The Grit-advocate., 1903-07-24

land" So well was he drawing out
the good points Of both countries that
all attention seemed TO he his and none
noticed the sudden storm that was soon
To swoop down upon us. Only the
faithful ushers were on the alert with
anxious hearts. In a twinkling they
were at the ropes outside pulling with
all their might and main against the
wind. Suddenly it grew quite dark
and great wave OF wind swept in be-
tween the roof and the walls Of the
tent. Then their efforts were useless
and the tent rose several feet in the
air while the dust, rain and lightning
came in. Not until that moment did
the speaker stop or the audience move.
Silently, as though great solemn fun
eral was impending. the people rose.
We seemed riveted to the spot, and lis
tened with aStoniShment to the si-
lencc, with no cries or screams OF any
kind. AS we looked up and saw the
great tent, poles and lights coming
slowly and surely down upon us, We
knew there could be no escape. Many
eyes were riveted upon the high poles
lowering over us, but no pandemon-
ium, no wild confusion OF any kind
was heard or visible to me. All was
still except the suppressed "oh" that
swept over the crowd as vast wave OF
! resignation and despair. Then many
thoughtful ones said loudly, Get un-
der the seats" The seats were all on
the level ground. except the chorus
stand which held seven hundred, and
was seated with chairs. The speakers
were also all there. Most OF us
obeyed the voice Of reason and crawl
ed under the seats, and then in a NOM
ent, althoug it seemed an hour, all was
over. So slowly and wonderfully was
it all done that the next moment was
heard the silvery voice OF our loved
Dr. Clark singing praise God from
Whom all blessings llow." In an in
stant hundreds of people humbled in
the dust were joining in their souls
thanksgiving. One thought upper
most in the minds OF the imprisoned
people was that of u panic. Had any
confusion arisen and panic started it
would necessarily have taken them
all, Us there was no wide opening.
The wall curtains were drawn tightly
to keep out the sun. noise, etc. As We
lay under the narrow board seat and
saw through the cloud of dust the poles
falling we feared them not as rhe hum
dreds Of people we expected would
walk over us the next moment, but
not scratch of harm came to any Of
us, with slight exceptions. In provi-
dental way the great pole was swung
around until it rested on the small
stand OF the speaker and missed the
three fine pianos back Of it. The 9TH
er pules seemed mostly to light on the
seats. At once, when the tent was
down, men began cutting holes through
which to get their heads, also some
air. These slits we're rapidly slashed
until hundreds of heads were out and
presented a strange sight. The men
then stood on the seats holding up the
canvass while the women walked and
crawled to the edge OF the tent AS
We were in the center aisle we found
ourselves met by the electric wires
which, had they been alive, would have
killed us all in one awful contiagration.
But by the wonderful forethought of
Miss Winifred Steep who telephoned
in haste to the Electric company not
to turn on the lights, an awful calami-
ty was averted; and by the providence
of God to calm multitude Of Chris.
tian souls with trust in Him a calami-
ty was stayed that can only be
called q miracle OF the Twentieth Cen
tury.
A Christian Endeavorer.