The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-02-11
pal admiration, saying TO himselr:

and admiration, saying to himself:
"Ain't he a clinker? III be gee whiH-
ely goP busted if he amt q malfeable
iron. double back action, self adjusting
corn cracker"
And the prayer continued, TO be
punctuated with like admiring and
even more %sulphurous explosives. 1t
was an incongruous medley. The ear
nest, reverent prayer and the earnest,
admiring profanity rendered chaotic
ne's 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 a 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, Lachlan
Campbell, Baptiste, Shaw. Nixon,
Geordie and Billy Breen, who tried to
get out, but was held fast by Geordie.
Graeme was passing out. but L signed
him to remain, saying hat 1 wished
ito see the thing out" Abe sat still
beside me, swearing dlsgustedly at the
fellows "who were goin' back on the
preacher" Craig appeared amazed at
the number of men remaining and
seemed to fear that something was
wrong. He put before them the terms
of discipleship, as the Maker put them
to the eager scribe, and he did not
make them easy. He pictured the kind
Of work to be done and the kind Of
men needed for the doing of 1t, Abe
grew uneasy as the minister went on
to describe the completeness of the sur
render, the intensity of the loyalty de-
manded.
That knocks me out, / reckon" he
muttered in a disappointed tone. ~
amt up to that grade" And as Craig
described the heroism called for, the
magniflcencc Of the fight, the worth of
1t and the outcome OF 1t all Abe ground
out, "Ill be BANKED IL I wouldn't like
to take a hand, but 1 guess Pm not In
it"
Craig finished by saying:
II want to put this quite fairly. 1t is
not any league Of mine. You're not
Joining my company. 1t is no easy
business, and 1t is for your whole life.
What do you say? Do I put it fairly?
What do you say, Nelson?"
Nelson rose slowly and with difficulty
began:
II may be all wrong, but you made it
easier for me, Mr.. Craig. You said he
would see me through, or I should nev-
er have riskcd it. Perhaps / am
wrong" And the old man looked
troubled.
Craig sprang up.
"No, no! Thank God, no! He will
see every man through who will trust
his life to him-every man, no matter
how tough he is, no matter how bro
KEN"
Then Nelson Strengthened himself up
and said:
"Well, sir, 1 believe a lot OF the men
would go in for this If they were dead
sure they would get through"
"Get through" said Craig. Never
a fear Of It! 1t is n hard fight, a long
fight. n glorious fight" throwing up his
head, but every man who ~sQuarely
trusts him and takes him as Lord and
Master comes out y%ictorp'
"Bon!' said Baptiste. "Das me. You
tink he's take me in dat fight, M'sieu
Craig, heh"
His eyes were blazing.
you mean it?" asked Craig almost
sternly.
Eyes, by CARR said the little French
e eagerly.
"Hear what he says, then" And
Craig, turning Over the leaves of his
Testament, read solemnly the words,
"Swear not at ALL"
"Nonl For sure! Den 1 stop him."
replied Baptiste earnestly, and Craig
wrote his name down.
Poor Abe looked amazed and dis
tressed, rose slowly and, saying, THAT
jars my whisky Jug" passed out.
There was a slight movement near
the organ, and, glancing up, / saw
Mrs. Mavor put her face hastily in her
hands. The mems faces were anxious
and troubled, and Nelson said in a
voice that broke:
"Tell them what you told me, sir"
But Craig was troubled, too, and re.
4hiSpb 1ou tCi liISuib INSioOh AIN
Nelson told the men the story Of how
he began just five weeks ago. The old
mans voice steadied as he went on,
and he grew eager as he told how he
mud been helped and how the world
was all different and his heart seemed
new. He spoke Of his Friend as If he
were some that could be seen out
at camp, that he knew well and met
every day.
But as he tried to say how deeply he
regretted that he had not known all
this years before, the old, hard face be-
gan to culver, and the steady voice
wavered. Then he pulled himself to-
gether and said:
II begin to feel sure he'll pull mo
t~hrough-me, the hardest man in the
mountainsl So don't you fear, boys.
He's all right"
Then the men gave in their names
one by one When 1t came to Geordie's
turn, he gave his name:
George Crawford, frae the parish O
Kilsyth, Scotland, an yell juist pit
doom the lads name, Master Craig.
He's n wee bit flashed VII the dis
coorse, but he has the root o. the matt
ter in him, I doot."
And 80 Billy Breen's name went
down.
When the meeting was over, thirty
eight names stood upon the communion
roll OF tho Black Rock Presbyterian
church, and it will ever be one Of the
reQrata Of nv lt6a that onsfhay.