Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1912-08-22
By
Joseph
c. Lincoln
Copyright. iva BY u. Appleton 4 Company
Continued from page 81

Copyright. iva BY u Appleton & Company
Continued from page 81
My friends,r he said, "let us bow
In prayer"
John Ellery could have repeated that
prayer, almost word for word, years
after that night. The captain prayed
for the few here gathered together:
Let them be steadfast. Let them be
constant in the way. The path they
were treading might be narrow and be-
set with thorns, but it was the path
leading to glory.
"Scoffers may sneer," he declared,
his voice rising; "they may make
mock Of us, they may even come into
thy presence to laugh at us, but theirs
IS the laugh that turns to groanin'."
And so on, his remarks becoming
more personal and ever pointing like
a compass needle to the occupant of
that seat in the corner
20 Lord" prayed Captain Hammond,
the perspiration in beads on his fore
head, thou hast said that the pastors
become british and have not sought
thee and that they shan't prosper.
Help US tonight to labor with this one
that he may see his error and repent
in sackcloth and ashes"
They sang once more, hymn that
prophesied woes to the unbeliever
Then Ezekiel Bassett rose to testify"
The testimony was mainly to the eff
feet that he was happy because he had
fed to the ark OF safety while there
was yet time.
Captain Eben. called for more testi-
mony. But the testifiers were, to use
the old minstrel joke, backward in
coming forward that evening. At an
ordinary meeting, by this time, the
shouts and enthusiasm would have
been at their height and half a dozen
Come-Outers on their feet at once, re-
lating their experiences and proclaim
ing their happiness. But tonight
there was damper; the presence of
the leader of the opposition cast a
shadow over the gathering. Only the
bravest attempted speech. The others
sat silent, showing their resentment
and contempt by frowning glances
over their shoulders and portentous
mods one to the other.
The captain looked over the meet.
ing.
I'm ashamed" he said, ASHAMED
Of the behavior of some Of us in the
Lords house. This has been failure,
this service of ours. We have kept
still when we should have justified our
faith, and allowed the presence of a
stranger to interfere with our duty
to the Almighty. And l will say" he
added, his voice rising and trembling
with Indignation, ITO him who came
here unlimited and broke up this meet
In, that it would be we'll for him to
remember the words of Scriptur', Woe
unto We. false prophets and workers
OF iniquity.' Let him remember what
the divine wisdom put into my head
to read tonight: The pastors have
become british and have not sought
the Lord; therefore they shall not
prosper"
"Amen!" "Amen!" "Amen!" $50
be IT." The cries came from all parts
OF the little room. They ceased
abraetly, for John Ellery was on his
feet.
Captain Hammond" he said, II re-
alize that have no right to speak in
this building, but must say one
word. My coming here tonight may
have been a mistake; Pm inclined to
think it was. But came not, as you
seem to infer, to sneer and scoff; GER
tainly / had no wish to disturb your
service. came because had heard
repeatedly, since my arrival in this
town, Of this society and it's meetings.
had heard, too, that there seemed
to be feeling of antagonism, almost
hatred, against me among you here.
couldn't see why. Most of you have,
I believe, been at one time members
of the church where preach.
wished to find out for myself how
much of truth there was in the sto.
ries l had heard and to see If bet
ter feeling between the two societies