The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-03-08
heaven on earth in the alkali wastes

heaven on earth in the alkali wastes
of Utah.
Lady Sibyl was the only person
there who was even moderately we'll
gowned. I began to understand now
how much her belief meant to Axel,
not necessarily from a worldly point
Of view, for, to do the man justice,
he was quite sincere, but as a bell
wether for his precious flock.
Then Axel came in from a private
room, and when I set eyes on the
man I knew that 1 was in the pres
ence of one of those who are the
mainstay Of every cause; the men of
intense will, purpose, and conviction
who make martyrs and prophets. He
might have stepped out of the desert
and put on modern clothes, for he was
brown and muscular as an Arab, his
closely cropped hair a of a deep.
lustrous black, and his black beard,
ragged and uncombed, swept down
over his breast. He moved as though
he were Strung; it was evident that
he was prepared to make a thrilling
appeal and challenge to his auditors;
and as he entered and stepped light.
ly on the platform, acknowledging
the greeting Of those present by a
curt, absent-minded nod, I heard muir.
murs of worship from the sordid fig
ures upon the benches and saw the
sunken eyes grow bright and the bent
figures straighten. Then he was upon
the platform and tho services had be-
gun.
1t is no part of my task to deride
the Mormon service. Except for the
shocking incongruity, as it seemed to
me. Of introducing the name of 10.
seph Smith into the hymns, it might
have been any religious service and
was conducted with perfect decorum.
But, the prayers ended, Axel began
to speak, and though l have heard
many speakers l have never heard
one who impressed me so forcibly.
It was not elegance of diction, for
his grammar was as free as his elo-
quent gestures; it was not that he
had the gift of the great orator; rath.
er it seemed to be some magnetic
force proceeding from the man. 1t
almost carried me away. I closed my
eyes and listened with rapture.
could we'll understand how he could
bend Lady Sibyl to his sway. to say
nothing of those others. He an.
nounced the end of his missionary
campaign and pleaded, pleaded with
his auditors to renounce the world
and follow him and his band to far off
Utah, to build up the nation of peace
and righteousness.
Emmanuel said something which
sounded like Amen. But it was not
Amen.
The sound seemed to sting the
speaker as a whip stings a nervous,
hfgh-spirited horse. He started, cast
a glance at the doctor, and then pro-
ceeded with more abandon than be-
fore. His words poured like a lava
torrent from his mouth. In the next
interval Emmanuel spoke again. This
time there was no mistaking his
word. They were "Al1ah i1-Allah."
And Axel seemed to lean toward
him; he swung round, facing him,
and thumped his fist upon the desk
and flung his arms aloft, as an an
cient prophet might have done, de-
nouncing Baal. I understood the doc
tors purpose. He was beginning to
recall to him the scene which was
afterward to be burned into his brain,
for the purpose of awakening his for
gotten self.
Axel ended in a thunder Of ap-
plause. His auditors sprang from their
seats and cheered, ran forward, sur
rounded him. Lady Sibyl looked at
me with trimming eyes.
isn't he wonderful" she said. 20,
doctor, can't you believe now? Who
else is he but a prophet Of God?"
Then l saw that Emmanuel had
arisen and was standing Immediately
in front of Axel, staring into his eyes.
It was a strange contrast; the
preacher, built in the mold of a
hero. and the little Greek doctor. with
his face upturned, and his mild
brown eyes, just now fixed sternly
upon those of the other.
"Come!" said the doctor, and he
placed his arm within the preachers.
He said something more, but it was
too low for me to catch the words.
Whether it was English or Arabic l
do not know, but l felt that their two
wills had met in combat and that the
doctor had conquered. It seemed as
though Axel were actually in a hyp-
motto condition, for he followed I'm.
manuel without seeing any of his ad-
mirers, brushing them away, and
went like a lamb in the direction of
Room II, and we all followed. Then
Emmanuel threw open the door and
we trooped in, and somebody-Car-
ruthers, I think closed it, and we
were inside a Syrian house.
1t Was like one Of those little repro