Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1900-05-03

make the people before him under
stand either his motive or his Christ.
His speech so far had been quiet, un-
impassioned, deliberate. His whole
manner now underwent swift
change. People in the galleries motto
ed II, and men leaned out far over the
railing, and more than one closed his
hands tight In emotion at the sight and
hearing Of the tall figure on the plat
form.
YES" he said, II love you, people
Of Milton, beloved members of this
church. l would have opened my arms
to every child of humanity here and
shown him, IL / could, the boundless
love Of his Heavenly Father. But, oh,
ye would not! And yet the love of
Christ. What wonderful thing it is!
How much he wished us to enjoy Of
peace and hope and fellowship and
service! Yes, service-that is what the
world needs today; service that is will
ing to give all-all to him who gave all
to save us! o Christ, Master, teach us
to do thy will! Make us servants to
the poor and sinful and hopeless. Make
thy church on earth more like thy
self"
Those nearest Philip saw him sud
denly raise his handkerchief to his
lips, and then, when he took it away,
1t was stained with blood. But the
people did not see that. And then, and
then-a remarkable thing took place.
On the rear wall of Calvary church
there had been painted, when the
church was built, Latin cross. This
cross had been the source of almost
endless dispute among the church
members. Some said it was inartistic;
others said 1t was in keeping with the
name of the church and had a right
place there as part Of it's inner adorn-
ment. Once the dispute had grown so
large and serious that the church had
voted as to it's removal or retention on
the wall. A small majority had voted
TO leave Ii there, and there il remained.
1t was perfectly white, on a panel Of
thin wood, and stood out very conspicu-
ously above the rear of the platform.
1t was not directly behind the desk,
but several feet at one side.
Philip had never made any allusion
in his sermons to this feature Of Calva-
ry church's architecture. People had
wondered sometimes that with his inn
aginative, poetical temperament he
never had done so, especially once
when a sermon on the cruclfixion had
thrilled the people wonderfully. 1t
might have been his extreme sensitive
ness, his shrinking from anything like
cheap sensation.
| But now he stepped back-it was not
far-and turning partly around, with
one long arm extended toward the
cross as If In imagination he saw the
Christ upon it. he exclaimed, 4" Behold
| the lamb of God that taketh away the
sin of the world" Yes.
'In the cross Of Christ glory,
| Towering Ger the wrecks Of time;
| All the light Of sacred story
| Gathers round"-
His voice suddenly ceased, he threw
his arms up, and as he turned little
| forward toward the congregation he
was seen to reel and stagger back
against the wall. For one intense, tre-
mendous second of time he stood there
with the whole church smitten into a
plying, Mortified, startled, motionless
crowd of blanched, staring faces as his
tall, dark figure lowered up with out
stretched arms. almost covering the
very outlines OF the cross, and then he
sank down at its foot.
A groan went up from the audience.
Several men sprang up the platform
steps. Mrs. Strong was the first per-
son to reach her husband. Two or
three halned to hear him to the front of