Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-09-21
IN HIS STEPS.
"4nhat alanulh
5rsua HUI
BY Charles NJ Sheldon.
copyrighted and ptlbltshed IN book form b1 The
Adpance Publishing Co. Of Chicago.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CHAPTER Y.
II any man serve me. let him follow ms
Saturday night at the Rectangle wit
messed some Of the most remarkable
scenes that Mr.. Gray and his wife had
ever known. The meetings had intensi-
fed with each night of Racheps sing
ing. A stranger passing through the
Rectangle in the daytime might have
heard a good deal about the meetings in
one way and another. It cannot be said
that up to that Saturday night there
was any appreciable lack Of oaths and
.6purity and heavy drinking. The Rec
<tangle would not have acknowledged
that it was growing any better or. that
even the singing had softened its con-
versation or Its outward manner. II
had too much local pride in being
tough. But. in spite Of itself, there
was yielding to power 1t had never
measured and did not know well enough
to resist beforehand
Gray had recovered his voice, 80 that
Saturday he was able to speak. The
fact that he was obliged to use his voice
carefully made it necessary for the peo-
pie to be very quiet II they wanted to
hear. Gradually they had come to un-
derstand that this man was talking
these many weeks and using his time
and strength to give them knowledge
Of . Saviour. all out Of perfectly UNI
selfish love for them. Tonight the great
crowd was as quiet as Henry Maxwell g
-dscorous audience ever was. The fringe
around the tent was deeper, and the
saloons were practically empty. The
Holy Spirit had come at last. and Gray
knew that one Of the great prayers Of
his life was going to be answered.
And Rachsl-ha, singing was the
best, most wonderful Virginia or Jasper
Chase had ever known, They had come
together again tonight with DR.. West,
who had spent all his spare time that
week in the Rectangle with some char
ity cases Virginia was at the organ,
Jasper sat on front seat looking up at
Rachel and the Rectangle swayed as
one man toward the platform Is she
Gang:
: "Just as am, without one plea, =
But that thy blood was shed for mo
), And that thou bidst me come to thee
o Lamb Of God. come, come!'
Gray said hardly word. He stretch
ed ont his hand with a gesture of invi-
tation, and down the two aisles Of the
tent broken, sinful creatures, men and
women. stumbled toward the platform.
One woman out Of the street was near
the organ.
Virginia caught the look Of her face,
and for the first time in the life Of the
rich girl the thought Of what Jesus was
to . sinful woman came with a sudden
ness and power that were like nothing
but o new birth. Virginia left the or
gan. went to her. looked into her face
and caught her hands in her own. The
other girl trembled, then fell On her
knees. sobbing, with her head down
upon the back Of the bench in front Of
her. still clinging to Virginia And vir-
ginia, after a moments hesitation,
kneeled down. by her. and the two
heads were bowed close together.
But when the people had crowded in
asdouble row all about the platform,
most Of them kneeling and crying, a
man in evening dress. different from
ss4he- others. pushed through the seats
and came and neeled down by the side
Of the drunken man who had disturbed
tho meeting when Henry. Maxwell
spoke He knseled within few feet Of
Rachel Winslow, who was etill singing
softly. and az she turned for moment
and looked In his direction she was
amazed to see the face Of Rollin Pagel
For a moment her voice faltered Then
che went on:
"Just as am thou wilt receive.
Wilt welcome. pardon. cleanse. relieve
Because thy promise believe,
o Lamb Of God. come. comei''
The voice was as the voice Of divine
longing, and the Rectangle,s for the
time being, was swept into the harbor
Of redemptive grace,
II was nearly midnight before the
service at the Rectangle closed. Gray
staid up long into Sunday morning
praying ana talking With o little group
Of converts that, in the great expert
ence of their new life, chung to the
evangelist with personal helplessness
that made 1t as impossible for him to
leave them as if they had been depend
ing vpon him to save them from phys
ical death. Among these converts was
Rollin Page.
Virginia and her uncle had gone
home about II o clock, and Rachel and
Jasper Chase had gone with them as
far as the avenue where Virginia lived
d.. West had walked on little way
with them to his own house, and Rachel
and Jasper had then gone on together
I to her mothers.
Z That was little after II. II was
NOW striking midnight and Jasper
Chase sat in his room staring ct the pa
pers on his desk and going over the last
half hour with painful persistence,
He had told Rachel Winslow Of his
love for her. and she had not given her
love in return.
4 ~ !.