News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-03-20

Oub 4 III Bldu dul COnNeIltu
In the army
CHORUS.
Reign OH reign, my saviourl
Reign, oh, reign, my Lordi
Send the sanctifying power
In the army OF the Lord,
Send the sanctifying power
In the army
He will give you grace to conquer
In the army of the Lord;
He will give you grace to conquer
In the army
He will fill you with his spirit
IN the army of the Lord;
He will fill you with his spirit
In the army
Oh, feel the power is coming
In the Army OF the Lord,
Oh, feel the power is coming
In the Armyl
1t was at the close of the collection
that Rhena spoke. AS long as he lived
Stuart will never forget the feeling
with which he listened nor the i'm
preston made upon the rough, uncul-
tured audience. Where had this young
woman, reared in the dollhouse atmos-
phere of society, trained to it's artificial
polteness and refinement, caught the
spirit which knows how to speak to
the people of the street and the mine
and the coarse toll of humble honest
Certain it was she had caught it, and
the old storage room, with it's audience
of stolid, hardened rough men and
women, was the scene of a strange
victory of spirit over spirit. Rhena's
voice was wonderful help. 1t was
very clear and strong for such little
body. 1t penetrated into the souls of
the people. But it was what she said
that held them bound like captives to
her will. She spoke simply, lovingly,
with true enthusiasm, of the great
the world. 1t was not preaching; it
was q message of one saved soul to
others who were still in peril. She
spoke only a few minutes, and as she
| closed she asked those who were under
conviction to come forward and kneel
by the platform.
At once an old man stumbled out in
| to the aisle. He was partly under the
influence of liquor, and if it had not
been for the friendly pushes of the peo-
pie on either side of the aisle as he
tumbled up first against one, then
against another, it is doubtful If he
would have succeeded in getting as far
as the platform. He did reach it, how
ever, and kneeled down after fashion,
resting his head and arms on the plat
form at Rhena's feet. Instantly, in a
voice that thrilled every ear in the
room, Rhena started the song:
Return, wanderer, return,
And seek your Fathers facet
Those new desires that in you burn
Were kindled by his grace.
Return, wanderer, returnl
He hears your humble sigh.
He sees your softened spirit mourn
When no one else is nigh.
Return, wanderer, returnl
Your Saviour bids you live;
Come to his cross, and you will learn
How freely he'll forgive.
Each time the army came in with the
chorus:
Oh, you must be lover of the Lord
Or you can't go to heaven when you die!
The contrast between the absolutely
cultivated tone of the song in the
verses and the noisy, drum accOmpa
MED rattle Of the chorus was startling
to Stuart. He WINGED at it every time
Rhena did not seem in the least dis
turbed. She smiled at the enthusiastic
swing of the arm that beat the big
drum and nodded her head in time tC
the rush of the chorus as it was also
caught up by the audience.
Several persons went forward anG
knelt during this song, At its conclu
sion the major, who seemed in com
mand this evening, called for testimo
MES. They came, brief and simple
from nearly every member of the army
on the platform and were listened to IL
perfect silence, which was sometimes
followed by clapping of hands in the
audience or by the rest of the army
! The testimonies generally consisted OF
brief statement, something like this
1.-TWO months ago found Jesus righr
here in this room, praise be his name
He is very precious to my soul"
'The Lord spoke to me from the
cross just three weeks ago tonight, ant
l gave him my heart. Halleluiahv
81 was a drunken, worthless sinner
a year ago. Now am redeemed
washed in the blood of the Lamb, ant
, l am not ashamed to testify Of his sal
| vation."
Before l was converted and Joined
J the army was known as 'Scaly Joe
} the whisky soak Now I'm new
J man; haven't had nip for more'n Q
J month, and my name is Joseph now
and don't you forget it! Amen"
J One of the late converts among the
women came forward, and in trem
bling voice, with tears running dowr
her cheeks, she said, while the laughter
raised by "Scaly Joe's" testimony sud
denly ceased: