The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-20
conviction never wavcred.
< ,rhe light burned steadily before tho

conviction never wavered
The light burned steadily before thto
altar.
He had been one Of the faithful ' ' thou-
sands, learned, simple, Methodist ritual "a
ist, who knew that this thing could ~
not be. 1ly.t', ~ ss y I, \
Nevertheless his courage had been fa n !.
Ing Him. Life seemed to have lost M1ts :
sweetness, and often he hunDiy Won Won.
dered when he should die, hoping atliht
the time was not too long-not without
d tre,,,ulous belief that God would recog-
ize that he had fought the good hBht
ana kept the faith.
IN his ow,, Immediate neigllborl1ood the
CONSEQUENCES OF tho discovery nearly
broke his heart. He Ind no need TO look
beyond Naiktown. Even tho great Pc
liticnl events which were stirring ING
world had left HIN uninoved. Ills own
small corner OF the vineyard. now, alas!
so choked with rank, lnxuriant CROWN
was enough for this faithful pastor. Here
ho s,w nothing but vice suddenly rearing
its head and threat ening to overwhelin
all else. IIe heard tho holy names bias
phen1cd with MI tho Inventions OF ob-
scene imnEinntions, assnlled with oil the
wit Of full -boodad men, amazed ana
rejoiced that they could stif1e their cons
sciences nt last. And this, after all his
life work among these folk! lie had given
them OF his best. Fills prayers, his intel
lect, much OF his money had been thelrs.
How insolently they had cxulted over
him. these coarse and vulgar hearts!
When Basil had first told Mr.. Byars
OF his Suspicious the vicar can hardly
have been blamed for regarding them
sadly as tho generous effects OF young
and ardent soul seeking to find an irlfne-
date way out Of the impnsse.
The elder man knew that fraud hhd
been at work, but he suspected no sucn
modern and nsolent attempt as Basil
Indicated, It was too much to believe.
Gortre had left him most respondent:
But his interest had soon become quick
ened and alive, as the private reports
from London reached him.
When he knew that great people were
moving quietly, that the weight OF or
Michael was behind Gortre, he knew at
once that in ali probability Basil's sus-
plcions were right.
l A curious change came over tho wears
public appearances and utterances. Ills
sermons were full of fire. almost Pauline
In their strength. People began to flow
and flock into the great empty church at
Walktown Mr.. Byars's fame spread
Then swiftly, after the first week or
two, had come the beginning OF the
great financial depression.
It was felt acutcly In Manchester.
All the wealthy, comfortable, easygoing
folk, who grudglngly paid q small pew
rent out OF their superfluty, became
alarmed, horribly alarmed The Chris
tlanlty which sat so lightly upon them
that at first opportunity they had rushed
into the Unitarian meeting houses. be-
came suddenly a very desirable thing
In the fall OF Christianity they saw
their own fortunes falling. And these
self-deceivers5 would be swept back upon
tho tide Of this reaction into the arms OF
the Anglican mother they had despised,
The vicar saw all this. He was a keen
expert In and student Of human affairs,
and wthal a psychologist. He saw his
opportunity.
His words dashed and stung these rem
egades. They were made to see them
selves as they were: the preacher cut
away all the ground from under them.