Gilpin observer., 1901-02-28
through Champion anyway until the

through Champion anyway until the
morrow. Groups of miners began to
go off in companies toward their
homes. Stuart saw tnat the danger
for the evening was passed. The Sal
vation Army had marched off to its
hall, and a large crowd had gone in
after it. The square was now rapidly
being cleared. lie felt completely eN-
hausted, now that the strain was over.
You will spend the night with me,
Mr.. Eurke?" he asked rs the two walk
ed out of the square over to where the
horse had been left.
"No. Mr.. Duncan. believe 1 will re-
main down here, now am so near my
hotel quarters. just as much under OBJ
legations to you. This has been a great
day of experience for you. l hope you
will not be the worse for it. The dan
ger from the men seems over for to-
night
Yes, l think so. Sorry you are not
going cut with me. 1t has been a day
of experiences. l can't forget my in
debtedness to you. We shall know each
other better, am sure. need to know
all the good men possible these days"
I'm at your service, Mr.. Duncan.
Good night
Good night Stuart sleek hands
strongly and drove Up the streot tin
Cling again from the pressure of that
grasp. Andrew Buriu's landahaEe sug-
gestcd rs much as some mems orations.
Stuart was so tired and ready for rest
whom he reached home that. after see
ing Erie ana being assured that he
would get through the night with the
watching Of the nursc sent for by the
doctor, he went Up to his room.
He slept hard, but waaened early and
could not 20 10 sleep again. He had
dreamed Of his experience IN the mine
and awoke ut the point Tacrc he had
heard Burkes voice. He went over the
whole adventure again, ANA tAln ire
sistibly was drawn in thought Gown to
the town square and in memory stood
on TIE church steps n little above the
kncelng figure that prayed. He found
himself saying over the words of the
prayer. To his surprise he could re-
member almost every sentence. Then
he began to analyze his feelings, pro-
voked by the expressions of the prayer
bul Ills lllllu sOOll lttuSth " N.IA1N4oC
anything and, without any special rea-
son for it, he began to ask if the saving
of men was any more the Salvation
Army's business than his own. He be-
gan to dwell on the word saved" as it
was used so often in the prayer. Then,
by n logical step which he did not at
tempt to argue about as he might once
have done, he was confronted with his
own condition, and although he thought
he tried to avoid answering the ques-
ton, it persisted in being put: IAN
saved? What is Jesus to me?'
The whole matter was foreign to his
moral code. Besides, how could man
in his present position, with all this Ia
bor trouble confronting him, attend to
religious questions? Nevertheless he
was forced to come back to the simple
question: IAN l saved? What is Jesus
to me?" All through the strange de-
bate now going on within him he seem
ed to feel that he was being driven ir-
resistibly to n point where he must
answer or decide the matter Of his own
personal salvation.
He dressed and in a growing excite
ment walked the room in the twilight.
How are men converted? Was Saul of
Tarsus expecting to be met by the vi
sion on the road to Damascus? Was 1t
not as sudden and astonishing to him
as n lightning bolt out of n cloudless
evening? Does the Lord have any fee
bic limitations in his way of reaching
mems souls or in the time he chooses?
Stuart tried again and again to stop
the persistent question that rose re-
peatedly to his lips. but to no purpose.
He said. II will go down and inquire
about Erie" But he turned in his
walk every time he faced his door and
again paced back to the windows
which opened on the front OF the house.
Gradually rs the Light of the world
grew stronger outside another and an
inward light grew in Stuart's soul. He
watched it grow in awe Of its strange
revealing power. lie saw himself rs Il
child of God. with opportunities, pow
ers, values. all of them hitherto used
seliishly, and in and through all the
rest he saw illum!ned n radiant cross.
what was Jesus to hlm?' The Qucs-
tlon grew with meaning. Why was
the Jesus of history figure to be re-
spected simply? OF what value and
meaning was the cross unless 1t be-
came a personal redemption?
The sunrise of the outer world was
reddening the pines out on the hills.
In n little while the sun would be look
Ing out over the ranges. and n new day
would be born. But n new man was
being born in the room Of the Cham
pion iron mine owner. The sun of
righteousness was rising in him. and
soon It would he daylight. Stuart
tremblcd. lie wns alone. No man had
spoken TO him of salvation or of Chris
tianity. But the divine presence had
| coma nf mn tpaynactaI npmpnt ut