The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-01-03


think. Mr.. Maxwell9 I will be guided
by your Judgment in the matter. am
sure that whatever you and Miss Page
think is best will be right"
II feel as you do, replied Mr.. Max
well. "Under most circumstances /
have q great distaste for what seems
like display at such times, but this
seems different. The people at the Rec
tangle will not come here to a service
think the most Christian thing will
be to let them have the service at the
tent. Do you think so, Virginia?''
Eyes, said Virginia sadly. Poor
soul! lido not know but that some time
shall know she gave her life for mine
We 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 by 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 a noted newspaper cor
respondent was passing through Ray.
mond on his way to an editorial con-
vention in neighboring city. He heard
Of the contemplated service at the tent
and was present that afternoon. His
description Of it was written in graph
ic style that caught the attention of
very many readers tho next day. A
fragment Of his account belongs to this
part Of the history of Raymond:
"There was very unique and un-
usual funeral service held here this aft
ernoon at the tent of an evangelist,
Rev. John Gray, down in the slur dis
trict known as the Rectangle The &C.
casion was caused by the killing OF q
woman during an election riot last Sat
urday night. 1t seems she had been re-
Gently converted during the evangelist's
meetings and was killed while return.
ing from one Of the meetings in COM
pany with other converts and some of
her friends. She was common street
drunkard, and yet the services 1T the
tent were as impressive as any l ever
witnessed in metropolitan church over
the most distinguished citizen
''In the first place. q most exquisite
anthem was sung by trained choir. 1t
struck me, Of course, being q stranger
to the place, with considerable astonigh-
ment to hear voices like those one nav.
urally expects to hear only in great
churches or concerts at such meeting
as this, but tho most remarkable part
OF the music was solo sung by strik-
ingly beautiful young woman, a Miss
Winslow, who, if I remember rightly,
is the young singer who was sought for
by Crandal, the manager Of National
Opera, and who for some reason refused
to accept his offer to go en- the stage
She had q most wonderful manner in
singing, and everybody was weeping
before she had sung q dozen words.
That, Of course, is not so strange an
effect to be produced at funeral serv-
ice, but the voice itself was one of ten
thousand. / understand Miss Winslow
sings in the First church and could
probably command almost any salary rs
a public singer. She will probably be
heard from soon. Such voice could
win its way anywhere.
''The service, aside from the singing,
was peculiar. The evangelist man of
apparently very simple. unassuming
style. spoke q few words, and he was
followed by a fine looking man, the Rev
Henry Maxwell pastor OF the First
church Of Raymond. Mr.. Maxwell
spoke Of the fact that the dead woman
had been fully prepared to go, but he
spoke in a peculiarly sensitive manner
Of the effect Of the liquor business on
the lives Of men and women like this
one. Raymond, Of course, being q rail
road town and the center of tho great
packing interests for this region, is full
of saloons. caught from the minister's
remarks that he had only recently
changed his views in regard to license.
He certainly made very striking and
yet 1t was in no sense an inappropriate
address for funeral.
'Then followed what was perhaps
ehO NuCCA poIG VI U1lS bCTduR0 SeTVlCo.
The women in the tent, at least large
part Of them up near the coffin, began
to sing in a soft. fearful way. 4 was
a wandering sheep.
"Then, while the singing was going
on, one row of women stood up and
walked slowly past the casket. and as
they went by each one placed flower
of some kind on it. Then they sat down,
and another row filed past, leaving
their flowers. All the time the singing
continued softly, like rain on tent
cover when the wind is gentle 1t was
one of tho simplest aud at the same
time one Of the most impressive sights
ever witnessed. The sides of the tent
were up. and hundreds of people who
could not get in stood outside all as
still as death. with wonderful sadness
and solemnity for such rough looking
people. There must havo been hun
drpd of these wompD oD1 T WOO told