Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1903-01-15
garments flutteFfng and his voice heard

IN, broken cries. see anu near II Hi
now whenever the words are read.
| He announced the hymn, "Just as
| Am" read the first verse, and then went
on: "There you are, men, every man Of
you, somewhere on the road. Some of
you are too lazy''-here Graeme nudged
me-"and some of you haven't got
enough yet of the far country to come
back. May there be chance for you
when you want to come! Men, you all
want to go back home, and when you
go you'll want to put on your soft
clothes, and you won't go till you can go
in good style. But where did the prodi-
gal get his good clothes?"
| Quick came the answer in Baptiste's
shrill voice:
"From de old fadderv'
No one was surprised. and the minis
| ter went on:
eyes, and that's where we must get
the good. clean heart-the good, clean,
| brave. heart-from our Father. Don't
wait; but, just are you are, come.
Sing
They sang, not loud, as they would
"Stand Up or even ''rhe Sweet By
and By" but In voices subdued, hold
| ing down the power in them.
After the singing Craig stood mo-
ment gazing down at the men and then
said quietly:
"Any man want to come? You all
might come We all must come"
Then, sweeping his arm over the au-
dience and turning half round as if to
move off, he cried in voice that thrill
ed to the hearts core:
ooh, come on! Let's so back!'
The effect was overpowering. It
seemed to me that the whole company
half rose to their feet. OF the prayer
that Immediately followed l only
caught the opening sentence, Father.
we are coming back" for my attention
was suddenly absorbed by Abe, the
stage driver, who was sitting next me.
could hear him swearing approval
and admiration, saying to himself:
saint he a clinker? I'll be gee whiz-
ely gop busted If he amt malleable
iron, double back action, self adjusting
corn cracker
And the prayer continued, to be
| Hurctuated with like admiring and
even more sulphurous expletives. It
was an homogeneous medley. The ear
nest, reverent prayer and the earnest,
admiring profanity rendered chaotic
ones IDEAS Of religious propriety. The
| feelings in both were akin, the method
| of expression somewhat widely d.
verse.
After prayer Craig's tone changed
utterly. In quiet, matter of fact
businesslike way he stated his plan OF
organization and called for all who
wished to Join to remain after the ben.
ediction. Some fifty men were left
among them Nelson, Sandy, Lachla1
Campbell, Baptiste, Shaw, Nixon
Geordie and Billy Breen, who tried tc
get out, but was held fast by Geordie.
Graeme was passing out, but signed
him to remain, saying that I wished
''to see the thing out" Abe sat still
| beside me, swearing disgustedly at the
fellows who were goin' back on the
preacher" Craig appeared amazed al
the number of men remaining anG
/ seemed to fear that something was
wrong. He put before them the terms
of discipleship, as the Maker put then
to the eager scribe, and he did no,
make them easy. He pictured the NnG
i Of work to be done and the kind OF
men needed for the doing Of it. ABB
/ grew uneasy as the minister went OF
to describe the completeness Of the sur
render, the intensity Of the loyalty de
manded. III
'That knocks me out, reckon" b,
muttered in disappointed tone. g
amt up to that grade" And as Graf,
described the heroism called for, tn,
magnifcence of the fight, the worth O
it and the outcome Of it all Abe GROUND
out, ''I'u be BANKED if wouldn't lik,
to take hand, but guess I'm not II
it,
Craig finished by saying:
II want to put this quite fairly. It /
not any league of mine. You're no
joining my company. It is no cas-.
business. and 1t Is for your whole life
What do you say? Do put 1t fairly
What do you say, NelsonY
Nelson rose slowly and with difficult,
began:
II may be all wrong, but you made i
easier for me, Mr.. Craig. You said b
would see me through. or should ney
er have risked 1t. Perhaps I an
wrong" And the old man locke,
troubled
Craig sprang up.
"No, no! Thank God, no! He vii
see every man through who will trus
his life to him-every man, no matte
how tough he Is. no matter how brc
. ken"
Then Nelson Strengthened himself u
: and said:
"Well, sir. I believe lot of the me
! would go in for this if they were dea
3 sure they would get through"
< "Get through said Craig. ''Neve
fear of 1T! 1t is hard fight, Ion
t fight, a glorious fight" throwing up hi
head, 'but every man who squared
e trusts him and takes him as Lord an
9 Master comes out victorv'
''Bonp' said Baptiste. "Das me. 70
=