when the first company
Of volunteers had pledged themselves to
do as Jesus would do the different meet
ings had been characterized by distinct
impulses or impressions. Today the en-
tire force Of the gathering seemed to be
directed to this one large purpose. 1t
was meeting full of broken prayers,
Of contritiOn, confession, of strong
yearning for n new and better city life,
and all through it ran the one general
cry for delverance from the saloon and
its awful curse.
But if the First church was deeply
stirred by the events Of the week gone
the Rectangle also felt moved strongly
in It's own way The death OF Loreen
was not in itself so remarkable Il fact.
1t was her recent acquaintance with
the people from the city that lifted her
into special prominence and surrounded
her death with more than ordinary i'm
p0rtance Every one in the RectanGle
knew that Lorcon was at this moment
lying in tie Page mansion up on the
avenue Exaggerated reports of the
furnished material for eager gossip
The Rcctangle was excited to know the
details of the funeral Would it be
public? " nat did Miss PAGE intend to
do2 The Rectangle had never before
.t,ingled even in this distantly personal
Tanner with the aristocracy on the
boulevard. The opportunities for doing
SO were not frequent Gray and his
wife were besicg'1 by inquiries rs to
what Loreen friends and acquaint-
ances were expected To do in paying
their last respects to her. for her ac-
quaintance was large. and many Of the
recent converts were among her friends
So that is how it happened Monday
afternoon at the tent that the funeral
service of Loreen was held before an
immense audience that chol;cd the tent
and overAowed beyond all previous
bounds Gray had gone 10 Virginia
and after talking it over with her and
Henry Maxwell the arrangements had
been made
Il am and always have been opposed
70 large public funerals. said Gray,
whose complete, wholesome simplicity
Of character was one of its great sources
of strength. "but the cry of the poor
creatures who knew Lorecn is So earnest
that do not know how 10 refuse their
desire to see her and pay her poor body
some last little honor. What do you
think. Mr. Maxwell? ! will be guided
10y your Judgment in the matter. ! am
sure that whatever you ana Miss Page
think is best will be right
Il feel as you do, replied Mr. Max
well Under most circumstances
have a great distasto for what seems
ike display at such times. but this
seems different The people at the Rec
tangle will not come here to service
think the most Christian thing will
% d let them haze the service at the
tent Do you think SO, Virginia p
"Yes said Virginia sadly Poor
soul lido not know but that some time
shall know she gave her life for mine
" certainly cannot and will not use
the occasion for vulgar display. Let
her friends be allowed the qualification
of their wishes | see no harm In it. "
So the arrangements were made with
some difficulty for the service at the
tent. and Virginia, with her uncle and
| Rollin. accompanied 10y Henry Max
| well. Rachel. President Marsh and the
quartet from the First church, went
down and witnessed one Of the strange
scenes of their lives. 1t happened that
that afternoon noted newspaper cor
respondent was passing through Ray
mcnd on his way TO an editorial CON
vention in neighboring city. He heard
OF the contemplated service at the tent
and VAS present that afternoon. His
description Of it was written in graph
ic style that caught the attention of
very many readers the next day. A
fragment Of his account belongs to this
part of the history of Raymond:
There was very unique and nm
usual funeral service held here this aft
ernoon at tho tent Of an evangelist,
Rev. John Gray, down IN the slum dis
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