8,,in ,,the ,,twinkling ,,of ,,an ,,eye0 ,by ,sydney ,watson ,author of 8,the ,mark of the ,beast0 8,life's ,lookout01 8,wops1 the ,waif01 ,etc4 ,copyright #aiah ,,the ,,biola ,,book ,,room ,,bible ,,institute ,,of ,,los ,,angeles #ecf-eeh ,south ,hope ,street ,los ,angeles1 ,cal4 ,,author',s ,,foreword ,illustration ,some years ago1 ,i received from an important ,southern town1 a letter from a ,ladies' ,temperance ,committee1 to this effect3--8,sir1 ,we1 the undersigned1 are a committee of ,ladies1 who1 for many years1 have purchased your 8,stories for the ,people0 in very large numbers1 for free distribution and loan2 always assuming that you were to be thoroughly relied upon as an upholder of strict ,total-abstinence principles4 ,but your latest story has sadly undeceived us1 as regards your usefulness as a worker in the great cause we are pledged to uphold and further4 ,on pp ---- of your last story1 you make your hero1 returning from a day's run with the hounds1 come upon a woman lying in a lonely place1 who has been injured in a trap accident4 ,you say1 speaking of your hero's prompt help to the woman1 that 8taking his hunting flask from his pocket1 he forced a few drops of the brandy between the woman's lips1 etc40 ,now1 sir1 we contend that had you had the cause of ,total-abstinence fully at heart1 you would have made that huntsman's flask to have contained water40 ,so much for the letter4 ,the moral of it lies on the surface4 ,there are some persons who seem unable to see anything from the side of real1 actual life--that ,ladies' committee could not--whose vision is narrowed down to the tiny slit of their own cramped1 cabined life and thought1 they have no true outlook upon life1 as a whole4 ,i preface this foreword with the above incident1 because ,i am perfectly certain that the standpoint from which ,i have written this book will be utterly1 absolutely misunderstood by many earnest1 loving-hearted people1 whose eyes1 with my own1 have caught the upward gaze 8from whence we look for the return of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ40 ,i would at once acknowledge that the inceptive idea of writing such a book as this was born within me from reading 8,long ,odds10 that wondrous little half-penny booklet written by the late ,general ,robertson1 ,i believe1 a booklet that has been so marvellously 8owned and blessed40 ,for five or six years the idea for this present volume has been simmering and seething in my mind4 ,the first and only real problem ,i had to face in the matter was that of the principle involved in using the fictional form to clothe so sacred a subject 7for1 to me1 the near ,return of our ,lord is the most sacred of all subjects47 ,but the problem of the principle was speedily settled1 as ,i remembered how wondrously ,god had owned and blessed 8,long ,odds10 in which the fictional is the vehicle of the teaching4 ,then1 too1 there are1 ,i know1 myriads of people into whose hands 8,long ,odds10 could never1 by any chance1 fall--for there are multitudes who will not so much as glance at1 or touch a tract1 while a volume will easily win its way among all classes4 ,there is an enormous percentage of attendants at our churches and chapels1 and many otherwise very earnest ,christian workers1 to whom the whole subject of the ,lord's ,second ,coming is an absolutely unknown realm of ,truth--and these ,i would fain reach and arouse with the message of this book4 ,to those ,christians who are looking for the ,return of the ,lord1 to whom the subject is the most tenderly sacred of all subjects1 who will at first sight condemn the use of the fictional element1 the dramatic colour in this book--and many good people will1 ,i am assured--,i would say1 first1 that the book is not written for them1 and second1 that1 our ,lord ,himself1 speaking of ,his own ,return1 used two very remarkable illustrations from life's strangest dramas4 ,first1 8,as it was in the days of ,noah1 even so shall it be also in the days of the ,son of ,man4 ,they ate1 they drank1 they married1 they were given in marriage1 until ,,the ,,day1 etc40 ,now1 think what a myriad dramas were being enacted when the flood came4 ,and had the disciples asked their ,lord1 privately1 after ,his utterance1 to explain more fully what ,he meant1 what thrilling stories ,he could1 ,he doubtless ,,would have sketched4 ,if any ,christian cavils at the dramatic in this book1 ,i would refer him or her to ,christ's own pointing in the picture of ,noah's time1 then bid them fill out1 by help of the feeblest1 simplest imagination1 the picture of the myriad dramas that were being enacted when that flood came1 of old time4 ,then1 if the objector is honest1 and is capable of the least imagination1 he will say 8,i see6 and1 now that ,i see this fact1 my wonder is not that there is a certain dramatic freedom in this book1 but that the writer has kept so powerful a restraint upon his pen40 ,again1 ,christ said3--8,as it was in the days of ,,lot10 etc4 ,now think over this saying of our ,lord's1 and remembering what is actually recorded in ,genesis1 of the vice and crime of ,sodom1 7and how1 alas6 even when saved from the doomed city1 ,lot and his daughters brought away much of the vicious1 criminal essence of the place with them17 think how the ,return of our ,lord1 presently1 will mean the snatching away of many of ,his own out of scenes infinitely more awful than anything ,i have used herein1 or ever hinted at4 ,a book written on the subject here chosen1 and written in the vein our ,lord ,himself suggests in the two passages referred to above1 could not have been written in any other way--to be true to life1 and to the subject4 ,should any reader object to the expository lectures of ,major ,h----1 as the chief vehicle for the doctrinal teaching1 ,i would say that personal experience has proved the style to be infinitely more acceptable to readers than that of the dialogue mode4 ,i have purposely placed special emphasis on the ,jewish side of the subject1 since the ,jewish question is infinitely more closely enwrapped with the fact of our ,lord's near return1 than many speakers and writers give prominence to4 ,,sydney ,,watson4 8,,the ,,fire10 ,,vernham ,,dean1 ,,hungerford1 ,,berks4 ,,contents ,illustration ,chapter ,page ,i4--,,taken ,,at ,,the ,,flood #aa ,,ii4--8,,the ,,courier0 #bj ,,iii4--,,flotsam #bf ,,iv4--8,i ,,only ,,reaped ,,what ,i ,,sowed0 #cc ,v4--8,,lily ,,work0 #ch ,,vi4--,,an ,,interesting ,,talk #dd ,,vii4--8,,coming0 #ee ,,viii4--,,reverie #fd ,,ix4--,a ,,threat #ge ,x4--,,in ,,the ,,nick ,,of ,,time #hb ,,xi4--8,,long ,,odds0 #ic ,,xii4--,,the ,,center ,,of ,,the ,,earth #aja ,,xiii4--,a ,,demon #aaj ,,xiv4--,,major ,h---- ,,on 8,,the ,,coming60 #aah ,,xv4--,,the ,,address #abd ,,xvi4--,,her ,,cabin ,,companion #acf ,,xvii4--,,casting ,a ,,shoe #adb ,,xviii4--,,told ,,in ,a ,,cab #aed ,,xix4--,,tom ,,hammond ,,reviewing #afd ,x,i,xa4--8,,my ,,mentor0 #agf ,,xx4--,,the ,,placard #ahe ,,xxi4--,,was ,,he ,,mad #ahi ,,xxii4--,,from ,,the ,,prophet',s ,,chamber #aie ,,xxiii4--,,passover6 #bjj ,,xxiv4--8,,this ,,saying ,,shall ,,come ,,to ,,pass0 #bji ,,xxv4--,,foiled6 #bah ,,xxvi4--,a ,,castaway #bba ,,xxvii4--,a ,,stricken ,,city #bbf ,,xxviii4--8,,hallelujah ,,lass0 #bcb ,,xxix4--,,in ,,st4 ,,paul',s #bch ,,xxx4--,,conclusion #bdf 8,,in ,,the ,,twinkling ,,of ,,an ,,eye0 ,illustration ,,chapter ,i4 ,,taken ,,at ,,the ,,flood4 ,the man walked aimlessly amid the thronging press4 ,he was moody and stern4 ,his eyes showed his disappointment and perplexity4 ,at times1 about his mouth there lurked an almost savage expression4 ,as a rule he stood and walked erect4 ,only the day before this incident one of a knot of flower-girls in ,drury ,lane had drawn the attention of her companions to him as he strode briskly along the pavement1 and in a rollicking spirit had sung1 as he passed her3 8,stiff1 starch1 straight as a larch1 ,every inch a soldier2 ,fond o' his country1 fond o' his queen1 ,an' hawfully fond o' me40 ,but to-day there is nothing of the soldier in the pose or gait of ,tom ,hammond4 ,yet the time and place ought to have held his attention sufficiently to have kept him alert to outward appearance4 ,it was eleven in the forenoon4 ,the place was ,piccadilly4 ,he came abreast of ,swan and ,edgar's4 ,the pavement was thronged with women on shopping bent4 ,more than one of them shot an admiring glance at him1 for he had the face1 the head1 of a king among men4 ,but he had no eyes for these chance admirers4 ,tom ,hammond was thirty years of age1 a journalist1 and an exceptionally clever one1 at the time we make his acquaintance4 ,he was a keen1 shrewd man1 was gifted with a foresight and general prescience that were almost remarkable1 and hence was commonly regarded by his journalistic friends as 8a coming man40 ,he had strongly-fixed ideas of what a great daily paper should be1 but never having seen any attempt that came within leagues of his ideal1 he longed--lusted would not be too strong a term--for the time and opportunity when1 with practically unlimited capital behind him1 and with a perfectly free hand to use it1 he could issue his ideal journal4 ,this morning he seems farther from the goal of his hopes than ever4 ,for two years he had been sub-editor of a ,london daily that had made for itself a great name--of a sort4 ,there were certain reasons which had prompted him to hope1 to expect1 the actual editorship before long4 ,but now his house of cards had suddenly tumbled about his ears4 ,a change had recently taken place in the composition of the syndicate that financed the journal4 ,there were wheels within wheels1 the existence of some of which he had never once guessed1 and which in their whirling had suddenly produced unexpected results4 ,the editor-in-chief had resigned1 and the newly elected editor proved to be a man who had1 years before1 done him1 ,tom ,hammond1 the foulest wrong one journalist can do to another4 ,under the present circumstances there had been no honourable course open for ,hammond but to resign4 ,that morning he had found his resignation not only accepted1 but he found himself practically dismissed4 ,enclosed in the letter of acceptance of his resignation was a cheque covering the term of his notice1 together with the intimation that his services would cease from the time of his receipt of the cheque4 ,his dejection1 at that moment when we meet him1 was caused not so much at finding himself out of employment as from the consciousness that the new editor-elect had accomplished this move with a view to his degradation in the eyes of his profession--in fact1 out of sheer spite4 ,to escape the crowd that almost blocked the pavement in front of ,swan and ,edgar's windows1 he turned sharply into the road1 and literally ran into the arms of a young man4 8,tom ,hammond60 8,george ,carlyon60 ,the greeting flew simultaneously from the lips of the two men4 ,they gripped hands4 8,by all that's wonderful60 cried ,carlyon1 still wringing his friend's hand4 8,do you know1 ,tom1 ,i am actually up here in town for one purpose only--to hunt you up40 8,to hunt me up60 8,oh1 let's get out of this crush1 old man10 interrupted ,carlyon4 ,the pair steered their way through the traffic1 crossed the ,circus1 stopped for a moment at the beautiful ,shaftesbury ,fountain1 then struck across to the ,avenue4 ,in the comparative lull of that walk ,carlyon went on3 8,yes1 ,i've run up to town this morning to find you out and ask you one question3 ,are you so fixed up--excuse the ,americanism1 old boy4 ,i've a dashing little girl cousin1 from the ,states1 staying with my mother1 and--well1 you know1 old fellow1 how it is4 ,man's an imitative creature1 and all that1 and absorbs dialect quicker than anything else under the sun4 ,but what ,i was going to say was this3 are you too fixed up with your present newspaper to forbid your entertaining the thought of a real plum in the journalistic market80 ,hammond's customary alert look returned to his face4 ,he was now 8every inch a soldier10 as he cried1 excitedly1 8,don't keep me in suspense1 ,carlyon2 tell me quickly what you mean40 8,let's jump into a gondola1 ,tom4 ,i can talk better as we ride40 ,carlyon had caught the eye of a cab-driver1 and the next moment the two friends were being driven along riverwards4 8,someone1 some ,johnnie or other10 began ,carlyon1 as the two men settled themselves back in the cab1 8once called the hansom cab the gondola of ,london's streets----0 ,he caught the quick1 impatient movement of ,hammond's face1 and with a light laugh went on3 8,but you're on thorns1 old boy1 to hear about the journalistic plum4 ,well1 here goes4 ,you once met my uncle1 ,sir ,archibald ,carlyon80 ,hammond nodded4 8,he is crazy to start a daily10 said ,carlyon4 8,it is no new craze with him2 he has been itching to do it for years4 ,and now that gold has been discovered on that land of his in ,western ,australia1 and he is likely to be a multi-millionaire--the concessions he has already sold have given him a clear million1--now that he is rich beyond all his dreams1 he won't wait another day2 he will be a newspaper proprietor4 ,it's a case of that kiddie in the bath1 ,tom1 doncher-know1 that's grabbing for the soap--#8he won't be happy till he gets it4'0 8,he wants to find at once a good journalist1 who is also a keen business man2 one who will take hold of the whole thing4 ,to the right man he will give a perfectly free hand1 will interfere with nothing1 but be content simply to finance the affair40 ,an almost fierce light was burning in the eyes of the eager1 listening ,hammond4 ,a thousand thoughts rioted through his brain1 but he uttered no word2 he would not interrupt his friend4 8,i told ,nunkums last night1 when he was bubbling and boiling over with his project1 that ,i had heard you say it was easier to drop a hundred or two hundred thousand pounds over the starting of a new paper than perhaps over any other venture in the world4 8,nunkums just smiled as ,i spoke1 dropped a walnut into his port glass1 and said quietly1 #8,then ,i'll drop them4' 8,he hooked that walnut out of his wine with the miniature silver boathook--he had the thing made for him for the purpose1--devoured the wine-saturated nut1 then smiled back into my face1 as he said3 #8,yes1 ,georgie1 ,i am quite prepared to drop my hundred1 two hundred1 three hundred thousand1 if needs be1 as ,i did my walnut4 ,but ,i am equally hopeful--if ,i can secure the right man to edit and manage my paper1--that ,i shall eventually hook out an excellent dividend for my outlay4 ,i want a man who not only knows how to do his own work well1 as an editor1 but one who has the true instinct in choosing his staff4' 8,of course1 ,tom1 ,i trotted you out before him4 ,he remembered you1 of course1 and jumped at the idea of getting you1 if you were to be got4 ,the upshot of it is1 nothing would satisfy him but that ,i should come up by an early train this morning--early bird catches the worm1 and all that kind of business1 you know1--and now1 in spite of the fact that my particular worm had wriggled and squirmed miles from his usual habitat1 ,i've caught him4 ,now1 tell me1 are you open to treat with ,sir ,archibald80 8,yes1 and can begin business this very day60 ,hammond laughed with the abandon of a boy1 as he told1 in a few sentences1 the story of his dismissal4 8,good60 ,carlyon1 in his own exuberant glee1 slapped his friend's knee4 8,sir ,archibald10 he went on1 8was to come up by the #aj3je from our place1 due at ,waterloo at #aa3di4 ,he'll be fixed up--8,hail ,columbia60 again--at the hotel by this time4 ,that's where we are driving to now1 and--ah6 here we are60 ,a moment later the two men were mounting the hotel steps4 ,one of the servants standing in the vestibule recognized ,carlyon1 and saluted him4 8,my uncle arrived1 ,bates80 ,carlyon asked4 8,yes1 sir1 and a young lady with him60 ,carlyon turned quickly to ,hammond4 8,that's ,madge1 my ,american cousin1 ,tom4 ,i'm awfully glad she has come2 ,i should like you to know her40 ,turning to the servant1 he asked1 8,same old rooms1 ,bates80 8,yes1 sir40 ,three steps at a time1 laughing and talking all the while1 ,carlyon1 ignoring the lift1 raced up the staircase1 followed more slowly by his friend4 ,hammond never wholly forgot the picture of the sitting-room and its occupant1 as he entered with ,carlyon4 ,the room was a large one1 exquisitely furnished1 and flooded with a warm1 mellow light4 ,a small but cheerful-looking wood fire burned upon the tiled hearth1 the atmosphere of the room fragrant with a soft1 subtle odour1 as though the burning wood were scented4 ,from a couch1 as the two men entered1 a girl rose briskly1 and faced them4 ,she made a picture which ,tom never forgot4 ,the warm1 mellow light that filled the room seemed to clothe her as she stood to meet them4 8,america0 was stamped upon her and her dress1 upon the arrangement of her hair1 upon the very droop of her figure4 ,she was tall1 fair1 with that exquisite colouring and smoothness of complexion that is the product of an unartificial1 hygienic life4 ,her face could not be pronounced wholly beautiful1 but it was a face that was full of life and charm1 her eyes being especially arrestive4 8,awfully glad you came up1 ,madge60 cried ,carlyon4 8,i've run my quarry down1 and this is my own particular1 ,tom ,hammond40 ,he made a couple of mockingly-funny elaborate bows1 saying3 8,miss ,madge ,finisterre1 of ,duchess ,county1 ,new ,york4 ,mr4 ,tom ,hammond1 of--oh1 shades of ,cosmopolitanism6--of everywhere1 of ,london just at present40--,tom bowed to the girl4--,she returned his salute1 and then held forth her hand in a frank1 pleasant way1 as she laughingly said1 8,i have heard so much of ,tom ,hammond during the last few days1 that ,i guess you seem like an old acquaintance40 ,tom shook hands with the maiden1 and for a moment or two they chatted as freely and merrily as though they were old acquaintances4 ,the voice of ,carlyon broke into their chat1 asking3 8,where's ,nunkums1 ,madge80 ,before the girl could reply1 the door opened and ,sir ,archibald entered the room4 ,one glance into his face would have been sufficient to have told ,tom the type of man he had to deal with1 even if he had not seen him before4 ,a warm-hearted1 unconventional1 impulsive man1 a perfect gentleman in appearance1 but a merry1 hail-fellow-well-met man in his dealings with his fellows4 ,with a bit of mock drama in the gesture1 ,madge ,finisterre flourished her hand towards the newcomer1 crying1 8,sir ,archibald1 ,george8 ,lo1 he is here60 ,she flashed a quick glance to the piano as she added1 8,if only ,i had known you were about to enter1 uncle1 ,i would have treated you to a few crashing bars of stage-life entree-music40 8,go away with your nonsense60 laughed the old man4 8,nonsense1 indeed60 the girl laughed as merrily as the old man4 ,then1 with a sudden1 swift movement1 she crossed to the piano1 struck one sharp note upon it1 and whispered in well-feigned hoarseness1 8,slow music for the three conspirators as they retire to plot the destruction of ,london's press1 and the accumulation of untold millions by their own special journalistic production60 ,her fingers moved over the ivory keys1 and low1 weird1 creepy music filled the room with its eerie notes4 ,sir ,archibald and ,george ,carlyon fell in with the girl's mood1 and crept doorwards on tiptoe4 8,number three10 hissed the girl4 ,and ,tom ,hammond laughingly followed with the two other men4 8,she is a treat1 is ,madge60 laughed ,george ,carlyon1 as the three men passed through the doorway and made for the study-like room of ,sir ,archibald4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 8,,the ,,courier40 ,for two hours the three men held close conference together4 ,at the end of that time all the preliminaries of the new venture were settled4 ,tom ,hammond had explained his long-cherished views of what the ideal daily paper should be4 ,sir ,archibald was delighted with the scheme1 and1 in closing with ,hammond1 gave him a perfectly free hand4 8,you were on the point of saying something about a striking poster to announce the coming paper1 ,mr4 ,hammond10 said the old baronet4 8,yes10 ,tom replied2 8,i think a great deal may be done by arresting the attention of the people--those in ,london especially4 ,my idea for a poster is this3 the name of the paper is to be #8,the ,courier4' ,very well1 let us have an immense sheet poster1 first-class drawing1 striking but harmonious colouring1 and bold1 arrestive title of the paper and announcement of its issue4 ,following the title1 ,i would have in the extreme left a massive sign-post1 a prominent arm of the structure bearing the legend #8,to-morrow4' ,on the extreme right of the picture ,i would put another sign-post1 the arm of which should bear the words #8,the ,day ,after ,to-morrow4' ,i would have a splendidly-drawn mounted courier1 the horse galloping towards the right-hand post1 having left #8,to-morrow' well in the rear40 ,the old baronet exclaimed1 8,rush the thing on6 ,flood the hoardings of ,london1 ,edinburgh1 ,manchester1 ,liverpool1 ,birmingham1 ,cardiff--all the large towns1 and the smaller ones as well1 if you can get hoardings big enough4 ,don't study the expense1 either in the get-up or in the issue of the picture4 ,don't let the pill-sellers or cocoa or mustard people beat us40 ,the old man sprang to his feet and paced the floor1 rubbing his hands1 crying continually1 8,good6 good6 ,we'll wake old ,england up4 ,we'll----0 8,toddle into lunch10 interrupted ,george ,carlyon4 8,that's the third summons we've had60 ,tom ,hammond sat next to ,madge at luncheon1 and was charmed with her easy1 unconventional manners4 ,but his mind was too full of the new paper1 of the great opportunity that had come to him so unexpectedly1 to be as wholly absorbed with the charm of her personality as he might otherwise have been4 ,he did not linger over the luncheon table4 8,there are one or two fellows1 ,sir ,archibald10 he explained1 8whom ,i should like to secure on my staff at once4 ,i don't want to lose even an hour40 ,as he bade ,madge ,finisterre good-bye1 he expressed the hope that he might see her again soon1 and the girl in reply allowed her eyes unconsciously to express more than her words4 8,she is the most charming woman ,i ever met10 he told himself1 as he followed ,sir ,archibald into his room for the final word for which the baronet had asked4 ,george ,carlyon had remained behind with ,madge4 8,it was about the first working expenses ,i wanted to speak to you1 ,mr4 ,hammond10 the baronet began4 ,they were seated in the baronet's room4 8,i will have fifty thousand pounds--or shall we say a hundred thousand8--deposited1 at once1 in your name at--what bank80 8,any good bank you please1 ,sir ,archibald1 so long as the particular branch is fairly central40 8,capital and ,counties--how will that do80 the baronet asked1 adding1 8,i always bank with them myself40 8,that will do1 sir40 8,how about the ,ludgate ,hill branch1 ,mr4 ,hammond80 8,could not be better1 sir40 8,settled1 then1 ,mr4 ,hammond60 ,there were a few more words exchanged between master and man1 and then they parted4 ,as ,tom ,hammond strode along the ,embankment towards ,waterloo ,bridge1 his heart was the heart of a boy again4 8,is life worth living60 he cried inwardly1 answering his own question with the rapturous words3 8,in this hour ,i know nothing else that earth could give me to make life more joyous60 ,people passing him saw his face radiant with a wondrous joy4 ,it's rare to see peace1 even1 in faces in our great cities4 ,it is rarer still to see joy's gleam4 ,he allowed his glance to flash all around him1 as he murmured1 8,i am glad1 too1 that ,i am in ,london4 ,who dare say that ,london is dull1 or grim1 or sordid8 ,who was it that wrote1 8,no man curses the town more heartily than ,i1 but after travelling by mountains1 plain1 desert1 forest1 and on the deep sea1 one comes back to ,london and finds it the most wonderful place of them all60 8,ah6 ,it was ,roger ,pocock1 ,i believe1 wrote that sentiment4 ,roger ,pocock1 #8,i looks towards yer1 sir4 ,them's my senterments6'0 ,he laughed low and gleefully at his own merry mood4 ,then as his eyes took in the river1 the moving panorama of the ,embankment1 and caught the throb of the mighty pulsing of life all about him1 ,le ,gallienne's lines came to him1 and1 while he moved onward1 he murmured3 8,london1 whose loveliness is everywhere4 ,london so beautiful at morning light1 ,one half forgets how fair she is at night4 8,london as beautiful at set of sun ,as though her beauty had just begun6 ,london1 that mighty sob1 that splendid tear1 ,that jewel hanging in the great world's ear4 8,ah6 of your beauty change no single grace1 ,my ,london with your sad mysterious face40 ,he moved forward in a strange rapture of spirit4 ,he forgot even 8beautiful ,london02 he was momentarily unconscious how he travelled or whither4 ,he might have been blind or deaf for all that he now saw or heard4 ,the drone of a blind beggar's voice reading the ,scriptures1 however1 presently had power to break his trance4 ,he paused a moment before the man4 8,this same ,jesus10 droned the blind man's voice1 8who is taken up from you into heaven1 shall so come in like manner as ye have seen ,him go40 ,hammond dropped a sixpence into the beggar's box1 and moved away1 the wonder of the words he had just heard read arresting all his previous thoughts of his glad success4 8,shall so come in like manner60 he murmured4 8,i wonder what it means80 ,the next instant a woman's pitiful voice filled his ear1 crying3 8,for the love of ,god1 good sir1 give me the price of a piece of bread40 ,he turned sharply towards her4 ,her face was haggard and hunger-filled2 her eyes were wells of despair4 ,he slipped his finger and thumb into the fob of his coat4 ,the first coin that came to his touch was a shilling4 ,he dropped it into the emaciated1 outstretched palm4 ,the wretched creature gazed at the coin1 then at him4 ,her lips moved1 but no words came from them4 ,her eyes filled with a rush of tears4 ,he passed on4 ,but the incident moved him strangely4 8,if ,christ10 he mused1 8ever comes back to earth again1 surely1 surely ,he will deliver it from such want and misery as that60 ,he paused and looked back at the woman4 ,her face was buried in her hands4 ,her form was shaking with sobs4 ,curiosity tempted him to go back4 ,as he came abreast of her1 a child1 a girl about nine1 barefooted and tired-looking1 was saying to the woman1 8,what's the matter1 missis8 ,wouldn't that swell giv' yer nuffink w'en yer arst 'im80 8,give me nothing80 ,the woman glanced down at the child4 8,why1 he is kinder than ,gawd1 fur he give me a shilling60 ,at this ,tom ,hammond hurried away4 8,kinder than ,god60 he murmured4 8,oh1 ,god1 that we should have it in our power to buy such happiness for so small a sum60 8,kinder than ,god0 he repeated to himself4 ,he was now mounting the granite steps to the bridge4 8,of course1 one knows better2 yet how difficult of proof it would become1 if one had to explain it to that poor soul1 and to the thousands like her in this great city60 ,for the first time since leaving ,sir ,archibald his own joy was forgotten4 ,the awful problem of ,london's destitution had supplanted ,london's beauty in his thoughts4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,flotsam4 8,only nine hours60 ,tom ,hammond laughed amusedly at his own murmured thought4 ,it seemed ridiculous almost to try to believe that only nine hours before he had been a discharged journalist1 while now he was at the head of what he knew would be the greatest journalistic venture ,london--yea1 the world--had ever seen4 ,he had just dined4 ,he felt that he wanted some kind of movement1 some distraction1 to relieve the tension4 ,he was in that frame of mind when some kind of adventure was necessary1 although he did not tell himself this1 being hardly conscious of his own need4 ,he knew that the haunts of his fellows--club1 theatre1 music-hall--would only serve to irritate him4 ,some instinct turned his feet riverwards4 ,it was now a quarter past seven o'clock4 ,night had fallen upon ,london4 ,tom ,hammond crossed the great ,holborn thoroughfare4 ,the heavier traffic of ,london's commercial life had almost ceased4 ,the omnibuses going west were filled with theatregoers1 and other pleasure-seekers4 ,hansoms flitted swiftly either way1 each holding a man and a woman in evening dress4 ,having crossed the roadway1 he paused for a moment at the corner of ,chancery ,lane1 and let his eye take in all the scene4 ,and again ,le ,gallienne came to his mind1 and he softly murmured3 8,ah6 ,london6 ,london6 our delight1 ,great flower that opens but at night1 ,great city of the midnight sun1 ,whose day begins when day is done4 8,lamp after lamp against the sky ,opens a sudden beaming eye1 ,leaping alight on every hand1 ,the iron lilies of the ,strand1 8,like dragonflies the hansoms hover ,with jewelled eyes to catch the lover2 ,the streets are full of lights and loves1 ,soft gowns and flutter of soiled doves40 ,he turned with a faint sigh1 and began to pass on down ,chancery ,lane4 8,oh1 ,london60 he mused1 8thy surface may be wonderful and beautiful2 but below--what are you below the surface80 8,the human moths about the light ,dash and cling in dazed delight1 ,and burn and laugh1 the world and wife1 ,for this is ,london1 this is life6 8,upon thy petals butterflies1 ,but at thy root1 some say1 there lies ,a world of weeping1 trodden things1 ,poor worms that have not eyes or wings40 ,he moved onwards in the direction of the ,law ,courts4 ,presently he neared the ,waterloo ,bridge approach4 ,he had1 all unrealized by himself1 since he left the restaurant where he had dined1 been walking towards the river4 ,a moment or two after1 and he was leaning on the parapet of the bridge1 looking down into the dark waters4 ,sluggish1 oil-like in appearance1 as seen in the dull gleam of the lamps1 the river moved seawards4 ,a sudden longing to get out upon those dark waters came to him4 8,if only----0 he mused4 ,then1 turning briskly1 he came face to face with a man in a blue guernsey1 who was crossing the bridge4 ,it was the very man of his half-uttered thought4 8,if only ,i could run up against ,bob ,carter60 he had almost said4 8,good evening1 ,mister ,ham'nd40 ,the man in the guernsey saluted with a thick1 tar-stained forefinger as he recognized ,tom ,hammond4 8,good evening1 ,carter40 ,hammond laughed as he added1 8,i was just wishing ,i could meet you1 for ,i felt ,i should like to get out on the river40 8,i'm jes' going as fur as ,lambeff1 sir4 ,ef yer likes ter go wif me1 you'll do me proud1 sir2 yer know that1 ,i knows60 ,a few minutes later the two men sat in ,carter's boat4 ,hammond1 in the stern1 was steering4 ,the man ,carter1 on the first thwart1 manipulated the oars4 ,hammond had known the man about a year4 ,he had done him a kindness that the waterman had never forgotten4 8,aw'd go to ther world's end fur yer1 sir10 he had often said since4 ,the man was ordinarily a silent companion1 and to-night after a few exchanged words between the pair1 he was as silent as usual4 ,down the wide1 turgid river the boat1 propelled by ,carter's two oars1 shot jerkily1 the rise and fall of the glow in the rower's pipe-bowl synchronizing with the lift and dip of the oars4 ,hammond enjoyed the silence4 ,there was a weirdness about this night trip on the river that fitted in with his mood4 ,his brain had been considerably overwrought that day4 ,the quiet row was beginning to soothe the overwrought nerves4 ,where he sat in the stern of the boat1 he faced the clock-tower at ,westminster4 ,the gleaming windows of the great embankment hotels lay behind him4 ,a myriad electric lights were on his right hand4 ,the gloom and darkness of the unlighted wharfage on the ,surrey side were on his left4 ,only by a waterway miracle ,carter cleared an anchored barge that1 defying the laws of the river1 carried no warning light4 8,drat 'em60 growled the man ,carter4 8,they oughter do a stretch in ,portlan' or ,dartmoor fur breakin' the lor4 ,there's many a 'onest waterman whose boat's foun' bottom-up1 or smashed to smithereens1 an' whose body's foun'1 or isn't1 jes1 as the case may be1 all becos' they lazy houn's is too 'ide-boun' to light a lamp1 cuss 'em60 ,his growl died away in his throat4 ,the glowing fire of his pipe rose and fell quicker than ever1 telling of a fierce anger burning within him4 8,ssh60 he hissed4 ,hammond saw that his face was turned shorewards4 ,he heaved aft towards ,hammond1 and whispered1 8,kin yer see that woman1 sir80 ,he jerked his chin in the direction of a line of moored barges4 ,hammond had turned his head1 and could plainly discern the form of a woman standing on the edge of the outer barge of the cluster4 ,the men in the boat sat still1 but watchful4 8,do she mean sooerside1 sir80 whispered ,carter4 8,looks like it1 sir4 ,don't make a soun'40 ,even as he spoke the woman leaped into the air4 ,there was a low scream1 a splash1 a leap of foam flashed dully for one instant1 then all was still again4 ,the waterman plied his oars furiously4 ,hammond steered for the spot where that foam had splashed4 ,an instant later the boat was over the place where the body had disappeared4 ,carter lay on his oars1 and peered into the darkness on one side4 ,hammond strained his eye on the other side4 ,with startling suddenness a hand darted upwards within a foot of where ,hammond sat in the stern of the boat4 ,in the same instant the woman's head appeared4 ,hammond reached out excitedly1 and caught the back hair of the woman1 twisting his fingers securely into the knot of hair at the back of her head4 ,carter shipped his oars1 and in two minutes the wretched woman was safe in the boat4 ,her drenched face gleamed white where they laid her4 ,a low whimpering sob broke from her4 8,turn 'er over on her face a little1 sir1 while ,i makes the boat fast fur a minute or two1 sir10 jerked out the waterman4 8,pore soul ov 'er60 he went on1 knotting his painter to a bolt in the stern of a barge4 8,she 'ave took in a bellyful of ,thames water1 an' it ain't filtered no sort1 that's sartin60 ,hammond had by this time turned the woman over on her face4 ,carter came aft bearing a water-beaker in his hands4 8,i'll lift her legs1 sir10 he said1 8and you put this beaker under her1 jes' above her knees2 that'll 'elp her a bit40 ,that was done1 and almost instantly the woman was very sick4 8,in my locker there1 sir1 ,i've got a drop o' whisky4 ,i keeps it there fur 'mergencies like this10 said ,carter4 ,hammond moved to allow the man to reach a seat-locker in the stern4 ,the next minute1 while ,hammond supported the woman1 the waterman poured a few drops of the spirit down her throat4 ,she coughed and sputtered1 but the draught restored her4 ,she began to cry in a low1 whimpering way4 8,we must get her ashore1 ,carter10 cried ,hammond4 8,i'll take the oars1 and1 as you know the riverside better than ,i do1 just steer into the nearest landing-place you know40 ,carter leaped to the bows1 cast off the painter1 and hurried aft again4 8,jes' 'long yere1 sir1 there's an old landin' as'll jes' serve us4 ,wots yer fink ter do wi' the pore soul1 sir--not 'and her over to the perlice80 8,no1 neither the police nor workhouse1 ,carter4 ,i wish ,i could see her face1 and see what kind of woman she is40 ,by way of reply1 ,carter struck a match1 and lit a small bull's-eye lantern4 ,when the wick had caught light1 he flashed it on the face of the woman4 ,her eyes were closed1 her face was deadly pale4 ,her hair was dishevelled4 ,but in the one flashing glance ,hammond took at her1 he recognized her4 8,it's ,mrs4 ,joyce60 he muttered half-aloud and in amazed tones4 8,know 'er1 sir80 asked the waterman4 8,a little60 he replied4 8,her husband is a reporter--a drinking scamp40 ,carter shut off the light of the bull's-eye1 at that moment4 8,we're jes' 'ere now1 sur1 so's best not to be callin' 'tention like wi' a light40 ,he steered the boat into a kind of narrow alley-way between two crazy old wharves4 99 99 99 99 99 ,hammond1 rightly gauging the kindly heart of his landlady1 had brought the drenched woman in a cab to his lodgings4 ,she was still in a half-fainting condition when he carried her into the house4 ,in two sentences he explained the situation to the landlady1 whose natural kindness and loyalty to her lodger made her willing to aid his purpose of rescue4 8,i will carry her up to the bath-room10 he said4 8,let your girl get a cup of milk heated as hot as can be sipped1 while you bath this poor soul quickly in very hot water4 ,then let her be got to bed1 and have some good1 nourishing soup ready4 ,she'll probably sleep after that4 ,and in the morning--well1 the events of the morning will take their own shape40 ,half-an-hour later1 as ,hammond took a cup of coffee1 he had the satisfaction of knowing that the woman he had saved was in bed1 and doing well4 8,poor soul60 he mused4 8,that brute of a husband has probably driven her to this attempt on her life4 ,i wonder what her history was before she married1 for ,i remember how it struck me1 that day when ,i saw her at the office1 that she was evidently a woman of some culture40 ,it was nearly ten now4 ,he had no desire to go out again4 ,it wanted two hours quite to his usual bed-time4 ,but a strange sense of drowsiness began to steal over him1 and he went off to his bed4 8,what a day this has been60 he muttered1 as he laid his head on the pillow4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 8,i ,,only ,,reaped ,,what ,i ,,sowed40 ,hammond awaited the woman whom he had saved from drowning4 8,she has slept fairly well10 the landlady told him1 8and ,i made her eat a good breakfast that ,i carried up to her myself1 ,mr4 ,hammond60 ,now he waited to speak to her4 ,a moment or two more1 and the landlady ushered her into the room1 then slipped away4 8,how can ,i ever repay you1 sir60 cried the woman1 seizing the hand that ,hammond held out to her4 ,for a moment or two her emotion was too great for further speech4 ,hammond led her to an armchair and seated her4 ,she sobbed convulsively for a moment or two4 ,he allowed her to sob4 ,presently tears came4 ,the paroxysm passed1 the tears relieved her1 and she lifted her sad1 beautiful eyes to his face4 8,you know--oh1 yes1 you must know1 ,mr4 ,hammond--7,i recognized you last night7--how ,i came to be in the water4 ,i tried to take my life4 ,i was miserable1 despairing6 ,god forgive me40 ,his strong eyes were full of a rare tenderness1 as he said1 8,but1 ,mrs4 ,joyce1 you surely know that death is not the end of all existence4 ,i am not what would be called a religious man1 but every fibre of my inward being tells me that death does not end all40 ,he saw a shiver pass over her1 as she hoarsely replied1 8,i1 too1 realize that this morning1 ,mr4 ,hammond4 ,but last night the madness of an overwhelming despair was upon me4 ,my life had been a literal hell for years1 until yesterday ,i could bear it no longer4 ,i was famished with hunger1 sick with despair1 and----0 ,she sighed wearily4 8,perhaps10 she went on1 8if you knew all ,i have borne1 you would not wonder at my rash1 mad act40 8,tell me your story1 ,mrs4 ,joyce10 he said1 gently4 8,it may relieve your overcharged heart1 and1 anyhow1 ,i will be your friend1 as far as ,i can40 ,she sighed again4 ,this time there was a note of relief1 rather than weariness1 in the sigh4 8,my father was a well-to-do farmer10 she began1 8in ,north ,hants4 ,i was the only child1 and ,i fear ,i was spoiled4 ,i received the best education possible1 and loved my studies for their own sake1 for culture1 in all its forms1 had a strong attraction for me4 ,i had been engaged to a young yeoman farmer for nearly a year4 ,i had known him all my life1 and we had been sweethearts even as children4 ,then there came suddenly into my life that man ,joyce1 for whom ,i sacrificed everything4 ,god only knows how he contrived to exercise such an awful fascination over me as to make me leave everyone1 everything1 and marry him40 ,for a moment she paused1 and shuddered4 ,her voice1 when she spoke1 again1 was hollow1 and full of tears4 8,i killed my father by eloping on the very eve of my arranged marriage with ,ronald ,ferris4 ,ronald left the country as soon as he could wind up his affairs4 ,and ,i--well1 here in this mighty ,babylon1 ,i have ever since been reaping some of the sorrow ,i had sown4 ,not a penny of my father's money ever reached me1 and that brute ,joyce only married me for what he expected to get with me4 ,he has done his best to make earth a hell for me1 and ,i1 in my mad blindness1 last night1 almost exchanged earth's fleeting hell for ,god's eternal hell40 ,a look of shame filled her eyes as she lifted them to ,hammond4 8,what you reminded me of just now1 ,mr4 ,hammond1 ,i1 deep down in my soul1 know only too well--that death does not end all4 ,my father was a true ,christian1 and a lay preacher4 ,i have travelled with him hundreds of times to his preaching appointments1 playing the harmonium and singing solos for him in his services4 ,more than once the sense of ,god's claim upon me was so great as almost to compel my yielding my heart and life4 ,would to ,god ,i had6 ,but my pride1 my ambitions1 strangled my good desires1 and1 as ,i said just now1 ,i broke my father's heart4 ,i killed him1 and ruined all my own life1 though ,i have no pity for myself4 ,then ,london life1 my husband's brutality1 my own misery1 all helped to drive even the memory of ,god from my mind40 8,yet10 broke in ,hammond1 8the ,christian religion teaches that sorrow and suffering ought to drive the possessor of the faith nearer to ,god40 ,there was a hint of apology in his tones as he went on3 8,don't misunderstand me1 ,mrs4 ,joyce2 ,i only speak from hearsay4 ,i have heard parsons preach it1 but ,i know nothing experimentally about these things myself40 ,she smiled in a slow1 sad way1 and1 catching her breath in a kind of quick sob1 said3 8,neither have ,i ever known anything experimentally of these truths4 ,i drifted into the outward form of a correct1 religious1 life4 ,i learned to like the brightness of our chapel services1 the fun of choir practice1 the merry company1 the adulation heaped upon me for my solo-singing4 ,then there were the tea-meetings1 the service of song1 and a multitude of other mild excitements which went to brighten the monotony of a rural existence4 ,but of ,god1 of ,christ1 of the ,divine life1 ,i fear ,i knew nothing40 ,hammond smiled inwardly as he listened to this strange confession4 ,the phraseology was new to him4 8,it is the shibboleth of ,nonconformity1 ,i suppose10 he told himself4 8,and ,i suppose each section of religious society has its own outward form of things in which it trusts1 thinking1 caring1 nothing for the great ,divine verities that should be the true religious life40 ,he did not utter his thoughts aloud1 but asked with some apparent irrelevance1 8,where is your husband1 ,mrs4 ,joyce80 8,off on one of his drinking bouts1 or maybe1 locked up for drunkenness2 ,i cannot say40 ,her lifted eyes were full of beseeching1 as she went on1 8,you will keep secret1 ,mr4 ,hammond1 all this wild1 mad episode of my life4 ,if only ,i could know that the sad1 mad1 bad story was locked up between ,god and you1 your kind landlady and myself1 ,i think ,i could go back and face my misery better40 8,do not fear1 ,mrs4 ,joyce10 he replied quickly4 8,the affair shall be as though it had never been4 ,i can answer for ,mrs4 ,belcher1 my landlady2 and for myself ,i give you my word1 and----0 8,god reward you1 sir60 she sobbed4 8,already you have given me clearer views of ,him than any minister or any sermon ever did40 ,a few moments later ,mrs4 ,joyce rose to leave4 ,he pressed three sovereigns into her hand1 and in spite of her tearful protestations made her take the money4 8,if you are ever in desperate need1 come to me1 or write me1 ,mrs4 ,joyce1 and ,i will help you1 if ,i can4 ,meanwhile1 be assured that the little ,i have done for you ,i would have done for any stranger1 for1 after all1 the human race is linked by a strange1 a mighty family tie4 ,good-bye40 ,she wrung the hand he gave her1 then with a sudden1 impulsive movement she lifted it sharply to her lips and kissed it with a tearful passionateness4 ,the next moment she was gone4 ,his hand was wet with her tears4 8,poor soul60 he muttered4 ,passing across the room to the window1 he glanced out4 ,she was moving down the street4 ,her handkerchief was pressed to her eyes4 8,how strange10 he murmured1 as he turned from the window1 8are these chance encounters in life6 ,like ships at sea1 we sight1 hail1 exchange some kind of greeting1 then pass on4 ,do we1 after all1 ,i wonder1 unconsciously influence each other in these apparently trivial life-encounters8 ,if so1 how8 ,take this episode now1 for instance4 ,will my encounter with that poor soul have any effect on my life1 or on hers8 ,if so1 what80 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,lily ,,work4 ,the room we now enter is a large one4 ,it is close under the roof of a house in ,finsbury4 ,the man there at work pauses for a moment4 ,the room is a workshop4 ,the man is a ,jew--but what a ,jew6 ,he might have posed to an artist as a model1 a type of the proudest ,jewish monarch over ,israel4 ,face1 form1 stature--not even ,saul or ,david or ,solomon could have excelled him4 ,the room held the finished workmanship of his hands for the three past years4 ,and now1 as he paused in his labour--a labour of love--for a moment1 and drew his tall form erect1 and lifted his face to the window above him1 a light that was almost holy filled his eyes4 8,god of our fathers10 he murmured1 8,god of the ,holy ,tent and of the ,temple1 instruct me2 teach my fingers to do this great work40 ,he let his hands fall with an almost sacred touch upon the chapiter he had been chasing4 ,he wist not that his face shone with an unearthly light1 as for a moment his lips moved in prayer4 ,then quietly reaching a thick old book from a shelf1 he opened it at one of its earlier pages1 and read aloud4 8,and the ,lord spake unto ,moses1 saying1 ,see1 ,i have called by name ,bezaleel1 the son of ,uri1 the son of ,hur1 of the tribe of ,judah3 and ,i have filled him with the ,spirit of ,god1 in wisdom1 and in understanding1 and in knowledge1 and in all manner of workmanship1 to devise cunning works1 to work in gold1 and in silver1 and in brass1 and in cutting of stones1 to set them1 and in carving of timber1 to work in all kinds of workmanship4 ,and ,i1 behold1 ,i have given with him ,aholiab1 the son of ,ahisamach1 of the tribe of ,dan3 and in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted ,i have put wisdom1 that they may make all that ,i have commanded thee3 the tabernacle of the congregation1 and the ark of the testimony1 and the mercy-seat that is thereupon1 and all the furniture of the tabernacle40 ,the light--it was now almost a fire--deepened in his eyes4 ,a rare1 a rich1 cadence filled his voice as he read the holy words4 ,his fingers moved to the middle of the book4 ,it easily opened at a certain place1 as though it had been often used at that page4 ,again he read aloud3 8,and the chapiters that were upon1 the top of the pillars were of lily work1 444 and the chapiters upon the two pillars had pomegranates also above1 444 and the pomegranates were two hundred1 in rows round about upon the other chapiter1 444 and he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple3 and he set up the right pillar1 and called the name thereof ,jachin 70,he shall establish872 and he set up the left pillar1 and called the name thereof ,boaz 70,in it is strength874 ,and on the top of the pillars was lily work3 so was the work of the pillars finished40 ,with a reverent touch the man closed the book1 replaced it on the shelf1 then1 lifting his eyes again to where the cold1 clear light streamed down through the great skylight in the ceiling1 he murmured3 8,how long1 ,o ,lord1 shall ,thy people be cast off and trodden down1 and their land1 ,thy land1 be held by the accursed races80 ,for a moment a look of pain swept into his face4 ,then1 as he became conscious of the touch of his lowered hand upon the chapiter1 his eyes travelled downwards to the exquisite 8lily work10 and the light of a new hope swept the pain off his face4 8,the very fact that the time has come10 he murmured1 8for us to be preparing for the next temple1 is a token from ,jehovah that the day of ,messiah draweth nigh40 ,his eyes lingered a moment on the rare and beautiful workmanship1 then he took up a chasing tool and continued his toil2 yet1 while he worked he kept up a running recitative of ,ezekiel's description of the great temple--for he knew by heart all the chapters of that prophet4 ,as he presently repeated the words3 8,and the ,prince in the midst of them1 when they go in1 shall go in2 and when they go forth1 shall go forth10 he lifted his eyes with a deep holy rapture shining in all his face4 ,he closed his recitative with a ringing note of triumph in his voice1 as he cried1 8,it shall be round about eighteen thousand cubits3 and the name of the city from that day shall be ,jehovah-,chammah0--8,the ,lord is there40 ,there was a moment of absolute silence4 ,the graver was still1 the hand that held it might have been stone1 so rigid did it become4 ,the lips of ,abraham ,cohen moved1 but no other sound came from him save the words 8,jehovah was there10 and he prayed aloud4 ,in the midst of his rapt devotion the door of the workroom opened4 ,the slight sound aroused the dreamer4 ,he turned his face in the direction of the door1 and his eyes flashed with pleasure4 8,ah1 ,zillah60 he cried in greeting4 ,the girl he addressed closed the door1 thus shutting out the odour of frying fish4 ,she crossed the floor quickly1 with a certain eagerness1 and came towards him with a rare grace4 ,she was singularly beautiful1 of an ,eastern style of beauty4 ,her complexion was of the ,spanish olive tone1 and her melting eyes were of that same ,spanish type4 ,her hair--a wondrous crown of it--was blue-black4 ,she had a certain plumpness of form that seemed to add rather than take from her general beauty4 ,she was sister to his wife4 8,supper will be ready in five minutes1 ,abraham10 she began4 8,will you be ready for it80 ,he smiled down into her great black eyes4 ,he was never very keen on his meals4 ,he ate to live only2 he did not live to eat4 ,she knew that1 and had long since learned that his labour of love was as meat and drink to him4 ,her eyes glided past him and rested on his work4 8,it is very beautiful1 ,abraham60 she cried4 ,there was reverence as well as rapture and admiration in her voice and glance4 8,it cannot be too beautiful1 ,zillah10 he returned4 ,her eyes were on his work4 ,his were on her face4 ,he read in it the rapturous admiration of his workmanship4 8,when will the ,messiah come80 she sighed4 8,soon1 ,i believe60 he returned4 8,jehovah rested in ,his creative work after six days' labour4 ,a thousand years with ,him are as one day4 ,may it not well be1 then1 that as there have passed nearly six thousand years 7each thousand years1 representing one day7 that ,he will presently rest in ,his finished work for ,his people1 through the coming of the ,messiah1 as ,he did at the creation80 ,he laid his tool aside1 and turned to the beautiful girl1 as he continued3 8,besides1 do not our sacred books say that when three springs have been discovered on ,mount ,zion1 ,messiah will come8 ,two springs have lately been discovered by the excavators in ,jerusalem1 and our people out there excitedly watch the work of these men1 expecting soon the discovery of the third spring40 ,her eager1 parted lips told how she hung upon his speech4 ,he smiled down gratefully into her great black lustrous eyes1 though a sigh escaped him as he said3 8,ah6 ,i wish ,leah would only show a little of the interest in all this1 that you do1 ,zillah60 8,you must not blame ,leah too much1 ,abraham10 the girl answered quickly4 8,she has her children1 you know4 ,mother always said that if ever ,leah had babies1 that there would be nothing else in the world for her except the babies4 ,besides1 ,abraham1 no two of us are constituted alike1 and ,leah is what the ,gentiles about here call happy-go-lucky4 ,but1 ,abraham1 tell me more of what you think of ,messiah's coming4 ,leah's five minutes will be sure to run to a quarter of an hour40 8,i do think ,messiah is coming soon10 cried the young fellow excitedly4 8,who knows8 ,perhaps when the ,passover comes again1 and we set ,his chair1 and open the door for ,him to enter1 that ,he will suddenly come4 ,did ,i tell you1 ,zillah1 about the date discovery at ,safed1 in ,palestine80 8,no1 what is it80 ,the girl's face glowed with a strange earnestness1 her voice rang with it4 8,safed10 he went on1 quickly1 8is a little town to the north-west of ,galilee4 ,our ,rabbi there has discovered from our sacred books1 that ,messiah's coming1 and the overthrow of our enemies1 will be in the year five thousand six hundred and sixty-six--nineteen hundred and six according to the ,gentile reckoning4 ,our ,father ,moses1 and all the children of ,israel sang1 when ,jehovah delivered them from the ,red ,sea3--#8,yea1 by the force of ,thy swelling waves hast ,thou demolished those who arose against ,thee4 ,thou didst discharge ,thy wrath1 it devoured them up like stubble4' ,our ,rabbis--and even the ,christian ,gentile teachers--agree that the deliverance of our race from ,pharaoh1 and the destruction of his hosts1 picture our race's future as well as its past4 ,and the numerical value of #8,thou shalt overthrow' 7part of those two song-stanzas ,i have just repeated7 gives the date ,i have mentioned as the time of our deliverance from all our troubles1 when ,messiah shall come40 ,there was a sudden clatter of little feet outside at that moment1 and a boy and a girl burst into the room4 8,what do you think1 father80 cried the boy1 with the excited impulsiveness of a child bursting with news4 8,a boy--he's a ,gentile1 of course--whom ,i know says that ,messiah has come1 that the cursed ,nazarene was ,he1 and that----0 8,we will go to supper1 ,reuben1 and you and ,i will talk about that another time40 ,cohen spoke quietly to his boy4 ,he had his own reasons for checking the subject at that time4 ,his aunt caught the boy's hand1 and danced with him out of the room4 ,rachel1 the little girl1 a wondrous miniature of ,zillah1 clung to her father1 and the whole family trooped off to wash their hands before the meal4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,an ,,interesting ,,talk4 8,the ,courier0 was now an established fact4 ,as a newspaper it was as much a revelation to the journalists as to the general public4 ,london had taken to it from the first moment of its issue4 ,the provinces1 instead of following their usual course of waiting to see what ,london did1 took their own initiative1 and adopted the new paper at once4 ,every instinct about the ideal paper1 felt and nursed during the waiting years by ,tom ,hammond1 had been true instinct4 ,he had always felt them to be true2 now he realized the fact4 ,he was a proud man1 a happy man4 ,one curious feature of the new journal had attracted much attention1 even before the publication of the first issue4 ,in his 8,foreword10 as he had termed it1 in a full page announcement that appeared in three of the leading ,london dailies1 ,tom ,hammond had said3 8,an important feature of the #8,courier' will be the item or items 7as the case may be7 which will be found each day under the heading1 #8,from the ,prophet's ,chamber4' ,a greater man than the editor of #8,the ,courier' once said1 #8,every editor of a newspaper ought to have a strain of the seer in his composition4 ,he ought to have the gift of prophecy up to a certain point4 ,he ought to be so thoroughly conversant with the history of his own and every other nation that when history is on the point of repeating itself--as it has a habit of doing1--he may not be caught altogether napping4' ,it is the unexpected that happens1 we say4 8,true1 but there are many of the so-called happenings of the unexpected that to the spirit of the seer will have been expected and more than half-prophesied4 8,now1 while we propose that the whole tone of #8,the ,courier' shall show the spirit of the seer in a measure1 we shall endeavour to make the particular column to which we are now alluding essentially new4 ,in it we shall deal with every class of subject likely to prove mentally arrestive to our readers1 and shall make it prophetic up to the limits of our capacities as man1 citizen and editor4 ,how far the possession of the quality of the seer will be found in us we must leave the future--and our readers--to decide4 ,but we certainly anticipate that #8,the ,prophet's ,chamber' column will be one of the most popular features of what we shall aim to make the most popular paper of the day40 ,tom ,hammond was no believer in luck4 ,he had left nothing to chance in the production of his paper4 ,there was not a department left to subordinates which he did not personally assure himself was being carried out on the best1 the safest1 lines4 ,for weeks he literally lived on the spot where his great paper was to be produced1 taking his meals and sleeping at an hotel close by the huge building that housed 8,the ,courier40 ,he saw very little of ,sir ,archibald ,carlyon during these weeks1 and nothing at all of ,george1 or the fair ,american1 ,madge ,finisterre4 ,george was in ,scotland2 ,madge on the ,continent4 ,his thoughts often turned to the ,american girl1 and his eye brightened and his pulse quickened whenever he heard of her from ,sir ,archibald4 ,once he had been permitted by ,sir ,archibald to read a gossipy letter sent by her to the old baronet4 ,he laughed over a quotation in that letter4 8,i am not like the ,chicago girl10 she wrote1 8of whom our ,will ,carleton writes1 who1 telling all about her tour in #8,urop1' says1 8,old ,scotland8 ,yes1 all in our power1 ,we did there to be through2 ,we stopped in ,glasgow one whole hour1 ,then straight to #8,edinborough4' ,at ,abbotsford we made a stay ,of half-an-hour precisely4 7,the ruins all along the way ,were ruined very nicely47 8,we #8did' a mountain in the rain1 ,and left the others undone1 ,then took the #8,flying ,scotchman' train1 ,and came by night to ,london4 ,long tunnels somewhere on the line ,made sound and darkness deeper2 ,no2 ,english scenery is not fine ,viewed from a ,pullman sleeper4 8,oh1 ,paris6 ,paris6 ,paris6 ',tis ,no wonder1 dear1 that you go ,so far into ecstasies ,about that ,victor ,hugo6 ,he paints the city1 high and low1 ,with faithful pen and ready4 7,i think1 my dear1 ,i ought to know1 ,we drove there two hours steady407 8,i feel10 ,madge had written1 8that one wants a life-time to #8do' the ,continent40 ,tom ,hammond's thoughts often flew to the gay girl4 ,this morning1 having seen a review of ,carleton's latest book of ballads1 he had been reminded of her1 and he laid down his pen a moment1 as he gave himself up to a little reverie about her4 ,an announcement aroused him4 8,miss ,finisterre and ,mr4 ,carlyon1 sir40 ,he smiled to himself4 8,talk of angels1 etc410 he mused4 ,the next moment he was greeting his callers4 ,madge ,finisterre looked1 in ,tom ,hammond's eyes1 more radiant now than ever4 8,fancy1 ,mr4 ,hammond10 she laughed1 when the greetings were over1 8,george and ,i met at ,dover6 ,he had come south to see a friend off from ,dover1 and was on the pier when ,i landed from the ,calais boat4 ,we've been down to that dear old country house1 but ,i wanted to do some shopping1 and to see how you looked as editor-in-chief and general boss of the biggest daily paper in the world40 ,tom ,hammond's eyes flashed with a pleased light at her confession1 which implied that she had thought of him1 even as he had thought of her4 ,he noted1 too1 how an extra shade of colour warmed the clear skin of her cheeks as she made her confession4 8,because10 she went on1 8all the world declares that #8,the ,courier' is the premier paper of the world1 and everyone who is anyone--in the know of things1 ,i mean--knows that ,mr4 ,tom ,hammond is #8,the ,courier4'0 ,the talk1 for a few minutes1 was 8shop40 8,you don't go in for a column of comic10 ,madge presently said4 8,if you did1 ,i could give you an item1 we1 ,george and ,i1 heard in the train as we ran up to town4 ,there were two of your ,english parsons in our carriage1 talking in that high-faluting note that always reminds me of your high-pitched church service1--#8dearly-beloved-brethren' note4 8,well1 the two parsons were telling yarns one against the other--chestnuts were cheap1 ,i assure you1--and one of them told a story he tacked on to ,general ,booth--the last time ,i heard it1 it was told of ,spurgeon4 ,he said that the ,general was going down ,whitechapel1 and1 seeing the people pouring into a show1 and wondering what there was so powerfully attractive to the masses in these shows1 he determined to go into this particular one4 ,it was advertised as a #8,museum of ,biblical ,curiosities4' ,just as he got in1 the showman was exhibiting a very rusty old sword1 and saying1 8#8,now1 yere's a werry hinterestin' hobject4 ,this is the sword wot ,balaam 'it 'is hass wiv1 'cos 'ee wouldn't go4' ,booth speaks up1 and says1 8#8,hold hard there1 my friend2 you're getting a little mixed4 ,balaam hadn't got a sword4 ,he said1 8,would that ,i had a sword40' 8#8,that's all right1 guv'nor1' cried the showman2 #8this is the sword 'ee wished 'ee 'ad4'0 ,the girl's mimicry of the coster-showman's speech was inimitable1 and the two men laughed as much at her telling as at the tale itself4 ,george ,carlyon got up from his seat1 saying1 8,but ,i say1 you two1 do you mind if ,i leave you to amuse each other for an hour8 ,i want1 very much1 to run down to the club4 ,i'll come back for you1 ,madge1 or meet you somewhere40 8,bless the boy60 she laughed4 8,do you think ,i was reared in an incubator1 or in your ,mayfair8 ,haven't you learned that1 given a ,yankee girl's got dollars under her boots to wheel on1 it ain't much fuss for her to skate through this old country of yours1 nor yet through ,europe1 come to that1 even though she has no more languages under her tongue than good plain ,duchess county ,american4 ,i told the #8boys' that before ,i left home40 ,george ,carlyon laughed1 as1 accepting his release1 he nodded to the pair and left the room4 ,it was a strangely new experience to ,tom ,hammond1 to be left alone with a beautiful and charming woman like ,madge ,finisterre4 ,the picture she made1 as she moved round the room looking at the framed paintings1 all gifts from his artist friends1 came to him as a kind of revelation4 ,when he had met her that day in the ,embankment hotel1 he had been charmed with her beauty and her frank1 open1 unconventionality of manner4 ,he had thought of her many times since--only that very day1 a moment before her arrival1--thought of her as men think of a picture or a poem which has given them delight4 ,but now he found her appealing to him4 ,she was a woman1 a beautiful1 attractive woman4 ,she suggested sudden thoughts of how a woman1 loved1 and returning that love1 might affect his life1 his happiness4 ,her physical grace and beauty1 the exquisite fit of her costume1 the perfect harmony of it--all this struck him now4 ,but the woman in her appealed strongest to him4 8,awfully good1 this sketch of street arabs60 she turned to say1 as she stood before a clever bit of black-and-white drawing4 ,an end of a lace scarf she was wearing caught in a nail in the wall4 ,he sprang forward to release the scarf4 ,it was not readily done1 for his fingers became infected with a strange nervousness4 ,once their hands met1 their fingers almost interlocked4 ,a curious little thrill went through him4 ,he lifted his eyes involuntarily1 and met her glance4 ,a warm colour shot swiftly into her face4 ,and he was conscious at the same moment that his own cheeks burned4 8,i guess ,i'll sit down before ,i do any more mischief10 she laughed4 ,woman-like1 she was quicker to get at ease than he was4 8,do you know1 ,mr4 ,hammond10 she went on1 as she seated herself in a revolving armchair1 8,i just wanted very much to see how you were fixed up here1 and how you looked now that you are a big man40 ,he made a deprecatory little gesture4 8,oh1 but you are a really great man10 she went on4 8,i have heard some big people talk of you1 and say----0 ,she leaned back1 and smiled merrily at him1 as she went on1 8,well1 ,i guess if there's only a shadow of truth in the old saying1 then your ears must often have burned40 ,madge ,finisterre gave the chair in which she was sitting a half twist4 8,why don't you ,british people go in for rockers80 she asked4 8,i simply can't enjoy your ,english homes to the full1 for want of a good rocker1 wherever ,i go40 ,an indiarubber bulb lay close to his hand4 ,he pressed it without her noting the movement4 ,a clerk suddenly appeared4 ,hammond looked across at ,madge1 with an 8,excuse me1 ,miss ,finisterre1 one moment40 ,he drew a sheet of notepaper towards him4 ,the paper was headed with 8,the ,courier0 title and address4 8,send me1 at once1 unpacked and ready for immediate use1 the best ,american drawing-room rocking-chair you have in stock4 ,send invoice1 cash will follow10 etc4 ,that was what he wrote4 ,he enclosed it in an envelope1 then on a separate slip of paper he wrote3-- 8,take a cab1 there and back1 to ,wallis's1 ,holborn ,circus4 ,see how smart you can be2 bring the chair1 ordered1 back with you40 ,from his purse he took a four-shilling piece1 and gave the young fellow the note1 the slip of instructions1 and the coin4 ,as the attendant left the room1 he turned again to ,madge1 who1 utterly unsuspicious of the errand on which he had sent his employee1 was amusing herself with a copy of 8,punch40 ,she looked up from the paper as the door closed4 8,i like #8,the ,courier' immensely1 ,mr4 ,hammond10 she cried4 ,there was a rare warmth of admiration in her tone4 8,thank you1 ,miss ,finisterre60 ,his eyes said more than his words1 8what do you specially like in it80 he asked2 8or is your liking of a more general character80 8,i do like it from a general standpoint10 she replied2 8,i think it the best paper in the world4 ,but especially do ,i like your own particular column1 #8,from a ,prophet's ,chamber4' ,but1 ,mr4 ,hammond1 about the ,jew--you are going in strong for him1 aren't you80 8,from the ordinary newspaper point1 yes10 he said4 8,i cannot quite recall how my mind was first switched on to the subject1 but ,i do know this--that the more ,i study the past history of the race1 and the future predictions concerning it1 the more amazed ,i am1 how1 past1 present1 and future1 the ,jews1 as a nation1 are interwoven with everything political1 musical1 artistic--everything1 in fact4 ,and ,i wonder1 equally1 that we journalists1 as a whole--,i speak1 of course1 as far as ,i know my kinsmen in letters--should have thought and written so little about them4 8,take their ubiquitousness1 ,miss ,finisterre10 went on ,hammond4 8,there does not appear to have been an empire in the past that has not had its colony of ,jews4 ,by which ,i do not mean a ,ghetto1 simply1 a herding of sordid-living1 illiterate ,hebrews1 but a study colony of men and women1 who1 by sheer force of intellect1 of brain power1 have obtained and maintained the highest positions1 the greatest influence4 8,why1 in ,china1 even1 isolated1 conservative ,china1 before ,christ was born in ,bethlehem1 the ,jews were a prosperous1 ubiquitous people1 worshipping the one ,god1 ,jehovah1 amidst all the foulness of ,chinese idolatries40 ,madge ,finisterre listened with rapt interest4 ,the man before her1 fired with his subject1 talked marvellously4 ,a good listener helps to make a good talker1 and ,tom ,hammond talked well4 8,it is not simply that they practically hold the wealth of the world in their hands1 that they are the world's bankers1 but they are dominating our press1 our politics40 ,with glowing picture of words he poured out a flood of wondrous fact and illustration1 winding up presently with3 8,then you cannot kill the ,jew1 you cannot wipe him out4 ,persecution has had the effect of stunting his growth1 so that the average ,britisher is several inches taller than the average ,jew4 ,but the life of the ,hebrew is indestructible4 ,sometimes of late ,i have asked myself this question1 as ,i have reviewed the history of the dealings of so-called ,christianity with the ,semitic race--,has ,christianity been afraid of the ,jews1 or why has she sought to stamp them out80 ,the pair had been so engrossed with their talk that they had lost all count of time4 ,a half-hour had slipped by since ,tom ,hammond had sent his messenger to ,wallis's4 ,the young fellow suddenly appeared at the door4 8,got it1 ,charlie80 ,without waiting for a reply to his question1 the editor bounded from his seat and passed outside4 ,thirty seconds later the door opened again1 and he appeared1 bearing a splendid rocker in his arms4 ,before she fully realized the wonder of the whole thing1 ,madge found herself seated in the rocking-chair4 ,swaying backwards and forwards1 and blushing and smiling1 she cried3 8,you are a wonderful man1 ,mr4 ,hammond60 8,you said you could never fully enjoy our ,english houses for want of a rocker4 ,now1 however #8angelic' your visits to this room may be1 you shall have one inducement to slip in--a rocker40 ,she was beginning her thanks again1 when he interrupted with3 8,but1 excuse me1 ,miss ,finisterre1 what about some tea8 ,shall we go out and get some1 or would you prefer that ,i should order it in here80 8,oh1 here1 by all means6 ,i can have tea at a restaurant every day of my life1 but with a real ,london lion--a real live editor--and in his own special den4 ,why1 it may never fall to my lot again4 ,oh1 here1 by all means60 she cried1 excitedly4 ,he squeezed that rubber bulb again4 ,to the lad ,charlie1 who appeared1 he gave a written order to a neighbouring restaurant4 ,twenty minutes later the tea was in the room4 ,madge officiated with the teapot4 ,hammond watched her every movement4 ,a truly pretty1 graceful girl never looks handsomer to a man than when presiding at a tea-table4 ,tom ,hammond thought ,madge had never looked more charming4 ,the meal was a very enjoyable one1 and as she poured out his second cup he paid her a pretty compliment1 adding3 8,to see you thus1 ,miss ,finisterre1 makes one think what fools men are not to----0 ,he paused abruptly4 ,she flashed a quick glance of enquiry at him4 8,not to what1 ,mr4 ,hammond80 8,i wonder10 he replied1 8if ,i ought to say what ,i left unsaid80 8,why not80 she asked4 8,i don't know why ,i should not10 he laughed4 8,i was going to say that1 to have a bright1 beautiful1 graceful woman like ,madge ,finisterre pouring out tea for him1 makes a man think what a fool he is not to marry40 ,his tone and glance were alike full of meaning4 ,she could not mistake him4 ,her colour heightened visibly4 ,her eyes drooped before his ardent gaze4 ,the situation became tense and full of portent4 ,the opening of the door at that instant changed everything4 ,george ,carlyon had returned4 ,at the same moment a wire was brought to ,hammond1 together with a sheaf of letters--the afternoon mail4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 8,,coming40 ,george ,carlyon's entrance1 the arrival of the afternoon mail1 and the telegram gave ,madge ,finisterre an opportunity to escape4 ,george ,carlyon was anxious to leave1 and ,madge rose at once to accompany him4 ,tom ,hammond did not press them to stay1 for he1 too1 felt awkward4 ,the friends shook hands4 ,the eyes of ,madge and ,hammond met for one instant4 ,each face flushed under the power of the other's glance4 ,when the door had closed upon them1 ,tom went back to his old place by the table1 his eyes involuntarily sweeping the whole apartment4 ,he smiled as he suddenly realized how empty the room now seemed4 ,his glance rested upon the tea-tray1 and he rang for the lad ,charlie4 8,clear all this away1 ,charlie1 please10 he began4 ,then with a smile he said1 8,you will find a capital cup of tea in that pot40 ,the boy grinned4 ,at his first glance at the tray he had mentally decided that he would be able to have a rare feast4 ,a couple of minutes1 and the boy had gone4 ,tom ,hammond gathered up his mail1 and was about to drop into his ordinary seat1 when he remembered the rocker4 ,with a smile at ,madge's occupancy of the chair1 he dropped into it4 ,for fully five minutes he sat still thinking1 reviewing all the circumstances of the peculiar situation upon which the unexpected coming of ,george ,carlyon had broken4 ,he asked himself whether he was really in love with the fair ,madge1 and whether he would have proposed to her if her cousin had not so unexpectedly turned up8 ,he made no definite reply to his own questioning1 but turned to his mail4 ,the telegram he had opened at once on its receipt4 ,he turned now to the letters4 ,he had opened all but two4 ,the last one was addressed in a woman's hand-writing4 ,breaking the envelope1 he took out the letter1 and turned first to the signature on the fourth page4 8,millicent ,joyce10 he read4 8,millicent ,joyce80 he repeated4 ,unconsciously he had laid his emphasis on the 8,millicent10 and he forgot the 8,joyce40 ,but suddenly it came to him that the letter was from ,mrs4 ,joyce1 the woman whom he had helped to save from drowning on the night of that memorable day when the great chance of his life had come to him4 8,poor soul60 he muttered4 8,i wonder what she has written about80 ,the next instant he was reading the letter4 ,tom ,hammond cast his eyes over the letter which ,mrs4 ,joyce had sent him1 and which ran thus3 8,dear ,sir1 8,i gave you my word that if ever ,i was in special trouble or need ,i would write1 or come to you for help4 8,i did not promise you1 however1 that if any great joy or blessing should come to me1 that ,i would let you know4 ,i don't think ,i believed any joy could ever possibly come into my life again4 ,but joy and wondrous gladness have come into my life1 and in an altogether unexpected way4 8,you will remember how ,i said to you in parting1 that morning1 that your strong1 cheery words had given me a clearer view of ,god than any sermon ,i had ever listened to4 ,that impression deepened rather than diminished when ,i got home4 ,my husband1 ,i heard1 had been sent to ,wandsworth ,prison for a month1 for assaulting the police when drunk4 8,and in this month of quiet from his brutalities1 the great joy of my life came to me4 ,i began to attend religious services from the very first night after my return home4 ,i went to church1 chapel1 mission hall1 and ,salvation ,army4 8,one night ,i went to the hall of the ,mission for ,railway ,men4 ,a lady was speaking that night1 and ,god found me1 and saved me4 ,all that ,i had ever heard from my dear father's lips1 when he preached about conversion1 came back to me1 and that night ,i passed from death to life4 8,the subject of the address was #8,the ,coming of the ,lord4' ,i listened in amazement as the lady speaker declared that1 for this age1 ,god evidently meant that this truth of the near coming of ,christ should have almost1 if not quite1 the most prominent place in all public preaching4 8,i was startled to hear her say that there were nearly three hundred direct references to the second coming of ,christ in the ,gospels and ,epistles1 and that there were thus more than double the number of references to that subject than even to that of salvation through the blood of the ,atonement4 8,with her ,bible in her hand1 she turned readily to a score of passages as illustrations of her statement1 and all through her address she never made a statement without backing it up by ,scripture4 ,one thing she said laid a tremendous grip upon me1 and led me to an immediate decision for ,christ3 she said1 #8,how often is the possibility of sudden death advanced by a preacher as an incentive to unsaved souls to yield to ,god6 8#8,but how poor an argument is that compared with the near approach of ,christ6 ,sudden death might come to one person in a congregation before twenty-four hours1 but in a sense1 that would touch that one person only4 ,but if ,christ came to take up ,his people from the earth--the dead in ,christ from their graves1 the living from their occupations1 etc41--this would affect every unsaved soul in every part of the country1 of the world1 even4'0 ,tom ,hammond paused in his reading4 8,what on earth can she mean80 he murmured1 under his breath4 ,then he went on from the letter3 8,i gave myself up to ,god there and then1 ,mr4 ,hammond1 and am seeking now to live so that1 should ,christ come1 even before ,i finish this letter1 ,i may be ready to be caught up to meet ,him in the air40 ,hammond paused again4 8,what can the woman mean80 he murmured again4 ,with the letter held in his hand1 his eyes became fixed upon space1 his mind was searching for something that he had recently heard or read bearing on this strange topic4 ,the clue seemed almost within grasp1 yet for awhile he could not recall it4 ,suddenly it came to him4 ,a volume of poems had been sent to him for review1 amid the excitement of the second day's issue of 8,the ,courier40 ,he had glanced rapidly through the book1 had written a brief line for his paper1 acknowledging the receipt of the book1 and promising to refer to it fully at some later date4 8,that book10 he mused1 8had something in it about--about----0 ,he got up from the rocker1 took his place at his table1 then wheeled about slowly in his revolving chair1 and began searching his book-case4 ,in an instant his keen eye picked out the volume he sought4 ,he wheeled round again to his table1 the book in his hand4 ,he turned a moment to the title-page4 8,ezekiel and ,other ,poems10 he read4 8,by ,b4 ,m40 8,b4 ,m410 he mused1 8,whom have ,i heard writes under those initials8 ,ah6 ,i remember6 ,mrs4 ,miller4--,barbara ,miller40 ,he ran the gilt-edged leaves rapidly through his practised fingers1 his quick eye catching enough of the running pages to satisfy him4 ,suddenly he paused in his search4 ,his eye had lit upon what he sought1 and he began to read3 8,,coming40 8,at even1 or at midnight1 or at the cock-crowing1 or in the morning40 8,it may be in the evening1 ,when the work of the day is done1 ,and you have time to sit in the twilight ,and watch the sinking sun1 ,while the long1 bright day dies slowly ,over the sea1 ,and the hour grows quiet and holy ,with thoughts of ,me2 ,while you hear the village children ,passing along the street1 ,among those thronging footsteps ,may come the sound of ,my feet4 8,therefore ,i tell you1 #8,watch1' ,by the light of the evening star1 ,when the room is growing dusky ,as the clouds afar2 ,let the door be on the latch ,in your home1 ,for it may be through the gloaming ,i will come40 ,he paused in his reading for a moment1 for1 like a voice near by1 the drone of that blind beggar's reading came to him1 as he had heard it that day on the embankment4 8,this same ,jesus shall so come in like manner as ye have seen ,him go40 8,i remember10 he mused1 8how that sentence arrested me4 ,my mind was utterly pre-occupied a moment before1 but that wondrous sentence pierced my pre-occupation40 ,his eyes dropped to the poem again1 and he read on3-- 8,it may be when midnight ,is heavy on the land1 ,and the black waves lying dumbly ,along the sand2 ,when the moonless night draws close1 ,and the lights are out in the house2 ,when the fires burn low and red1 ,and the watch is ticking loudly ,beside the bed4 ,though you sleep1 tired out1 on your couch1 ,still your heart must wake and watch ,in the dark room2 ,for it may be that at midnight ,i will come40 ,he read rapidly1 but more eagerly interested each moment4 ,the next section he scarcely paused upon1 but the fourth he lingered over1 and then read it the second time3 8,it may be in the morning1 ,when the sun is bright and strong1 ,and the dew is glittering sharply ,over the little lawn2 ,when the waves are laughing loudly ,along the shore1 ,and the little birds sing sweetly ,about the door2 ,with the long day's work before you1 ,you rise up with the sun1 ,and the neighbours come in to talk a little ,of all that must be done3 ,but remember that ,i may be the next ,to come in at the door1 ,to call you from your busy work ,for evermore4 ,as you work1 your heart must watch1 ,for the door is on the latch ,in your room1 ,and it may be in the morning ,i will come40 ,he read on with a strange1 breathless interest the next two pages of poem1 then1 with a sudden sense of hush upon him1 he went carefully over the concluding lines3 8,so ,i am watching quietly ,every day4 ,whenever the sun shines brightly1 ,i rise and say1 #8,surely it is the shining of ,his face6' ,and look unto the gates of ,his high place ,beyond the sea1 ,for ,i know ,he is coming shortly ,to summon me4 ,and when a shadow falls across the window ,of my room1 ,where ,i am working my appointed task1 ,i lift my head to watch the door1 and ask ,if ,he is come2 ,and the angel answers sweetly ,in my home3 #8,only a few more shadows1 ,and ,he will come4'0 ,the face of ,tom ,hammond1 as he laid down the book1 was full of a strange1 new perplexity4 8,strange1 very60 he muttered4 8,do you know ,joyce1 ,mr4 ,simpson80 ,hammond asked a reporter4 8,he used to be on the staff of the----0 8#8,daily ,tatler1'0 cried the man4 8,knew him well years ago1 sir4 ,old school-fellows1 in fact4 ,got wrong with the drink1 sir4 ,gone to the dogs1 and----0 8,have you seen or heard anything of him this last month1 ,mr4 ,simpson80 8,yes1 sir4 ,he's grown worse than ever4 ,magistrate at ,bow ,street1 committing him for three days1 said fellow ought to be put in ,broadmoor4 ,pity his poor wife1 sir4 ,perfect lady1 sir40 8,you know ,mrs4 ,joyce1 then80 ,hammond queried4 ,the reporter sighed1 8,rather1 sir6 ,wished a thousand times ,i could have had her for a wife1 and he'd had mine4 ,i should have had a happier life4 ,and he----0 ,the man laughed grimly4 8,well1 he'd have had a tartar60 ,hammond had heard something about the shrewish wife ,simpson had unfortunately married4 ,but he had learned all he wanted to know1 so dismissed the poor1 ill-married fellow4 8,i think ,i must call upon ,mrs4 ,joyce1 and learn more about this strange matter of the coming ,christ10 he told himself4 ,he copied the address from the head of the letter into his pocket-book1 then turned to the last letter of his mail4 ,this proved to be a comparatively short letter1 but1 to ,hammond1 a deeply-interesting one4 ,it was signed 8,abraham ,cohen10 and the writer explained that he was a ,jew1 who had taken the 8,courier0 from the very first number1 and had not only become profoundly interested in the recent utterances of the editor in the 8,prophet's ,chamber0 column1 but he had1 for some days1 been impressed with the desire to write to the 8,prophet40 8,will you pardon me1 sir10 the letter went on1 8if ,i say that it would be to your immense advantage1 now that your mind has become aroused to the facts and history of our race1 if you would get in touch with some really well-read1 intelligent ,jew who knows our people well1 knows their history1 past1 present1 and future1 as far as the latter can be known from our ,scriptures and sacred books4 ,should you care to fall in with my suggestion1 ,i should be pleased to supply you with the names and addresses of several good and clever men of our people4 8,yours obediently1 8,,abraham ,,cohen40 ,as he folded the letter slowly1 ,hammond told himself that there was something in the letter that drew him towards the writer4 8,i will hunt him up1 for it is evident that he is as enthusiastic over his people's history as he is intelligent4 ,i will see what to-morrow brings4 ,now to work40 ,he put ,cohen's letter in his pocket1 and turned to the hundred and one editorial claims upon his time4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,reverie4 ,in spite of the time of the year1 the evening was almost as warm as one in ,june4 ,madge ,finisterre was on one of the wide hotel balconies overlooking the ,embankment4 ,she had dined with her cousin1 ,george ,carlyon1 but instead of going out of town that evening with him--he had pressed her strongly to go1--she had elected to spend a quiet evening alone4 ,london's roar1 subdued a little1 it is true1 at that hour1 rose all around her where she sat4 ,the cup of coffee she had brought to her1 cooled where it stood upon the little table at her elbow4 ,she had forgotten it4 ,her mind was engrossed with the memory of the latter part--the interrupted part--of that interview with ,tom ,hammond that afternoon4 8,what would have happened if ,george ,carlyon had not turned up at that moment80 she mused1--8if we had been left alone and undisturbed another five minutes80 ,her cheeks burned as she whispered softly to herself3 8,i believe ,tom ,hammond would have proposed to me4 ,if he had1 what should ,i have replied80 ,a far-away look crept into her eyes4 ,she was back again in the little town where she had been 8reared10 as she herself would have said4 ,we have many villages in ,england larger1 more populous1 more busy1 than her 8town10 but1 then1 the people of her land talk 8big40 ,before her mind's eye there rose the picture of her father's store1 a huge1 rambling concern built of wood1 with a frontage of a hundred feet1 and a colonnade of turned wooden pillars that supported a verandah that ran the whole length4 ,every item of the interior of the store came vividly before her mind1 the very odour of the place--a curious blend of groceries1 drapery1 rope1 oils and colours1 tobacco1--seemed suddenly to fill her nostrils4 ,and in that instant1 though she scarcely realized it1 the first real touch of nostalgia came to her4 ,she saw the postal section of the store littered with men1 all smoking1 most of them yarning4 ,one after another dropped in1 and1 with a 8,howdy1 all80 dropped upon a coil of white cotton rope1 or lounged against a counter or cask4 8,dollars0 and 8cents0 floated in speech all around1 while the men waited for the mail4 ,it was late that night4 ,a week before she had sailed for ,england1 she had gone down to the store1 as she had gone every evening about mail-time1 and1 entering at the end nearest her home1 she had come upon the scene that had now so suddenly risen before her mind's eye4 ,she had traversed all the narrow alley-way between the stored-up supplies1 from which the various departments were stocked1 singing as she went3 8,the world is circumbendibus1 ,we're all going round2 ,we have a try to fly the sky1 ,but still we're on the ground4 ,we every one go round the sun1 ,we're moving night and day2 ,and milkmen all go round the run ,upon their ,milky ,way40 8,we're all circumbendibus1 ,wherever we may be4 ,we're all circumbendibus1 ,on land or on sea4 ,rich or poor or middling1 ,wherever we are found1 ,we're all circumbendibus1 ,we're all going round40 ,she had punctuated the chorus with a series of jerked steps1 her high heels striking the wooden floor in a kind of castanet accompaniment4 ,every waiting man had risen to his feet as she came upon them in that post-office section1 and she had answered their rising with a military salute4 ,in the great mirror that ran from floor to ceiling of the store1 she had caught a glimpse of herself4 ,she recalled1 even now1 exactly what she was wearing that evening--a white muslin frock1 a very wide sash of rich silk--crushed strawberry colour--about her waist1 the long ends of the sash floating behind her almost to the high heels of her dainty bronze shoes4 ,a knot of the same-hued ribbon1 narrow1 of course1 with streamers flying1 was fastened at her left shoulder4 ,her wide-brimmed hat was trimmed with the same colour4 ,she had known that she made a handsome picture before she read the light of admiration in the eyes of the post-office loungers4 8,have you heard the news1 boys80 she asked4 8,aw1 guess we hev1 ,miss ,madge40 ,it was ,ulysses ,fletcher who had acted as spokesman4 ,in some surprise1 and not altogether pleased1 she had wheeled sharply round to the lantern-jawed ,ulysses and asked1 8,how did you hear the news1 ,ulysses8 ,dad didn't tell you1 ,i'm sure1 for he promised me ,i should tell you all myself40 8,met a coon down to the depot1 an' ,i guess he wur chuck full o' it1 an' 'e ups an' tells me40 8,a coon told you80 she had cried in ever-increasing amazement4 8,sartin1 ,miss ,madge60 8,a coon60 she had repeated4 8,a coon--told you--down at the depot--that--,i was--going--to ,europe next week60 ,every eye had stared in wondering astonishment at ,madge ,finisterre at her announcement that she was going to ,europe4 ,then there was a general laugh1 and one of the smartest of the 8boys0 had cried3-- 8,i low there's been a mistake some1 ,miss ,madge1 an' that1 too1 all roun'4 ,fact is1 we've been runnin' two separate tickets over this news business1 an' thought it wur one an' the same4 ,we wur talkin' 'bout ,seth ,hammond's herd o' hogs as wur cut up by the ,poughkeepsie express 'smarnin'40 ,she had joined in the laugh1 and then in reply to the question of another of the men1 as to whether it was really true that she was going to 8,urop10 she had replied in the affirmative1 adding1 by way of explanation3 8,i guess you all know that my momma is ,british1 that she belonged to what the ,britishers call1 #8the ,quality'4 ,she was the youngest sister of ,sir ,archibald ,carlyon1 was travelling over here1 out west1 when she was about my age1 got fixed up in an awkward shop by half-breeds1 and was rescued by my dear old poppa4 ,fact1 that's how he came to be my poppa1 for she married him4 ,spite of her high connections in ,england1 she was very poor1 and she loved dad4 ,if dear momma could only face the water journey1 she'd go over with me40 8,air you goin' alone1 ,miss80 one of the boys had asked4 ,then--how well she remembered it to-night6--she had given the answer1 part of which she had given to ,george ,carlyon that very day3 8,oh1 ,i'll git all right1 boys1 you can bet on that1 without anyone dandying around me4 ,for ,i guess if there's one thing the ,britishers are learning about our women1 it's this--that if a ,united ,states gel's got dollars under her boots to wheel around on it ain't much fuss for her to skate through their old country1 nor yet through ,europe1 come to that1 even if she has no more language under her tongue than good1 plain1 ,duchess county ,american40 ,with a merry smile1 for which there had been no scrambling1 since it was shed upon them all1 she had passed on to where she knew she would find her father1 ringing her boot-heels1 castanet fashion1 as she sang lightly3 8,mary's gone wid a coon1 ,mary's gone wid a coon2 ,dere's heaps o' trubble on de ole man's min' ,since ,mary flit wid de coon40 ,how vividly it all came up before her in this hour of quiet reverie6 ,but her mind flitted swiftly to another scene1 one that had been hanging in the background of all her thought ever since 7thinking of ,tom ,hammond and the interrupted conversation17 she had been reminded of home and its happenings4 ,there had been a ,donation ,party for their pastor 7,episcopalian ,methodist7 at the house of one of the members on the very night of the store scene4 ,madge had gone1 of course4 ,balhang was wont to say that a ,donation ,party simply could not be run without her4 ,sitting on that ,embankment hotel balcony1 with eyes fixed on the lamps1 the river1 the bridge1 the traffic yet seeing nothing of it all1 that ,donation ,party all came back to her4 ,things had been a bit stiff and formal at first1 as they often are at such gatherings4 ,the adults sat around and talked on current topics--how much turkeys would fetch for ,thanksgiving1 whether it would pay best to sell them plucked or unplucked1 what would folks do for cranberries for ,thanksgiving1 since the cranberry crop had failed that year--8,an' turkey wi'out cranberry ain't wuth a twist o' the tongue40 8,an' squash10 suggested one old man4 8,what's turkey wi'out squash8 ,i'd most so soon hev only ,boston0 7i4 e41 pork and beans7 8fur dinner as ter go wi'out squash wi' turkey40 ,the young folk had been 8moping around0 like draggled chickens on a wet day when the barn-door is shut4 ,then1 at this juncture1 ,madge had burst upon the scene4 ,she swam into the largest room1 swirling round and round with a kind of waltz movement1 to the accompaniment of her own gay voice as she sang3 8,i said1 #8,my dear1 ,i'm glad6' ,said she1 #8,i'm glad you're glad6' ,said ,i1 #8,i'm glad you're glad ,i'm glad1 ,it is so very1 very nice2 ,it makes it seem worth twice the price1 ,so glad you're glad ,i'm glad6'0 ,with a gay laugh she had turned to the hostess1 saying2 8,things want hustling a bit here1 ,miss ,julie4 ,everyone is as glum as a whip-poor-will that is fixed up with the grippe40 ,in the quiet of that corner of the hotel balcony she smiled at these remembrances of her nonsense that night4 ,she had started the young people playing their favourite games of 8,whisper10 8,amsterdam10 etc41 in two or three of the smaller rooms2 then had raced away again to the room where the adults were sitting squarely against the wall1 as grim as 8brazen images40 ,dropping on to the piano stool1 she struck a few soft1 tender notes1 suggestive of some very gracious hymn1 then suddenly broke into song3 8,oh1 dat's so6 ,oh1 dat's so6 ,dar is nuffing 'neath de moon dat'll satisfy dis coon4 ,like a ,k--,i--double ,s1 kiss1 ,since dat ,cupid1 wid his dart1 made a keyhole in my heart ,for dat ,m--,i--double ,s1 miss40 ,behind a corner of the curtain the young pastor had watched and listened4 ,he had thought his presence unknown to her4 ,he was mistaken4 ,for three-quarters of an hour she had been the life of that room4 ,then1 suddenly1 as she was singing at the piano1 the room grew very quiet4 ,she was aroused by a voice just behind her ear1 saying3 8,miss ,finisterre1 are you going to supper with this first batch1 or will you wait the next turn80 ,turning1 she found herself face to face with the young pastor1 the room being otherwise empty4 ,his gaze was very warm1 very ardent4 ,she had flushed under the power of that gaze4 ,she had railed him on his extra seriousness1 and he had answered1 8,don't1 ,madge6 you must know why ,i am grave and sad1 to-night40 7,he had never called her ,madge before47 8,no1 ,i don't10 she had replied4 8,in less than a week10 he went on1 8so ,i have heard to-night1 you leave ,balhang4 ,you are going to ,europe1 and will be away long months1 perhaps a year40 ,she had gazed at him in honest wonder1 not fully grasping his meaning4 8,why10 she asked1 8should that make you sad80 ,he had leaned closer towards her4 ,there was no one to see them4 ,the heavy door-curtain had slipped from its hook1 and shut them in4 ,where her hand rested on the rounded1 polished arm of the piano1 his larger hand had moved1 and her white fingers were clasped in his larger ones4 ,his eyes had sought hers1 and1 under the hypnotic power of the strong love in his eyes1 she had been compelled to meet his gaze4 8,i thought1 dear1 you must have seen how1 for a long time1 ,i had learned to love you1 ,madge40 ,his clasp on her fingers had tightened4 ,he had leaned nearer to her still4 ,no man's face1 save her father's1 had ever been so close to hers before1 and the contact strangely affected her4 ,she felt the warmth of his breath1 the heat of his clean1 wholesome flesh2 even the scent of the soap he had used--or was it some perfume in his clothing8--filled all her sense of smell4 ,the perfume was violet1 and she remembered to-night how1 for many a day1 she could not smell violets without recalling that moment1 and seeing again the strong1 earnest1 eager face1 with the fire of a mighty love burning in the eyes4 ,to-night she heard again the yearning1 pleading voice as he had cried3 8,madge1 ,madge1 my darling6 ,can you ever guess how great is my love for you8 ,tell me1 dear1 do you1 can you1 love me in return8 ,will you be my wife8 ,will you come into all my life to bless it8 ,and let me be wholly yours to help1 to bless1 to strengthen1 to love1 to cherish you8 ,tell me1 darling60 ,and she had cried1 almost piteously3 8,i don't know how to answer you1 pastor4 ,it is all so sudden4 ,i knew1 of course1 that we were great friends1 and ,i am sure ,i like you very much1 but--this proposal6 ,why1 ,i never dreamed that you cared for me like that1 for how could ,i be a minister's wife8 ,i am such a gay1 thoughtless1 foolish little thing--,i----0 ,there had followed more tender pleading1 and she had finally said1 8,if you love me1 ,homer1 as you say you do1 please do not bother me any more now4 ,wait until ,i come back from ,europe--then--then----0 8,what1 ,madge80 he had cried softly1 eagerly4 8,if ,i can honestly say #8,yes1'0 she had replied1 8,i will and ,i will not even wait for you to ask me again40 ,he had bent over her4 ,his gaze held her fascinated4 ,she thought he was going to take toll of her lips before his right was confirmed4 ,but at that instant there had come a rush of feet1 a sound of many voices4 ,the curtain was flung aside1 just as her fingers strayed over the keys of the instrument1 and the pastor succeeded in regaining his old unseen nook4 8,i guess ,miss ,julie's waitin' fur yer1 ,miss ,madge1 ter go ter yer supper10 bawled an old deacon of the church4 ,she had swept the ivory keys with rollicking touch1 and sang in gayest style3 8,allow me to say ,ta-ta6 ,i bid you good-day4 ,ta-ta6 ,i wish ,i could stay1 ,but ,i'm going away4 ,allow me to say ,ta-ta60 ,amid the uproarious laughter of everyone in the room1 she had bounded away to supper4 ,except for one moment1 when she was leaving the house for home1 and he had helped her on with her cloak1 the pastor had not spoken again directly to her that evening4 ,he had managed then to whisper1 8,god bless you1 my darling6 ,i shall pray for you1 and live on the hope ,i read in your eyes to-night40 ,it was all this which had risen so strangely before her mind1 as to-night1 on that hotel balcony1 she had begun to ask herself how much she really cared for ,tom ,hammond1 and what answer she would have given him had he proposed to her that afternoon4 8,i told pastor10 she murmured1 8that night1 that ,i was not sure of myself4 ,i am no nearer being sure of myself now than ,i was then40 ,the scene with ,hammond rose up before her1 and she added3 8,i am less sure1 ,i think1 than ever60 ,she gazed fixedly where the double line of lamps gleamed on the near-distant bridge4 ,for a moment she tried to compare the two lives--that of an ,american ,methodist pastor's wife1 with endless possibilities of doing good1 and that of the wife of a comparatively wealthy newspaper editor-manager4 8,should ,i like to marry a popular man80 she asked herself4 8,i read somewhere once that popular men1 like popular actors1 make bad husbands1 that they cannot endure the tameness of an audience of one40 ,she laughed low1 and a little amusedly1 as she added1 8,oh1 well1 ,tom ,hammond has not asked me to marry him4 ,perhaps he never will--and--well1 #8sufficient for the day is the evil thereof4' ,pastor once preached from that1 ,i remember40 ,the night had grown cooler4 ,she shivered a little as she rose and passed into the lighted room beyond4 ,two hours later1 as she laid her head upon the pillow1 she murmured1 8,i don't see how ,i could marry the pastor6 ,why1 ,i haven't #8got religion' yet4 ,i am not #8converted1' as these ,britishers would say60 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,a ,,threat4 ,tom ,hammond paused before the house that bore the number at the head of ,mrs4 ,joyce's letter4 ,it was in a mean street1 and his soul went out in pity towards the unfortunate woman1 who1 with all her refinement1 was compelled to live amid such squalid surroundings4 8,and heart-starved1 too10 he mused1 pityingly4 8,heart-starved for the want of love1 of sympathy1 of the sense of soul-union that makes life with a married partner at all bearable40 8,yus1 sir2 ,mrs4 ,joss lives yere4 ,top floor1 lef' 'and side4 ,yer kin go hup60 ,a child had opened the door in response to his knock4 ,following the directions given1 ,tom ,hammond climbed the dirty stairs4 ,on the top landing were two doors4 ,the one on the right was fast shut2 that on the left was ajar a few inches4 ,his approach did not seem to have been heard4 ,mrs4 ,joyce1 the only occupant of the room1 was seated at a bare deal table1 sewing briskly4 ,he stretched out his hand to tap at the door1 but some impulse checked him for a moment4 ,he had the opportunity to observe her closely1 and he did so4 ,she sat facing the window2 the light shone full upon her4 ,she was dressed in a well-worn but well-fitting black gown4 ,round her throat--how pure and white the skin was6--she wore a white turnover collar1 like a nurse1 white cuffs at her wrists completing the nurse idea4 ,her hair--she had loosened it earlier because of a slight headache--hung in clustering waves on her neck1 and was held back behind her ears with a comb on either side4 ,there was a rare softness and refinement in the pale face that drooped over her sewing4 ,seen as ,tom ,hammond saw her then1 ,mrs4 ,joyce was a really beautiful woman4 ,he gazed for a few moments at the picture1 amazed at the rapidity of her sewing movements4 8,the tragedy of ,tom ,hood's #8,song of the ,shirt1'0 he muttered1 as he watched the gleam of the flying needle4 8,oh1 men with sisters dear6 ,oh1 men with mothers and wives6 ,it is not linen you're wearing out1 ,but human creatures' lives6 ,stitch1 stitch1 stitch1 ,in poverty1 hunger1 and dirt1 ,sewing at once1 with a double thread1 ,a shroud as well as a shirt40 ,under the magnetic constraint of his fixed gaze the woman looked towards the door4 ,she recognized her visitor1 and with a little glad cry started to her feet4 ,tom ,hammond pushed the door open and entered the room4 ,she sprang to meet him4 ,now that he saw her1 he realized the expression of her face had changed4 ,heaven--all the heaven of ,god's indwelling pardon1 love1 peace1 had come to dwell with her4 ,all that she had said in her letter of her new-found joy1 was fully confirmed by her looks4 8,how good of you to come to see me1 ,mr4 ,hammond60 she cried1 as she felt the clasp of his hand4 8,how good of you to write me of your new-found happiness60 ,he smiled back into her glad1 eager eyes4 ,he took the chair she offered1 and with a question or two sought to lead her on to talk of the subject about which he had come to see her4 8,the very title of the subject10 ,hammond explained1 8is perfectly foreign to me40 8,it was all so1 so foreign to me10 she returned4 ,then1 as swift tears flooded her eyes1 she turned to him with a little rapturous cry1 saying1-- 8,and it would all have been foreign to me for ever1 but for you1 ,mr4 ,hammond4 ,i never1 never can forget that but for you my soul would have been in a suicide's hell1 where hope and mercy could never have reached me4 ,as long as ,i shall live ,i shall never forget the awful rush of soul-accusation that swept over me1 when my body touched the foul waters of that muddy river that night4 ,the chill and shock of the waters ,i did not feel1 but the chill of eternal condemnation for my madness and sin ,i did feel4 8,i saw all my life as in a flash4 ,all the gracious warnings and pleadings that ever1 in my hearing1 fell from my sainted father's lips1 as he besought men and women to be reconciled to ,god1 seemed to swoop down upon me1 condemning me for my unbelief and sin4 ,then--then you came to my rescue--and----0 ,her tears were dropping thick and fast now4 8,and--my soul--had respite given in which to--to--seek ,god--because--you saved my body40 ,overcome with her emotion1 she turned her head to wipe away the grateful tears4 ,when next she faced him1 her voice was low and tender1 her eyes glowed with a light that ,tom ,hammond had never seen in a human face before4 8,now1 if my ,lord come10 she said softly1 rapturously1 8whether at morning1 at noontide1 at midnight1 or cock-crowing1 ,i shall be ready to meet ,him in the air4 8,i used to think that if ever ,i was converted1 ,i should meet my dear father and mother at the last day1 at the great final end of all things4 8,but now ,i know that if ,jesus came for ,his people to-day1 that ,i should meet my dear ones to-day4 ,for when #8the ,lord ,himself shall descend from heaven 444 the dead in ,christ shall rise first3 then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds1 to meet the ,lord in the air3 and so shall we ever be with the ,lord4'0 ,tom ,hammond gazed at the speaker in wonder4 ,the glory that filled her face1 the triumph and rapture that rang in her voice1 were a strange revelation to him4 8,a starvation wage for making slop-shirts10 he mused1 8yet more than triumphing over every discomfort of poverty by the force of the divine hope that dominates her6 ,what is this hope80 8,tell me of this wondrous thing1 ,mrs4 ,joyce10 he said1 aloud1 8that can transmute your poverty and suffering to triumph and rapture1 and your comfortless garret to a heaven on earth40 8,before ,i begin10 she replied1 8tell me1 ,mr4 ,hammond1 have ever you seen this80 ,from the window-shelf she reached a tiny envelope booklet4 8#8,long ,odds'60 he said1 reading the boldly-printed title of the book4 8,no2 ,i have never seen this4 ,it sounds sporting1 rather40 8,take it1 ,mr4 ,hammond10 she went on2 8if it does nothing else1 it will awaken your interest in this wonderful subject40 ,he slipped the book into his breast-pocket4 ,she opened her mouth to speak again1 when a sound from outside caught her ear4 ,she started to her feet2 her face turned deadly pale4 ,the next instant the door was flung noisily open1 and her husband entered the room4 ,the blear-eyed1 drunken scoundrel glared at the two seated figures1 then laughed evilly as he cried1-- 8,turned religious8 ,oho6 oho6 ,like all the rest of your religious people1 make a mantle--a regular down-to-your-feet ulster--of your religion to cover every blackness and filthiness of life40 8,silence1 you foul-mouthed blackguard60 ,tom ,hammond's lips were white with the indignation that filled him1 as he flung his command to the man4 8,silence yourself1 ,tom ,hammond60 bellowed the drunken scoundrel4 8,i know you10 he went on4 8,you're a big bug now6 ,think no end of yourself1 and of your messing paper4 ,perhaps you'll say you came to invite me to join your staff1 now that ,i've caught you here80 ,his sneering tone changed to one of bitterest hate1 as he turned to the white1 trembling woman4 8,you're a beauty1 ain't you8 ,profess to turn saint2 then1 when you think ,i'm clear away1 you receive visits from fine gentlemen6 ,gentlemen8 bah6 they're----0 8,silence1 you drunken1 foul-mouthed beast60 again interrupted ,tom ,hammond4 ,there was something amazing in the command that rang in the indignant tones of his voice4 8,unless10 he went on1 8you want to find yourself in the grip of the law40 ,for a moment or two ,joyce was utterly cowed6 then the devil in him reared its head again1 and he hissed1 8,you clear out of here1 and remember this2 if ,i have to keep sober for a year to do it1 ,i'll ruin you1 ,tom ,hammond1 ,i will60 ,he laughed with an almost demoniacal glee1 as he went on3 8,i can write a par yet1 you know4 ,i'll dip my pen in the acid of hate--hate1 the hate of devils1 my beauty--and then get ,fletcher to put them into his paper4 ,he's not in love with the #8,courier1' or with ,tom ,hammond1 the ,editor40 8,you scurrilous wretch60 ,it was all that ,hammond deigned to reply4 8,good day1 ,mrs4 ,joyce60 he bowed to the white-faced woman4 ,for her sake he did not offer to shake hands1 but moved away down the stairs4 ,he caught a hansom a few moments after leaving the mean street4 ,he had purposed1 when he started out that morning1 to hunt up his other correspondent1 the ,jew1 ,abraham ,cohen4 ,but after the scene he had just witnessed1 he felt quite unwilling to interview a stranger4 8,i wish10 he mused1 as he sat back in the hansom1 8,i had not gone near that poor soul4 ,i am afraid my visit may make it awkward for her40 ,his eyes darkened as he added3 8,and even for myself4 ,it will be very awkward if that drunken brute puts his threat into execution--and he will1 ,i believe4 ,innuendo is a glass stiletto1 which1 driven into the victim's character1 into his heart and then snapped off from the hilt1 leaves no clue to the striker of the blow4 ,and a demon like that ,joyce1 playing into the hands of a cur like ,fletcher1 may slay a fellow by a printed innuendo1 and yet the pair may easily keep outside the reach of the law of libel40 ,for the first time since the floating of the 8,courier10 his spirits became clouded4 8,then1 too10 he muttered1 8there is this sudden breakdown of ,marsden1 and1 for the life of me1 ,i don't know where to look for a fellow1 whom ,i could secure at short notice1 who is at all fit for the #8,courier's' second40 ,his face had grown moody4 ,his eyes were full of an unwonted depression4 8,if only10 he went on1 8,bastin had been in ,england1 and were to be got----0 ,he sighed4 ,there was perplexity in the sigh4 8,where on earth can ,ralph be all these years80 he muttered4 ,he glanced out of the cab to ascertain his own whereabouts4 ,in two minutes more he would be at the office4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,in ,,the ,,nick ,,of ,,time4 ,as ,tom ,hammond's cab drew up at the office1 another hansom drew up a yard ahead of his4 ,the occupant alighted at the same instant as did ,hammond1 and glanced in his direction4 ,both men leaped forward1 their hands were clasped in a grip that told of a very warm friendship4 ,like simultaneous pistol shots there leaped from their separate lips1-- 8,tom ,hammond60 8,ralph ,bastin80 ,the friends presently passed into the great building1 arm linked in arm1 laughing and talking like holiday school-boys4 8,not three minutes ago1 as ,i drove along in my cab1 ,i was saying1 #8,oh6 if only ,i could lay my hand on ,ralph60 ,they were seated by this time in ,tom ,hammond's room4 8,why8 ,what did you want1 ,tom--anything special80 the bronzed1 travelled ,bastin asked4 8,rather1 ,ralph6 ,my second1 poor ,frank ,marsden1 has broken down suddenly2 it's serious1 may even prove fatal1 the doctors say4 ,anyway1 he won't be fit 7if he recovers at all7 for a year or more40 ,he leaned eagerly towards his friend as he spoke1 and asked1 8,are you open to lay hold of the post80 8,yes40 8,when80 8,to-morrow1 if you like60 8,good60 ,hammond stretched his hand out4 ,bastin grasped it4 ,then they talked over terms1 duties1 etc4 8,but you1 man80 said ,hammond1 when the last bit of shop had been talked4 8,where have you been8 ,what have you been doing80 8,busy for an hour1 ,tom80 ,bastin asked1 by way of reply4 8,no60 8,come round to my diggings1 then2 not far--,bloomsbury4 ,we can talk as we go4 ,i shall have time to give you a skeleton of my adventures1 to be filled in later4 ,then1 when we get to my hang-out1 ,i can tell you1 when you have seen her1 the story of my chief adventure1 for it concerns her40 ,hammond flashed a quick1 wondering glance at his friend4 8,her60 he said2 8are you married1 then80 8,no10 laughed ,bastin1 8but ,i've adopted a child4 ,but come on1 man60 ,the pair left the office4 ,in the cab1 talking very rapidly1 ,bastin gave the skeleton sketch of his wanderings1 but saying no word of the promised great adventure4 ,tom ,hammond never forgot the first sight of his friend's adopted child4 ,there was a low grate in the room1 a blazing fire of leaping1 flaming coals in the grate4 ,curled up in a deep saddle-bag armchair was the loveliest girl-child ,hammond had ever seen4 ,she must have been half asleep1 or in a deep reverie1 but as the two men advanced into the room she sprang from the chair1 and1 with eyes gleaming with delight1 bounded to meet ,bastin4 ,wreathing her arms about his neck1 she crooned softly over him some tongue of her own4 ,she was loveliness incarnated4 ,her eyes1 black as sloes1 were big1 round1 and wide in their staring wonder at ,hammond's appearance4 ,her hair was a mass of short curls4 ,she was dark of skin as some ,spanish beauty4 ,her costume lent extra charm to her appearance2 for she wore a long1 ,grecian-like robe of some light1 diaphanous ivory-cream fabric1 engirdled at the waist with a belt composed of some sort of glistening peacock-green shells1 buckled with frosted silver4 ,the simple but exquisite garment had only short shoulder-sleeves1 and was cut low round the throat and neck1 and finished there--as were the edges of the shoulder-sleeves--with a two-inch wide band of sheeny silk of the same colour as the shells of her belt4 ,the opening at the neck of the robe was fastened with a brooch of frosted silver of the same pattern1 only smaller1 as the buckle of the belt4 ,from beneath the silk-bound hem of her robe there peeped bronze slippers1 encasing the daintiest little crimsoned-stockinged feet ever used for pedalling this rough old earth's crust4 ,bastin introduced the child4 ,she gave ,tom her hand1 and lifted her wondrous eyes to his1 answering his question as to her health in the prettiest of broken ,english he had ever heard4 ,a moment or two later the three friends were seated--,tom and ,bastin in armchairs opposite each other1 the child 7,viola1 ,bastin had christened her7 on a low stool between ,bastin's knees4 8,shall we use the old lingo--,french80 ,bastin asked the question in the ,bohemian ,parisian they had been wont to use together years before4 8,as you please1 ,ralph10 ,hammond replied4 8,i have told you hurriedly something of where ,i have been10 ,bastin began4 8,but ,i have reserved my great story until ,i could tell it to you here----0 ,he glanced down at the child at his feet4 8,i heard10 he went on1 8when at ,la ,caribe--as everyone hears who stays long in the place--that each year1 in spite of the laws of the whites1 who are in power1 a child is sacrificed to the ,carib deities1 and ,i longed to know if it were true4 8,during my first few week's sojourn on the little island of ,utilla1 ,i was able to render one of the old priests a service1 which somehow became so exaggerated in his eyes that there was almost literally nothing that he would not do for me1 and eventually he yielded to my entreaties to give me a chance to see for myself the yearly sacrifice1 which was due in a month's time4 8,during that month of waiting ,i made many sketches of this wonderful neighbourhood1 and became acquainted with this little ,carib maiden1 painting her in three or four different ways4 ,the child became intensely attached to me1 and ,i to her1 and we were always together in the daytime4 8,as the time drew near for the sacrifice ,i noticed that the little one grew very elated1 and there was a new flash in her eyes1 a kind of rapturous pride4 ,i asked her no question as to this change1 putting it down as girlish pride in being painted by the #8white prince1' as she insisted on calling me4 8,i need not trouble you1 my dear fellow1 with unnecessary details of how and where the old priest led me on the eventful night1 which was a black as ,erebus1 but come to the point where the real interest begins4 8,it was midnight when at last ,i had been smuggled into that mysterious cave1 which1 if only a tithe of what is reported be half true1 has been damned by some of the awfullest deeds ever perpetrated4 ,my priest-guide had made me swear1 before starting1 that whatever ,i saw ,i would make no sign1 utter no sound1 telling me that if ,i did1 and we were discovered1 we should both be murdered there and then4 8,we had hardly hidden ourselves before the whole centre of the cave became illuminated with a mauve-coloured flame that burned up from a flat brass brazier1 and seemed like the coloured fires used in pantomime effects on the ,english stage4 ,by this wonderful light ,i saw a hundred and fifty or more ,carib men and women file silently into the cave1 and take up their positions in orderly rows all round the place4 ,when they had all mustered1 a sharp note was struck upon the carimba1 a curious one-stringed instrument1 and the circles of silent savages dropped into squatting position on their heels4 ,then the weirdest of all weird music began1 the instruments being a drum1 a flute1 and the carimba4 8,but my whole attention became absorbed by the grouping in the centre of the room--the fire-dish had been shifted to one side1 and ,i saw a hideous statue1 squatted on a rudely-constructed1 massive table1 the carved hands gripping a bowl that rested on the stone knees of the image4 ,the head of the hideous god was encircled with a very curious band1 that looked1 from where ,i stood1 like bead and grass and feather work4 ,the face--cheeks and forehead--was scored with black1 green and red paint1 the symbolic colours of that wondrous race that once filled all ,central ,america4 8,in the back part of the wide1 saucer-like edge of the bowl which rested on the knees of the statue1 there burned a light-blue flame1 and whether it was from this fire1 or from the larger one that burned in the wide1 shallow brazier on the floor1 ,i cannot positively say1 but a lovely fragrance was diffused from one or the other4 8,before this strange altar stood three very old priests1 while seven women 7sukias17 as grizzled as the men1 stood at stated intervals about the altar4 ,one of these hideous hags had a dove in her hand2 another held a young kid clasped between her strong brown feet2 a third held the sacrificial knife1 a murderous-looking thing1 made of volcano glass1 short in blade1 and with a peculiar jagged kind of edge2 another of these hags grasped a snake by the neck--a blood-curdling-looking tamagas1 a snake as deadly as a rattle-snake4 8,opposite the centre-man of the three old priests stood a girl-child1 about ten years of age1 and perfectly nude4 ,during the first few moments the vapourous kind of smoke that was wafted by a draught somewhere1 from the fire-pan on the floor of the cave1 hid the child's features1 though ,i could see how beautiful of form she was2 then1 as the smoke-wreath presently climbed straight up1 ,i was startled to see that the child was my little friend4 8,in my amaze ,i had almost given vent to some exclamation1 but my old priest-guide was watching me1 and checked me4 8,my little one's beautiful head was wreathed with jasmine1 and a garland of purple madre-de-cacoa blossoms hung about her lovely shoulders4 8,suddenly1 like the barely-audible notes of the opening music of some orchestral number1 the voice of one of the priests began to chant2 in turn the two other priests took up the strain2 then each of the seven hags in their turn1 and anon each in the first circle of squatting worshippers1 followed by each woman in the second row3 and in this order the chant proceeded1 until1 weird and low1 every voice was engaged4 8,suddenly the combined voices ceased1 and one woman's voice alone rose upon the stillness2 and following the sound of the voice1 ,i saw that it was the mother of my little native child-friend4 ,i had not noticed her before--she had been squatting out of sight4 ,hers was not the chant of the others1 but a strange1 mournful wail4 ,it lasted about a minute and a-half2 then1 rising to her feet1 she gently thrust the child forward towards the altar1 then laid herself face down on the floor of the cave4 8,the little one leaned against the edge of the altar1 and taking up1 with a tiny pair of bright metal tongs1 a little fire out of the back edge of the bowl on the knees of the god1 she lighted another fire on the front edge of the bowl1 her suddenly-illuminated face filled with a glowing pride4 8,then1 at a signal from the head priest1 the child lifted her two hands1 extended them across the altar1 when they were each seized by the two other priests1 and the beautiful little body was drawn slowly1 gently over1 until the smooth breast almost touched the sacrificial fire she had herself lighted4 8,then ,i saw the woman who had held the knife suddenly yield it up to the head priest1 and ,i made an unconscious movement to spring forward4 8,my guide held me1 and whispered his warning in my ear3 yet1 even though ,i must be murdered myself1 ,i felt ,i dared not see that sweet young life taken4 8,like a man suffering with nightmare1 who wants to move1 but cannot1 ,i stood transfixed1 fascinated1 one instant longer4 ,but in that flashing instant the head priest had swept1 with lightning speed1 the edge of that hideous knife twice across the little one's breast1 and she stood smiling upwards like one hypnotized4 8,the priest caught a few drops of the child's blood1 and shook them into the bowl of the god2 then ,i saw the little one fall into her mother's arms2 there was a second sudden flashing of that hideous knife1 a piteous1 screaming cry1 and ,i gave vent to a yell--but not voice to it1--for the watching guide at my side clapped one hand tightly over my mouth1 while with the other he held me from flying out into the ring of devils1 whispering in my ear as he held me back1 8#8,it is the goat that is slain1 not the child4' 8,another glance1 and ,i saw that this was so2 one flash of that obsidian sacrificial blade across the throat of the kid had been enough1 and now the blood was being drained into the bowl of the god4 8,i need not detail all the other hideous ceremonies2 they lasted for nearly two hours longer1 ending with a mad frenzied dance1 in which all joined save the priests and the mother and child4 8,every dancer1 man and woman1 flung off every rag of clothing1 and whirled and leaped and gyrated in their perfect nudity1 until1 utterly exhausted1 one after another they sank upon the floor4 8,then slowly they gathered themselves up1 reclothed themselves1 and left the cave4 ,and now some large pine torches were lighted1 and my guide drew me further back1 that the increased glare might not reveal our presence1 and ,i saw the curious ending to this weird night's work4 ,the priests and their seven women sukias opened a pit in the floor of the cave by shifting a great slab of stone1 and lowered the idol into the pit4 ,the remains of the kid1 the sacrificial knife1 and the dove were dropped into the bowl of blood that rested on the knees of the idol2 then the sukia that had held the tamagas snake during the whole of those hideous night hours1 dropped the writhing thing into the bowl1 and the slab was lowered quickly over the pit1 every seam around the slab being carefully filled1 and the whole thing hidden by sprinkling loose dust and the ashes from the fire over the spot4 8,then1 as soon as the last of the performers had cleared the cave1 ,i followed my guide1 and with a throbbing head1 and full of a sense of strange sickness1 ,i went to the house where ,i was staying4 8,i lay down upon my bed1 but could not sleep2 and as early as ,i dared ,i went round to my little ,martarae's home--,martarae was her native name4 ,her mother met me1 said that the child would not come out in the sun to-day1 that ,i might see her for a moment if ,i pleased1 but that she was not very well4 8,sweet little soul6 ,i found her lying on her little bed1 with a proud light in her eyes1 and a very flushed face4 8,a fortnight later the light flesh wounds were healed4 ,she showed me her breast1 confided to me the story1 and asked me if ,i did not think she had much to be proud of4 8#8,will you keep a secret8' ,i asked her4 ,she gave me her promise1 and ,i told her how ,i had seen the whole thing1 and all my fears for her4 8,a week later she was orphaned4 ,her mother was stung by a deadly scorpion1 and died in an hour1 and ,i made the child my care4 8,she has travelled everywhere with me ever since1 and you see how fair and sweet she is1 and how beautifully she speaks our ,english4 ,she is barely twelve1 is naturally gifted1 and is the very light of my life40 8,would she let me see her breast1 ,ralph1 do you think80 ,hammond asked4 ,bastin smiled1 and spoke a word to the child1 and she1 rising to her feet and smiling back at him1 unfastened the broach at her throat1 and1 laying back her breast-covering1 showed the gleaming1 shiny scars4 ,then as she re-covered her chest1 she said softly3 8,ralph has taught me that those gods were evil2 but though ,i shall ever wear this cross in the flesh of my breast1 ,i shall ever love the ,christ who died on the world's great cross at ,calvary40 8,it is a most marvellous story1 ,ralph10 he said tearing his eyes away from the child's clear1 searching gaze4 8,the more marvellous because absolutely true10 returned ,bastin4 ,then1 addressing ,viola1 and relapsing1 of course1 into ,english for her sake1 he explained who ,tom ,hammond was1 and that he 7,ralph7 was going to be associated with him on the same great newspaper4 8,mr4 ,hammond and you1 ,viola1 must be real good friends10 he added4 8,sure1 daddy60 the girl said smilingly2 8,i like him much already----0 ,she lifted herself slightly until she rested on her knees1 and stretching one hand across the hearthrug to ,tom ,hammond1 she laid the other in her guardian's1 as she went on3 8,mr4 ,hammond is good6 ,i know1 ,i know1 for his eyes shine true40 ,a ripple of merry laughter escaped her1 as she gazed back into her guardian's face1 and added3 8,but you1 daddy1 are always first40 ,,chapter ,,xi4 8,,long ,,odds40 ,for a wonder1 ,tom ,hammond could not sleep4 ,usually1 when the last thing had been done1 and he was assured that everything was in perfect train for the morning's issue1 he ate a small basin of boiled milk and bread1 which he invariably took by way of a 8night-cap10 then went to bed1 and slept like a tired ploughman4 ,but to-night slumber would have none of him4 8,it must be the various excitements of the day10 he muttered4 8,that story of ,ralph's ,caribbean child was enough to keep a fellow's brain working for a week4 ,then there was meeting ,ralph so unexpectedly1 just1 too1 when ,i so lusted for his presence and help4 ,then there was that ,joyce item----0 ,his mind trailed off to the scene of the morning1 every item of it starting up in a new and vivid light4 ,suddenly he recalled the booklet ,mrs4 ,joyce had given him4 8,i can't sleep10 he murmured2 8,i'll find that thing and read it40 ,his fingers sought the electric switch4 ,the next moment the room was full of light4 ,he got out of bed1 passed quickly through to his dressing-room1 found the coat that he had worn that morning1 and secured the booklet4 ,he went back again to bed1 and1 lying on his elbow1 opened the dainty little printed thing and began to read thus3 8,,long ,,odds0 8,you don't say so6 ,where on earth has she gone80 8,i can't say1 sir1 but it's plain enough she is missing4 ,hasn't been seen since last night when she went up to her room40 ,i was put out1 ,i own2 my man on waking me had informed me that the cook was missing2 she had gone to bed without anything being noticed amiss1 and was now nowhere to be found4 ,she was always an odd woman1 but a capital cook4 ,what had become of her8 ,the very last sort of person to disappear in this way--a respectable elderly ,scotchwoman--really quite a treasure in the country2 and the more ,i thought of it while ,i dressed1 the more puzzled ,i became4 ,i hardly liked to send for the police2 and then again it was awkward1 very--people coming to dinner that day4 ,it was really too bad4 ,but ,i had scarcely finished dressing when in rushed my man again4 ,i do so dislike people being excited1 and he was more than excited4 8,please1 sir1 ,mr4 ,vend has come round to see you2 his coachman has gone--went off in the night1 and hasn't left a trace behind1 and they say the gardener's boy is with him40 8,well10 said ,i1 8it is extraordinary2 tell ,mr4 ,vend ,i'm coming2 stay1 ,i'll go at once40 ,it was really past belief--the three of them6 ,after an hour's talk with ,vend1 no explanation offered itself1 so we decided to go to town as usual4 ,we walked down to the station1 and saw at once something was wrong4 ,old ,weeks1 the stationmaster1 was quite upset3 his pointsman was missing1 and the one porter had to take up his duty4 ,however1 the train coming up1 we had no time to question him1 but jumped in4 ,there were three other people in the compartment1 and really ,i thought ,i was going off my head when ,i heard what they were discussing4 ,vend1 too1 didn't seem to know if he was on his head or his heels4 ,it was this that startled us so3 8,what can have become of them all80 ,i heard no more4 ,i really believe ,i swooned1 but at the next station--a large one--we saw consternation on every face4 ,i pinched myself to see if ,i was dreaming4 ,i tried to persuade myself ,i was4 ,vend looked ghastly4 ,a passenger got in2 he did not look quite so dazed as some did1 but savage and cross4 ,for a time none spoke2 at last someone said aloud--,i don't think he expected an answer-- 8,what on earth's become of them80 and the cross looking man1 who got in last1 growled out1 8,that's the worst of it2 they are not on earth1 they are gone4 ,my boy always said it would be so2 from the very first moment ,i heard it1 ,i knew what had happened2 often he has warned me4 ,i still have his voice ringing in my ears4 8#8,i tell you1 in that night there shall be two men in one bed3 the one shall be taken1 and the other shall be left4' 7,luke xvii4 #cd47 8,i know only too well #8that night' was last night4 ,i've often prayed for it without thinking1 and so ,i daresay have you3 #8,thy kingdom come4' ,it makes me so savage ,i don't know what to do40 ,now1 ,i was an atheist1 and did not believe the ,bible4 ,for the last thirty years 7,i am past fifty7 ,i had stuck to my opinions1 and when ,i heard men talk religious trash ,i invariably objected4 ,but this seemed altogether different4 ,i tell you1 for a thousand pounds ,i couldn't have said a word4 ,i just hoped it would all turn out a dream1 but the further we went1 the more certain it became that we were all awake1 and that by some unaccountable visitation of ,providence a number of people had suddenly disappeared in the night4 ,the whole of society was unhinged2 everybody had to do somebody's else's work4 ,for instance1 at the terminus1 a porter had been put into ,smith's stall1 as the usual man was missing4 ,cabs were not scarce1 but some of those who drove them seemed unlicensed and new to their work4 ,the shutters in some of the shops were up1 and on getting to my bank ,i heard the keys had only just been found4 ,everyone was silent1 and afraid lest some great misfortune was coming4 ,i noticed we all seemed to mistrust one another1 and yet as each fresh clerk1 turned up late1 entered the counting-room1 a low whisper went round4 ,the chief cashier1 as ,i expected1 did not come4 ,the newspapers no one cared to look at2 there seemed a tacit opinion that they could tell us nothing4 ,business was at a standstill4 ,i saw that very soon4 ,i hoped as the day wore on that it would revive1 but it did not4 ,the clerks went off without asking my permission1 and ,i was left alone4 ,i felt ,i hated them4 ,i did not know what to do4 ,i could not well leave1 else they might say the bank had stopped payment1 and yet ,i felt ,i could not stay there4 ,business seemed to have lost its interest1 and money its value4 ,i put up the shutters myself1 and at once noticed what a change had come over the ,city while ,i had been at the bank4 ,then all were trying to fill the void places2 now it seemed as if the attempt had failed4 ,in the ,city some of the streets had that dismal ,sunday appearance1 while a few houses had been broken into2 but in the main thoroughfares there was a dense mass of people1 hurrying1 it struck me1 they knew not where4 ,some seemed dazed1 others almost mad with terror4 ,at the stations confusion reigned1 and ,i heard there had been some terrible accidents4 ,i went into my club1 but the waiters had gone off without leave1 and one had to help oneself4 ,as evening came on1 ,i saw the lurid reflection of several fires1 but1 horrible to say1 no one seemed to mind1 and ,i felt myself that if the whole of ,london were burnt1 and ,i with it1 ,i should not care4 ,for the first time in my life ,i no longer feared ,death3 ,i rather looked on him as a friend4 ,as the gas was not lit1 and darkness came down upon us1 one heard cries and groans4 ,i tried to light the gas1 but it was not turned on4 ,i remembered there was a taper in the writing-room4 ,i went and lit it1 but of course it did not last long4 ,i groped my way into the dining-room1 and helped myself to some wine1 but ,i could not find much1 and what ,i took seemed to have no effect2 and when ,i heard voices1 they fell on me as if ,i were in a dream4 ,they were talking of the ,bible1 though1 and it now seemed the one book worth thinking of1 yet in our vast club library ,i doubt if ,i should have found a single copy4 ,one said3 8,what haunts me are the words #8,watch therefore4' ,you can't watch now40 ,i thought of my dinner party4 ,little had ,i imagined a week ago1 when ,i issued the invitations1 how ,i should be passing the hour4 ,suddenly ,i remembered the secretary had been a religious fanatic1 and ,i made my way slowly to his room1 knocking over a table1 in my passage1 with glasses on it4 ,it fell with a crash which sounded through the house1 but no one noticed it4 ,by the aid of a match ,i saw candles on his writing table and lit them4 ,yes6 as ,i thought1 there was his ,bible4 ,it was open as if he had been reading it when called away1 and another book ,i had never seen before lay alongside of it--a sort of index4 ,the ,bible was open at ,proverbs1 and these verses1 being marked1 caught my eye3 8,because ,i have called and ye refused1 ,i have stretched out ,my hand and no man regarded2 ,i also will laugh at your calamity2 ,i will mock when your fear cometh40 ,i had never thought before of ,god laughing--of ,god mocking4 ,i had fancied man alone did that4 ,man's laughing had ended now--,i saw that pretty plain4 ,i had a hazy recollection of a verse that spoke of men wanting the rocks to fall on them2 so looked it up in the index4 ,yes1 there was the word 8,rock10 and some of the passages were marked with a pencil4 ,one was ,deut4 xxxii4 #ae3 8,he forsook ,god which made him1 and lightly esteemed the ,rock of our ,salvation40 ,perhaps he marked that passage after he had had a talk with me4 ,how well ,i remember the earnestness with which he pressed salvation upon me that day--explaining the simplicity of trusting ,christ and ,his blood for pardon--and assuring me that if ,i only yielded myself to the ,lord ,i should understand the peace and joy he talked about4 ,but it was no use4 ,i remember ,i only chaffed him1 and said mockingly that his ,god was a myth1 and time would prove it1 and he answered1 8,never4 #8,heaven and earth shall pass away1 but ,my ,word shall not pass away4' ,he may come to-night40 ,i laughed and said1 8,what odds will you take8 ,i lay you long ones40 ,another passage marked was #a ,samuel ii4 #b1 8,neither is there any rock like our ,god10 and lower still 8,man who built his house upon a rock40 ,i had no need to look that out4 ,i knew what it referred to1 and then my eye caught ,matt4 xxvii4 #ea1 8,the earth did quake1 and the rocks rent40 ,that was when ,christ died to save sinners1 died to save me--and yet ,i had striven against ,him all my life4 ,i could not bear to read more4 ,i shut the book and got up4 ,there were some texts hanging over the fireplace3 8,repent ye therefore1 and be converted1 that your sins may be blotted out40--,acts iii4 #ai4 8,the blood of ,jesus ,christ ,his son cleanseth us from all sin40--#a ,john i4 #g4 8,now is the accepted time2 behold1 now is the day of salvation40--#b ,cor4 vi4 #b4 ,as ,i turned to leave the room these caught my eye1 and ,i said1 8,well1 ,i have been a fool40 ,tom ,hammond looked up from the little booklet1--a look of bewilderment was in his eyes1 a sense of blankness1 almost of stupefaction1 in his mind4 ,like one who1 half stunned1 passes through some strange and wondrous experience1 and slowly recalls every item of that experience as fuller consciousness returns1 he went1 mentally1 slowly over the story of the little book4 8,the verisimilitude of the whole story is little less than startling10 he murmured4 ,his eyes dropped upon the book again1 and he read the last line aloud3 8,well1 ,i have been a fool40 ,slowly1 meditatively1 he added3 8,and ,i1 with every other otherwise sane man who has been careless as to whether such things are to be1 am as big a fool as the man in that book60 ,he laid the dainty little messenger down on the table by his bedside4 ,his handling of the book was almost reverential4 ,reaching to the electric lever1 he switched off the light4 ,he wanted to think1 and he could think best in the dark4 8,of course1 ,i know historically10 he mused1 8all the events of the ,christ's life1 ,his death1 ,his resurrection1 and--and----,well1 there1 ,i think1 my knowledge ends4 ,in a vague way ,i have always known that the ,bible said something of a great final denouement to all the ,world ,drama--an award time of some kind1 a millennium of perfect--perfect--well perfect everything that is peaceful and----,oh1 ,i don't know much about it1 after all4 ,i am very much in a fog1 ,i see1 for ,mrs4 ,joyce and that booklet both speak of a return of ,christ into the air1 whither certain dead and certain living are to be caught up to be with ,him and to begin an eternity of bliss40 ,for a moment or two he tried to disentangle his many thoughts2 then1 with a weary little sigh1 he gave up the task1 murmuring3 8,i certainly am not ready for any such event4 ,if there is to be a hideous leaving behind of the unready1 then ,i should be left to all that unknown hideousness40 ,a myriad thoughts crowded upon his brain4 ,he gave up1 at length1 the perplexing attempt to think out the problem1 telling himself that with the coming of the new day he would begin a definite search for the real facts of this great mystery--the second coming of ,christ4 ,by an exercise of his will he finally settled himself to sleep4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,the ,,centre ,,of ,,the ,,earth4 8,will you come into my workroom1 ,mr4 ,hammond8 ,it is a kind of sanctum to me as well as a workroom1 and ,i always feel that ,i can talk freer there than anywhere else40 ,it was the ,jew1 ,abraham ,cohen1 who said these words4 ,his visitor was ,tom ,hammond4 ,it was the morning after that ,tom ,hammond had been troubled about 8,long ,odds0 and its mysterious subject4 ,jew and ,gentile had had a few moments' general talk in the sitting-room downstairs1 but ,cohen wanted to see his visitor alone--to be where nothing should interrupt their conversation4 ,tom ,hammond's first vision of ,cohen's workroom amazed him4 ,as we have seen before1 the apartment was a large one1 and1 besides being a workroom1 partook of the character of a study1 den1 sanctum--anything of that order that best pleases the reader4 ,but it was the finished work which chiefly arrested the attention of ,tom ,hammond1 and in wondering tones he cried3 8,it is all so exquisitely wrought and fashioned6 ,but what can it be for80 ,cohen searched his visitor's face with his deep grave eyes4 8,will you give me your word1 ,mr4 ,hammond10 he asked1 8that you will hold in strictest confidence the fact that this work is here in this place1 if ,i tell you what it is for80 8,i do give you my word of honour1 ,mr4 ,cohen40 ,as he spoke1 ,tom ,hammond held forth his hand4 ,the ,jew grasped the hand1 there was an exchange of grips2 then1 as their clasp parted1 the ,jew said3 8,i do not wish to bind you to any secrecy as to the fact that such work as this is being performed in ,england1 but only that you should preserve the secret of the whereabouts of the work and workers40 ,with a sudden glow of pride--it flashed in his eyes1 it rang in his tones--he cried1 8,this work is for the ,new ,temple60 8,the ,new ,temple8 ,i don't think ,i quite understand you1 ,mr4 ,cohen4 ,where is this temple being built80 ,there was amaze in ,tom ,hammond's voice4 8,it is not yet begun10 replied the ,jew4 8,that is1 the actual rearing has not yet begun1 though the preparations are well forward4 ,the ,new ,temple is to be at ,jerusalem1 ,mr4 ,hammond40 ,the ring of pride deepened in his voice as he went on3 8,there can be no other site for the ,temple of ,jehovah save ,zion1 the city of our ,god1 beautiful for situation1 the joy of the whole earth--the centre of the world1 ,mr4 ,hammond40 ,as he talked1 ,tom ,hammond1 watching him intently1 saw how the soul of the man and the hope of the true ,israelite shone out of his eyes4 ,crossing the room to where a chart of the world 7on ,mercator's ,projection7 hung on the wall1 the ,jew took an inch-marked straight-edge1 and laying one end of it on ,barrow ,point1 ,alaska1 he marked the spot on the straight-edge where it touched ,jerusalem4 ,from ,jerusalem to ,wrangel ,land1 ,siberia1 farthest east1 he showed by his straight-edge that practically he got the same measurement as when from the west4 ,from ,jerusalem to ,north ,cape1 ,scandinavia1 and from ,jerusalem to the ,cape of ,good ,hope1 he showed again was each practically the same distance4 8,always1 always1 is ,zion the centre of the inhabited earth60 he cried in quiet1 excited tones4 ,moving quickly back to ,hammond's side1 he said3 8,did you ever think of this1 sir1 that1 practically speaking1 all the nations west of ,jerusalem 7those of ,europe7 write from west to east--that is1 towards the city of our ,god2 whilst all the ,asiatic races 7those east of ,zion7 write from east to west--just the opposite1--but always towards ,zion8 ,no1 no1 sir2 there can be no other place on earth for the ,new ,temple of ,jehovah save ,jerusalem4 ,read ,ezekiel1 from the fortieth chapter1 sir1 and you will see how glorious a ,temple ,jehovah is to have soon4 #8,show the house to the people of ,israel1' ,god said in vision to ,his prophet1 #8and let them build it after the sum1 the pattern which ,i show you4' ,and that1 sir1 is what we are doing40 8,who are the we who are doing this80 ,tom ,hammond's face was as full of wonder as his voice4 8,who10 he continued1 8makes the plans1 gives the orders1 finds the funds80 8,wealthy1 patriotic men of our people1 sir4 ,we as a race are learning that soon the ,messiah will come1 and we are proving our belief by preparing for the ,house of our ,god4 ,italian ,jews all over ,italy are carving the richest marbles2 wrought iron1 wondrous works in metal1 gold and silver ornaments1 cornices1 chapiters1 bells for the high priest's robes1 and a myriad other things are being prepared2 so that the moment the last restriction on our land--the land of our fathers1 the land which ,jehovah gave unto our forefather ,abraham1 saying1 #8,your seed shall possess it'--is removed1 we shall begin to ship the several prepared parts of the ,temple to ,palestine1 as the ,gentiles term our land40 ,a curious little smile flittered over his face as he added1 8,the very march of modern times in the ,east1 ,mr4 ,hammond1 is all helping to make the consummation of our work more easy4 ,the new railways laid from the coast to ,jerusalem are surely part of the providence of our ,god4 ,when ,messiah comes1 sir1 we shall be waiting ready for ,him1 ,i trust40 8,but do you not know10 ,tom ,hammond interrupted1 8that according to every record of history as well as the ,new ,testament1 all ,christendom has believed1 for all the ages since1 that the ,messiah came nearly two thousand years ago80 8,the ,nazarene80 ,there was as much or more of pity than scorn in the voice of the ,jew as he uttered the word4 8,how could ,he be the ,messiah1 sir80 he went on4 8,could any good thing come out of ,nazareth8 ,besides1 our ,messiah is to redeem ,israel1 to deliver them from the hand of the oppressor1 and to gather again into one nation all our scattered race4 ,no1 no6 a thousand times ,no6 ,the ,nazarene could not be our ,messiah60 ,turning quickly to ,hammond1 he asked1 8,are you a ,christian1 sir80 ,for a moment ,tom ,hammond was startled by the suddenness1 the definiteness1 of the question4 ,he found no immediate word of reply4 8,you are a ,gentile1 of course1 ,mr4 ,hammond10 the ,jew went on2 8but are you a ,christian8 ,for it is a curious fact that ,i find very few ,gentiles whom ,i have met1 even professed ,christians1 and fewer still who ever pretend to live up to their profession40 ,tom ,hammond recovered himself sufficiently to say3 8,yes1 ,i am a ,gentile1 of course1 and ,i suppose ,i am--er----0 ,it struck him1 as he floundered in the second half of his reply1 as being very extraordinary that he should find it difficult to state why he supposed he was a ,christian4 ,while he hesitated the ,jew went on3 8,why should you say you suppose1 sir8 ,is there nothing distinctive enough about the possession of ,christianity to give assurance of it to its possessor8 ,i do not suppose ,i am a ,jew1 sir 7by religion ,i mean1 and not merely by race47 ,no1 sir1 ,i do not suppose1 for ,i know it4 ,there is all the difference in the world1 it seems to me1 sir1 between the mere theology and the religion of the faith we profess4 ,the religion is life1 it seems to me1 sir2 theology is only the science of that life40 ,both men were so utterly absorbed in their talk that they did not hear a touch on the handle of the door4 ,it was only as it opened that they turned round4 ,zillah stood framed in the doorway4 ,cohen1 who saw her every day1 realized that she had never looked so radiantly beautiful before4 ,she had almost burst into the room1 but paused as she saw that a stranger was present4 8,excuse me10 she began2 8,i had no idea you had a friend with you1 ,abraham40 ,she would have retreated1 but he stopped her with an eager-- 8,come in1 ,zillah40 ,she advanced1 gazing in curious inquiry at ,hammond4 8,this is ,mr4 ,tom ,hammond1 editor of the #8,courier1' ,zillah10 ,cohen explained to the young girl4 ,to ,hammond he added1 8,my wife's sister1 ,zillah ,robart40 ,the introduced pair shook hands4 ,the young ,jew went on to explain to ,zillah how the great editor came to be visiting him4 ,tom ,hammond's eyes were fixed upon the vision of loveliness that the ,jewess made4 ,she was going to assist at the wedding of a girl-friend1 and had come to show herself to her brother-in-law before starting4 ,lovely at the most ordinary times1 she looked perfectly radiant in her well-chosen wedding finery4 ,tom ,hammond had seen female loveliness in many lands--,east1 ,north1 ,west1 ,south4 ,he had gazed upon women who seemed too lovely for earth--women whose flesh was alabaster1 whose glance would woo emperors2 women whose skins glowed with the olive of southern lands1 the glance of whose black1 lustrous eyes intoxicated the beholder in the first instant3 ,inez of ,spain1 ,mousmee of ,japan1 ,katrina of ,russia1 ,carlotta of ,naples1 ,rosie of ,paris1 ,maggie of the ,scottish ,highlands1 ,patty of ,wales1 ,kate of ,ireland1 and a score of other typical beauties4 ,but this ,jewish maiden1 this ,zillah of ,finsbury--she was beyond all his thought or knowledge of feminine loveliness4 ,while ,cohen talked on for a moment or two1 and ,zillah's eyes were fixed upon her brother-in-law1 ,tom ,hammond's gaze was riveted upon the lovely girl4 ,every feature of her beautiful face became photographed on his brain4 ,had he been a clever artist1 he could have gone to his studio and have flung with burning1 brilliant haste her face upon his canvas4 ,he thought of ,zenobia as he looked upon her brow4 ,he wondered if ever two such wide1 black1 lustrous eyes had ever shone in the face of a woman before1 or whether a female soul had ever before been mirrored in such eyes4 ,her mouth was not the large1 wide feature so often seen in women of her race1 but of exquisite lines1 with ripe1 full lips1 as brilliant in colour as the most glowing coral4 ,her eyes were fringed with the blackest1 finest1 silkiest lashes4 ,her hair was raven in hue and wondrous in its wealth4 ,he realized1 in that first moment of full gazing upon her1 how faded every other female face must ever seem beside her glorious beauty4 ,with a strange freak of mental conjuring1 ,madge ,finisterre and that interrupted tete-a-tete rose up before him1 and a sudden sense of relief swept over him that ,george ,carlyon had returned at the moment that he did4 8,it is all so strange1 so wonderful to me1 what ,i have seen and heard here10 he jerked out as ,cohen finished his explanation4 ,hammond spoke to the beautiful girl1 whose great lustrous eyes had suddenly come back to his face4 ,for a moment or two longer he voiced his admiration of the separate pieces of finished work1 and spoke of his own growing interest in the ,jewish race4 ,the great black eyes that gazed upwards into his1 grew liquid with the evident emotion that filled the soul of the beautiful girl4 ,with the frank1 hearty1 simple gesture of the perfectly unconventional woman1 she held forth her hand to ,hammond as she said3 8,it is so good of you1 sir1 to speak thus of my brother-in-law's work and of our race4 ,there are few who speak kindly of us4 ,even though1 as a nation1 you ,english give our poor persecuted people sanctuary1 yet there are few who care for us or speak kindly of us1 and fewer still who speak kindly to us40 ,tom ,hammond held the pretty1 plump little hand that she offered him clasped warmly in his1 almost forgetting himself as he gazed down into her expressive face and listened to her rich musical voice4 ,there was an ardency in his gaze that was unknown1 unrealized1 by himself4 ,the olive of the girl's cheeks warmed under the power of his gaze4 ,he saw the warm colour rise1 and remembered himself1 shifted his eyes1 and released her hand4 8,i must not stay another moment1 ,abraham10 she cried1 turning to the ,jew4 8,adah would be vexed if ,i were late40 ,she turned back to ,hammond1 but before she could speak he was saying1 8,good-bye1 ,miss ,robart2 ,i hope we may meet again4 ,what your brother has already told me only incites me to come again and see him1 for there are many things ,i want to know40 ,he shook hands with the girl again4 ,his eyes met hers1 and again he saw the olive cheeks suddenly warm4 ,ten minutes later he was driving back to his office1 his mind in a strange whirl1 the beautiful face of ,zillah ,robart filling all his vision4 ,he pulled himself up at last1 and laughed low and amusedly as he murmured1 8,and ,i am the man whose pulses had never been quickened by the sight or the touch of a woman until ,i met her----0 ,the memory of ,madge ,finisterre flashed into his mind4 ,he smiled to himself as he mused3 8,even when ,i seemed most smitten by ,madge1 by her piquant ,americanism1 ,i told myself ,i was not sure that love had anything to do with my feelings4 ,now ,i know it had not40 ,his eyes filled suddenly with a kind of staring wonder as he cried out1 in a low1 startled undertone3 8,am ,i inferring to myself that this sudden admiration for ,zillah ,robart has any element of love in it80 ,he smiled at his own unuttered answer4 ,the cab pulled up at the door of the office at that moment4 ,he came back sharply to everyday things4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,a ,,demon4 ,madge ,finisterre awoke early on the morning after that discussion with herself anent ,hammond's possible proposal4 ,with startling suddenness1 as she lay still a moment1 a vision of the pastor of ,balhang came up before her mind4 ,then a strange thing happened to her1 for a yearning sense of home-sickness suddenly filled her4 ,she tried to laugh at herself for her 8childishness10 as she called it1 and sprang from her bed to prepare for her bath4 ,standing for one instant by the bedside1 she murmured3 8,but1 after all1 it is time ,i was paddling across again4 ,who ever heard of anyone from our side staying here through the winter8 ,i must think this all out seriously4 ,anyway1 ,i'll get my bath1 and dress1 and go for a stroll before breakfast4 ,they say that one ought to see suburban ,london pouring over the bridges into ,london city in the early morning4 ,i'll go this morning40 ,half-an-hour later she was dressed ready for her expedition4 ,as she passed the office on her way out1 they were sorting the morning mail4 ,she waited for her letters4 ,there was only one1 but it was from home4 ,racing back to her room1 she tore it open with an eagerness born1 unconsciously to herself1 of the nostalgia that had seized upon her three-quarters of an hour before4 ,there were two large1 closely-written sheets in the letter--one from her father and one from her mother4 ,each told their own news4 ,she read her father's first2 every item interested her1 though as she read she seemed to feel that there was all through it an underlying strain of longing for her return4 8,dear old poppa60 she murmured as she neared the finish of the epistle4 ,suddenly her eyes took in the two lines of postscript jammed close into the bottom edge of the first sheet4 ,her heart seemed to stand still as she read3-- 8,pastor is considered sick4 ,doctor can't make his case out40 8,pastor sick60 ,she gasped the words aloud2 then1 turning swiftly to her mother's letter1 she cried3 8,momma will tell more than this60 ,her eyes raced over the written lines4 ,her mother said a little more than her father had done about the sickness of their friend and pastor2 not much1 though1 in actual words1 but to the disturbed heart of the young girl there seemed to her much deeper meaning4 ,an excited trembling came upon her for a few moments4 ,the next instant she had put a strong curb upon herself1 and1 folding the letters1 and replacing them in the envelope1 she cried out quietly1 but sharply3 8,the boat from ,southampton sails at two to-day4 ,i'll catch that60 ,the next instant she was divesting herself of her hat and jacket1 and began to set about her packing4 ,now and again she talked to herself thus3 8,sick1 is he8 ,poor old pastor6 ,i guess ,i know what's the matter with him1 and ,i'll put him right in five minutes40 ,she smiled as she went on3 8,i guess1 too1 ,i've found out what's the matter with me--,i want to be a pastor's wife60 ,the next instant her voice was carolling out3 8,for ,i tell them they need not come wooing of me1 ,for my heart1 my heart1 is over the sea40 ,her fingers were busy1 her mind all the time kept mentally arranging a host of things4 8,i wonder10 she murmured presently1 8how ,uncle ,archibald and ,george will take my sudden departure8 ,well1 ,i'm glad ,george is out of town4 ,he's been showing signs of spoons lately with me1 so it's best1 perhaps1 that ,i should get off without seeing him40 99 99 99 99 99 ,by eleven that forenoon she had left ,waterloo4 ,her uncle had seen her off from the station4 ,he wanted to accompany her to ,southampton1 but she would not hear of it4 8,i want to be very quiet all the way down10 she said1 8and write some important letters4 ,make my excuses to everybody1 and explain that ,i only had an hour or two to do everything40 ,at the last moment her uncle slipped an envelope into her hand1 saying1 8,you are not to open it until you have been travelling a quarter of an hour40 ,then came the good-byes1 and--off4 ,she had been travelling nearly a quarter of an hour when she opened the envelope4 ,there was a brief1 hearty1 loving note inside1 in her uncle's hand-writing1 expressing the joy her visit had given him1 and his sense of loneliness at her going1 and saying3 8,please1 dear ,madge1 accept the enclosure in second envelope1 as a souvenir of your visit1 from your affectionate 8,,nunkums40 ,she opened the smaller envelope4 ,to her breathless amazement1 she found a ,bank of ,england note for #a1jjj4 ,when she recovered herself a little1 a smile filled her eyes as she murmured3 8,fancy an ,american ,methodist pastor's wife with a thousand pounds of her own6 ,my60 ,the train was rushing on2 she remembered that she had a special letter to write4 ,she opened her bag and took out writing materials4 ,the carriage rocked tremendously1 but she managed to pen her letter4 ,before she finally enclosed the letter in an envelope1 she took from her purse a two-inch cutting from the columns of some newspaper or magazine4 ,this she placed in the letter4 99 99 99 99 99 ,tom ,hammond had just settled himself down to work when a letter1 bearing the ,southampton post-mark1 was delivered to him4 ,opening it1 and reading 8,my dear ,mr4 ,hammond10 he turned next to the signature4 8,madge ,finisterre80 he cried softly1 surprisedly1 under his breath4 ,wonderingly he turned back to the first page1 and read3 8,you will be surprised to know that when you receive this ,i shall be steaming down ,channel en route for ,new ,york4 ,i got letters from home this morning that made it imperative that ,i should start at once4 8,i cannot leave without thanking you for all your kindness to me4 ,it has been a pleasure to have known you1 and ,i sincerely hope that we may meet again some day4 8,now ,i am going to take you right into my confidence1 ,mr4 ,hammond1 for who so discreet as a #8prophet8'--vide #8,the ,courier4' 8,yesterday evening1 after dinner1 ,i had a long talk alone with myself4 ,i had had a very pleasant tete-a-tete tea with a friend--perhaps you may remember this1--and while ,i went over in mind many things in connection with that tete-a-tete1 especially the events immediately preceding the interruption1 ,i suddenly realized a sense of longing for home4 8,a night or two before ,i sailed from ,america1 our pastor asked me to be his wife4 ,he was awfully in earnest1 poor fellow2 and ,i could see how love for me--gay1 frivolous little me--was consuming him4 ,i was startled at the proposition1 and told him frankly that ,i did not know my own mind1 but that if ever ,i found out that ,i loved him1 ,i would come right away and tell him so4 ,i found out this morning1 when ,i heard that he was dangerously sick1 that ,i wanted him as much as ever he wanted me4 ,at this stage of the letter1 please read the cutting enclosed40 ,wondering what the clipping could have to do with the subject1 ,tom ,hammond laid down the letter and read the cutting3 8,a king had a son born to him in his old age1 and was warned by his astrologers and physicians1 that his son would be blind if he ever saw the light before he was twelve years old4 ,accordingly the king built for him a subterranean chamber1 where he was kept till he was past the fatal age4 ,thereupon he was taken out from his retreat1 and shown all the beauties of the world1 gold and jewels and arms1 and carriages and horses1 and beautiful dresses4 ,but seeing some women pass1 he asked what they might be1 and was told1 #8,demons1 who lead men astray4' ,afterwards the king asked him which of all the beautiful things he had seen he desired most1 and the prince answered1 #8,the demons which lead men astray4' 8,i am going back to be demon to my pastor10 the letter went on1 8to lead him--not astray1 ,i trust1 but back to health4 ,please keep all this in absolute confidence1 for ,i have not given even a hint of it to my uncle4 ,whenever you visit the ,states1 be sure to come and visit me1 for no one will be more welcome from the ,old ,country than yourself4 8,by-the-bye1 dear friend1 apropos of your remark anent the presence of a woman to make tea for you1 keep the subject well before yourself1 and when you see the lady who can really satisfy all your ideals1 propose quickly1 secure her1 and--happy thought--do ,america by way of a honey-moon1 and come and see me4 8,yours most sincerely1 8,,madge ,,finisterre40 ,he smiled as he laid down the letter4 ,for a moment all the bright1 piquant personality of the writer filled his vision4 ,then1 with a swiftness and completeness that was almost startling1 her face vanished from his mental picturing1 and ,zillah ,robart1 in all her radiant loveliness1 took the place in his thought and vision4 ,for a brief while he was absorbed in his new vision4 ,the sudden entrance of ,ralph ,bastin dispelled his dreaming4 ,after a few moments' talk1 ,bastin cried1 quite excitedly1 8,i say1 ,tom1 those pars of yours about the ,jews are the talk of all ,london--our ,london1 ,i mean1 of course40 ,without breaking the confidence reposed in him by ,cohen1 ,tom ,hammond told his friend what he had recently discovered as to the ,jewish work on the materials for the ,new ,temple4 8,that's strange1 ,tom10 returned ,bastin4 8,i dropped in now as much as anything to tell you that last night ,i met ,dolly ,anstruther--you remember her1 don't you8--the little ,yorkshire girl that was learning sculpture when we were staying at ,paris with ,montmarte4 8,she has just come back from ,italy1 where she has been three years4 ,she told me how startled she was to hear from several sources about this ,new ,temple business4 ,she said she visited a very large studio in ,milan1 and saw the most magnificent pillar she had ever seen4 ,she asked the great artist what it was for1 and he said1 #8,it is a pillar for the ,new ,temple at ,jerusalem4' 8,in ,rome she visited another great studio1 and there she saw a duplicate of the ,milan pillar1 and was told again1 #8,oh1 that is a pillar for the future ,temple at ,jerusalem4' 8,in another place1 where the most wonderful brass-work in the world is turned out1 she saw two magnificent gates2 and1 on inquiring where they were destined to be hung1 received the same reply1 #8,in the future ,temple at ,jerusalem4' ,what does it all mean1 ,tom80 he added4 8,that is what ,i want to find out1 to be perfectly sure of1 ,ralph4 ,my intelligent ,jew1 of whom ,i told you1 declares that the ,messiah is coming4 ,we1 as ,christians--nominal ,christians1 ,i mean1 of course1--same as you and ,i1 ,ralph1 don't profess anything more----0 ,bastin searched his friend's face with a sudden keenness1 but did not interrupt him by asking him what he meant4 8,as nominal ,christians10 ,tom ,hammond went on1 8we believe the ,christ has already come4 ,but the question has been aroused in my mind of late 7suggested by certain things that ,i have not time to go into now71 does the ,bible teach that ,christ is coming again1 and are all these strange movings among the ,jews and in the politics of the world so many signs and----0 ,there came an interruption at that moment4 ,the tape was telling of the assassination of a ,continental crowned head4 ,both men became journalists1 pure and simple1 in an instant4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,major ,h---- ,,on 8,,the ,,coming60 ,tom ,hammond was riding westwards in the ,tube4 ,it was the morning after the events narrated in the last chapter4 ,he had just bought from a book-stall a volume of extracts from essays on art in all its branches4 ,he sat back in the comfortable seat of the car dipping into the book4 ,suddenly an extract arrested his attention4 ,it was evidently a description of the ,crucifixion1 but--most tantalizing--the head of this page was torn1 he could find out nothing about the authorship4 ,but the extract interested him3-- 8,darkness--sooty1 portentous darkness--shrouds the whole scene2 only above the accursed wood1 as if through a horrid rift in the murky ceiling1 a rainy deluge--#8sleety-flaw1 discoloured water'--streams down amain1 spreading a grisly1 spectral light1 even more horrible than that palpable night4 ,already the ,earth pants thick and fast6 ,the darkened ,cross trembles6 ,the winds are dropt--the air is stagnant--a muttering rumble growls underneath their feet1 and some of the miserable crowd begin to fly down the hill4 ,the horses sniff the coming terror1 and become unmanageable through fear4 ,the moment rapidly approaches1 when1 nearly torn asunder by ,his own weight1 fainting with loss of blood1 which now runs in narrower rivulets from ,his slit veins1 ,his temples and breast drowned in sweat1 and ,his black tongue parched with the fiery death-fever1 ,jesus cried1 #8,i thirst4' ,the deadly vinegar is elevated to ,him4 8,his head sinks1 and the sacred corpse #8swings senseless on the cross4' ,a sheet of vermilion flame shoots sheer through the air and vanishes2 the rocks of ,carmel and ,lebanon cleave asunder2 the sea rolls on high from the sands its black1 weltering waves4 ,earth yawns1 and the graves give up their dwellers4 ,the dead and the living are mingled together in unnatural conjunction1 and hurry through the ,holy ,city4 8,new prodigies await them there4 ,the veil of the ,temple--the unpierceable veil--is rent asunder from top to bottom1 and that dreaded recess1 containing the ,hebrew mysteries--the fatal ark1 with the tables and seven-branched candelabrum--is disclosed by the light of unearthly flames to the ,god-deserted multitude40 8,strange60 he mused1 as his eyes stared into space1 his mind occupied with the thought of the extract4 8,strange how everything of late seems to be compelling my attention to the ,christ--,christ past1 ,christ future40 ,at that instant he heard someone mention the name of his paper4 ,he glanced in the direction of the voices4 ,two gentlemen were talking together4 ,it was evident that his own identity was utterly unknown to them4 8,you're right1 you're right10 the second man was saying4 8,a very clever fellow1 evidently1 that editor of the ,courier40 8,you have noticed1 of course10 the first man went on1 8those striking paragraphs1 of late1 about the ,jews4 ,though1 to a keen student of the subject1 they show a very superficial knowledge2 still1 it is refreshing to find a modern newspaper editor writing like that at all40 8,yes10 the other said1 8but it is strange how few people1 even ,christian people1 ever realize how intimately the future of the ,jewish race is bound up with that other shamefully neglected truth--the coming of the ,lord for ,his ,church4 ,i wish the editor of the ,courier1 and every other newspaper editor1 could be induced to go this afternoon and hear ,major ,h---- speak on these things at the ---- ,room40 8,british ,museum60 called the conductor of the car4 ,the two talkers got out4 ,tom ,hammond also alighted4 ,as he mounted in the lift to the street1 he decided that he would hear this major on the subject that was occupying his own perplexed thought so much4 ,three o'clock that afternoon found him one of a congregation of three to four hundred persons in the ---- ,room4 ,he was amazed at the quality of the audience4 ,he recognized quite a dozen well-known ,london clergymen and ministers1 with a score of other equally well-known laymen--literary men1 merchants1 etc4 ,all were of a superior class4 ,there was a large sprinkling of ladies1 who1 in many cases1 were evidently sisters4 ,unaccustomed to such meetings1 ,tom ,hammond did not know how enormous is the number of ,christian women who are to be found at special religious gatherings1 conventions1 etc4 ,there was a subdued hum of whispering voices in the place4 ,the hum suddenly ceased4 ,tom ,hammond glanced quickly towards the platform4 ,half-a-dozen gentlemen and one or two ladies were taking their seats there4 ,they bowed their heads in silent prayer4 ,a minute later a tall1 fine looking man1 the centre one of the platform group1 rose to his feet and advanced to the rail4 ,he held a hymn-book in his hand4 ,his keen eyes swept the faces of the gathered people4 ,then in a clear1 ringing voice like the voice of a military officer on the battle-field1 he cried3 8,number three-twenty-four4 ,let every voice ring out in song40 ,tom ,hammond opened the linen-covered book that had been handed to him as he entered1 and was almost startled to note the likeness of the sentiment of the hymn to the poem of ,b4 ,m41 which had struck him so forcibly that night in his office4 ,the major gave out the first verse3 8,it may be at morn1 when the day is awaking1 ,when sunlight thro' darkness and shadow is breaking1 ,that ,jesus will come in the fulness of glory1 ,to take out of the world #8,his own4'0 ,the major paused a moment to interpolate1 8,let the gladness of the thought ring out in your voices as you sing1 but especially in the chorus40 8,o ,lord ,jesus1 how long8 ,how long ere we shout the glad song ,christ returneth6 ,hallelujah6 ,hallelujah6 ,amen60 ,the singing of that hymn was a revelation to ,tom ,hammond4 ,he had heard hearty1 ringing1 triumphant song at ,handel festivals1 etc41 but among the rank and file1 so to speak1 of ,christians he had never heard anything like the singing of that verse and chorus4 ,a hundred thoughts and conflicting emotions filled him as he realized1 as the hymn went on1 that these people were really inspired by the glorious hope of the return of the ,christ4 ,once he shuddered as the thought presented itself to his mind1 8,how should ,i fare if this ,christ came suddenly--came now80 ,twice over the last verse was sung1 the quiet rapture of the singers being doubly accentuated as the glorious words rang out3 8,oh1 joy6 oh1 delight6 should we go without dying6 ,no sickness1 no sadness1 no dread1 and no crying2 ,caught up through the clouds with our ,lord into glory1 ,when ,jesus receives #8,his own4'0 ,with the last-sung note the voice of the ,major rang out again3 8,general ,sir ,r4 ,p4---- will lead us in prayer40 ,the hush that followed was of the tensest4 ,it lasted a full half-minute1 then the old general's voice led in a prayer such as ,tom ,hammond had never even conceived possible to human lips1 and such as1 certainly1 he had never heard before4 ,it awed him1 and at the same time revealed to him that real ,christianity was something which he1 with all his knowledge of men and things1 had never before come in contact with4 ,the prayer concluded1 not a moment was wasted4 ,in his clear1 ringing tones1 the major began3 8,turn with me1 if you will1 dear friends1 to the first chapter of the ,acts of the ,apostles1 and the eleventh verse40 ,tom ,hammond wished that he had a ,bible with him4 ,it seemed to him that he was the only person there without one4 ,in an instant every ,bible was opened at the passage named4 ,there was no searching1 no fumbling4 ,this was another revelation to him4 8,they know their ,bibles10 he mused1 8better than ,i do my dictionary or encyclopdia40 ,but his attention was suddenly riveted on the major1 who1 pocket ,bible in hand1 was saying2 8,suffer me1 friends1 to change one word in my reading1 that the truth may come home clearer to our hearts4 #8,ye men of ,london1 444 ,this same ,jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen ,him go into heaven4'0 ,he paused for one instant1 then went on3 8,the second coming of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ is1 ,i believe1 the central truth of real1 true ,christianity at this moment1 and it should be carefully1 diligently studied by every converted soul4 ,it should be comprehended as far as ,scripture reveals it1 and so apprehended that we should live in daily1 hourly expectancy of that return4 ,moody1 the great evangelist1 to whom the whole subject 7as he tells us7 was once most objectionable1 upon studying the ,word of ,god for himself1 in this connection1 was so profoundly impressed with the insistence with which the return of the ,lord was emphasized1 that he was compelled to believe in it1 and to preach it1 saying1 #8,it is almost the most precious truth of all the ,bible4 ,why1 one verse in thirteen throughout the ,new ,testament is said to allude to this wondrous subject in some form or another4' 8,many of you who are present this afternoon are not only conversant with this glorious matter1 but are living in the glad expectancy of the return of your ,lord4 ,but there are sure to be some here to-day to whom the whole subject is foreign1 and to you--even if there be only one such--,i shall speak as plainly1 frankly1 simply1 yearningly1 as though we were tete-a-tete40 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,the ,,address4 8,now to begin4 ,even in the ,church of ,god there are whole multitudes to whom the very title of this afternoon's address is but jargon4 ,they will not search the ,word for it1 they will barely tolerate its mention4 ,why8 #8,oh1' say some1 #8hidden things are not to be searched into4' ,others there are who spiritualize every reference to the ,lord's second coming1 and say1 #8,yes1 of course1 ,he has come again1 ,he has come into my heart1 or how else could ,i have become a child of ,god4' 8,to these last1 these dreamers1 we would respectfully say1 #8,a coming into the air for ,his people1 to take them up1 is a totally different thing to coming into the heart to indwell as ,saviour and ,keeper while we are travelling life's pathway4' 8,there is another section of the ,christian ,church who say1 #8,we do not want to hear anything about it4 ,our minister don't hold with it2 it is not a doctrine of our church4' ,now1 such an argument as this is blasphemous1 since1 if ,god has put it into ,his ,word1 it is blasphemy to ignore it1 to refuse to believe it4 8,two distinct advents are plainly taught in ,scripture4 ,the first1 of ,jesus' birth as a ,babe in ,bethlehem1 the second as #8,son of ,man'--glorified1 who shall come in the clouds4 ,now1 every ,christian will admit1 nay1 more1 the very worldling admits the fact that every ,scripture relating to the first advent1 as to time1 place1 circumstances1 was literally fulfilled1 even to the minutest detail4 ,then1 in the name of common-sense1 with the same covenant ,scriptures in our hands1 why should we not expect to see the predictions relating to the second advent also fulfilled to the very letter8 8,we have our ,lord's own definite promise in ,john fourteen3 #8,if ,i go1 ,i will come again and receive you unto ,myself4' ,we are all agreed that ,he went4 ,well1 in the same breath ,he said1 #8,i will come again4' ,can any ,english be plainer--#8,and receive you unto ,myself8' ,that promise cannot allude to conversion1 and it certainly cannot allude to death1 for death is a going to ,him--if we are saved4 8,this expectancy of ,christ's return for ,his people was the only hope of the early ,church2 and over and over again1 in a variety of ways in the epistles it is shown to be the only hope of the ,church1 until that ,church is taken out of the world1 as a bride is taken by the bridegroom from her old home1 to dwell henceforth in his4 ,there never has been any comfort to bereaved ones in the thought of death1 nor to any one of us who are living is there any comfort in the contemplation of death1 save and except1 of course1 the thought of relief from weariness and suffering1 and in being translated to a painless sphere1 to be with ,christ4 ,but in the contemplation of the coming of ,christ1 when the dead in ,christ shall rise1 and those who are in ,christ1 who are still living when ,he comes1 there is the certainty of the gladdest meeting when all are #8caught up together in the air1 to be for ever with the ,lord4' ,no waiting until the end of the world but1 if ,he came this afternoon--and this may happen--you who have loved ones with ,christ would that very instant meet them in the air1 with your ,lord40 ,tom ,hammond listened intently to every word of the major's1 and1 as ,scripture after ,scripture was referred to1 he saw how the speaker's statements were all verified by the ,word of ,god4 8,there are two points ,i would emphasize here10 the major went on4 8,first1 that we must not confuse the second coming of the ,lord--the coming in the air--for ,his saints1 with that later coming1 probably seven years after1 when ,he shall come with ,his saints to reign4 8,and1 secondly1 to those to whom this whole subject may be new1 ,i would say1 you must not confuse the second coming of our ,lord with the end of the world4 ,the uninstructed1 inexperienced child of ,god feels a quaking of heart at all talk of such a coming4 8,such people shrink from the suddenness of it4 ,they say that there is no preparatory sign to warn us of that coming4 ,but that is not true4 8,the ,word of ,god gives many instructions as to the signs of ,christ's near return1 and the hour we live in shows us these signs on every hand1 so that it is only those who are ignorant of the ,word of ,god1 or those who are carelessly or wilfully blind to the signs around 7and this applies1 we grieve to say1 as much to ministers as to people17 who fail to see how near must be the moment of our ,lord's return4 8,the first sign of this return is an awakening of national life among the ,jews1 that shall immediately precede their return--in unbelief--to their own land4 ,please turn with me to ,matthew twenty-four40 ,there was again that soft rustle of turning leaves that had struck ,tom ,hammond as so remarkable4 ,someone behind him1 at the same instant1 passed a ,bible1 open at the reference1 to him over his shoulder4 ,with a grateful glance and a murmured word of thanks1 he accepted the loan of the book4 8,i will read a verse or two here and there10 the major announced4 8,you who know your ,bibles1 friends1 will readily recall the subject-matter of the previous chapter1 and how our ,lord after ,his terrible prediction upon ,jerusalem1 added1 #8,behold1 your house is left unto you desolate4 ,for ,i say unto you1 ,ye shall not see ,me henceforth1 till ye shall say1 ,blessed is ,he that cometh in the name of the ,lord4' 8,this is ,jewish1 of course1 but the whole matter of the future of the ,jews and of the return of the ,lord for ,his ,church1 and1 later on1 with ,his ,church1 are bound up together4 ,presently1 after uttering ,his last prediction1 the disciples came to ,him privately1 saying1 8#8,tell us1 when shall these things be8 and what shall be the sign of ,thy coming1 and of the end of the world80 8,keep your ,bibles open where you now have them1 friends1 and note this--that the two-fold answer of our ,lord's is in the reverse order to the disciples' question4 ,in verses four and five ,he points out what should not be the sign of ,his coming4 ,while1 in verse six1 ,he shows what should not be the sign of the end of the world4 ,with these distinctions ,i shall have more to say another day4 8,this afternoon ,i want to keep close to the signs of the coming of the ,lord4 ,read then the thirty-second and third verses3 #8,now learn a parable of the fig-tree3 when its branch is yet tender1 and putteth forth leaves1 ye know that summer is nigh3 so likewise ye1 when ye shall see all these things1 know that'--look in the margins of your ,bible1 please1 and note that the #8it' of the text becomes #8,he1' which is certainly the only wise translation--#8when ye shall see all these things1 know that ,he is near1 even at your doors4' 8,now1 ,i hardly need remind the bulk of you1 friends1 gathered here this afternoon1 that the fig-tree1 in the ,gospels1 represents ,israel4 ,the ,bible uses three trees to represent ,israel at different periods of her history1 and in different aspects of her responsibility4 8,the ,old ,testament uses the vine as the symbol of ,israel1 the ,gospels the fig1 and the ,epistles the olive4 ,at your leisure1 friends1 if you have never studied this1 do so4 ,you will not be puzzled much over the blasting of the barren fig-tree when you have made a study of the whole of this subject1 because you will see that it was parabolic of ,god's judgment on the unfruitful ,jewish race4 8,now1 with this key of interpretation before us1 how pointed becomes this first sign of the return of our ,lord4 #8,when1' ,he says1 #8the fig-tree putteth forth her leaves'--when the ,jewish nation shows signs of a revival of national life and vitality1--#8then know that the coming of the ,lord draweth nigh4' 8,the careful reader of the daily press1 even though not a ,christian1 ought to have long ago been awakened to the startling fact that1 after thousands of years1 the national life of ,israel is awakening4 ,the ,jew is returning to his own land--,palestine4 8,only a year or two ago the world was electrified by hearing of the formation of that wonderful ,zionist movement4 ,how it has spread and grown6 ,and how1 ever since1 the increasing thousands have been flocking back to ,palestine6 ,there are now nearly three times the number of ,jews in and around ,jerusalem1 that there were after the return from the ,babylonish captivity4 ,agricultural settlements are extending all over the land4 ,vineyards and olive-grounds are springing up everywhere4 8,now note a remarkable fulfillment of prophecy4 ,turn to ,isaiah xvii4 #aj1 #aa3 #8,therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants1 and shalt set it with strange slips4 ,in the day thou shalt make thy plant to grow1 and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish2 but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow4' 8,in the early months of eighteen-ninety-four the ,jews ordered two million vine-slips from ,america1 which they planted in ,palestine4 ,there is the fulfillment of the first part of that prophecy1 and if we are justified in believing1 as we think we are1 that the return of the ,lord is imminent1 then1 as the tribulation will doubtless immediately follow that return1 and of the taking out of the ,church from the world1 then the great gathering in of the harvest of those vines will be in #8the day of grief and of desperate sorrow4' 8,now1 let me read to you1 friends1 an extract from the testimony of an expert1 long resident in ,palestine3 8#8,there is not the shadow of a doubt1' he writes1 #8as to the entire changing of the climate of the land here 7,palestine74 ,the former and latter rains are becoming the regular order of the seasons1 and this is doubtless due 7physically1 ,i mean7 to the fact that the new colonists are planting trees everywhere where they settle4 ,the land1 for thousands of years1 has been denuded of trees1 so that there was nothing to attract the clouds1 etc4 8#8,comparing the rainfall for the last five years1 ,i find that there has been about as much rain in ,april as in ,march2 whereas1 comparing five earlier years1 from #ahhj-he1 ,i find that the rainfall in ,april was considerably less than in ,march1 and if we go back farther still1 we find that rain in ,april was almost unknown4 8#8,thus ,god is preparing the land for the people4 ,the people1 too1 are being prepared for the land4 ,the day is fast approaching when #8the ,lord will arise and have mercy upon ,zion4' 8,i need hardly1 ,i think1 tell you what even the secular press has been giving some most striking articles about quite recently1--namely1 the quiet preparation on the part of the ,jews of everything for the rebuilding of the temple at ,jerusalem4 8,i see1 by the lighting up of your faces1 that you are familiar with the fact that gates1 pillars1 marbles1 ornaments1 and all else requisite for the immediate building of the new temple are practically complete1 and only await the evacuation of the hideous ,mohamedan1 with all his abominations1 from ,jerusalem1 to be hurried to the site of the old temple1 and to be reared1 a new temple to ,jehovah1 by the ,jew4 ,any day1 ,turkey--#8the sick man of the ,east'--in desperate straits for money1 may sell ,palestine to the ,jews4 8,the ,jews are to return to their land in unbelief of ,christ being the ,messiah4 ,they will build their temple1 reorganize the old elaborate services1 the lamb will be slain again #8between the two evenings1' and--but all else of this time belongs to another address4 ,what we have to see this afternoon is that the fig-tree--the ,jewish nation--is budding1 and to hear ,jesus ,christ saying to us1 #8,when ye see all these things1 know that ,he is near1 even at the doors4' 8,another sign of the return of our ,lord is to be the world-wide preaching of the ,gospel4 ,now1 in this connection1 let me give a word of correction of a common error on this point4 8,the ,bible nowhere gives a hint that the world is to be converted before the return of the ,lord for ,his ,church4 ,as a matter of fact1 the world--the times--are to grow worse and worse2 more polished1 more cultured1 cleverer1 better educated1 yet grosser in soul1 falser in worship4 ,the bulk of the ,church shall have the form of godliness1 but deny the power4 8,men shall be #8lovers of their own selves'--who can deny that selfishness is not a crowning sin of this age8--#8covetous'--look at the heaping up of riches1 at the cost of the peace1 the honour1 the very blood of others1--#8incontinent'--the increase in our divorce court cases is alarming1 disgusting1--#8lovers of pleasure'--the whole nation has run mad on pleasures4 8,i need not enlarge further on this side of the subject1 save to repeat that the ,word of ,god is most plain and emphatic on this point1 that the return of our ,lord is to be marked by a fearful declension from vital godliness4 ,but1 with all this1 there is to be a world-wide proclamation of the truth of salvation in ,jesus4 ,not necessarily that every individual soul shall hear it1 but that all nations1 etc41 shall have it preached to them4 8,now1 in this connection1 let me mention a fact that has deeply impressed me4 ,it is this1 that the greatest reawakening in the hearts of individual ,christians in all the churches--,england1 ,america1 the ,colonies--as testified to by all concerned1 agrees1 in time1 with the awakening of the ,church of ,christ to the special need of intercession for foreign missions--namely1 from #ahgc-ge4 8,i must close for this afternoon1 lest ,i weary you4 ,we will1 ,god willing1 come together again here on ,tuesday at the same hour1 and ,i pray you all to be much in prayer for blessing on the attempt to open up these wondrous truths1 and pray also that the right kind of people may be gathered in4 ,will you all work for this1 as well as pray for it8 ,invite people to the meetings4 8,do either of you know any editors of a daily paper8 ,if so1 write to such1 draw attention to these expositions1 urge your editors to come4 ,oh1 if only we could capture the daily press6 ,what an extended pulpit1 what a far-reaching voice would our subject immediately possess6 8,i don't quite know how far ,i ought to go on this line1 but even as ,i speak1 it comes to me to ask you if any one here present is acquainted with the evidently-gifted1 open-minded editor of #8,the ,courier4' ,we have all1 of course1 been struck by his own utterances from the #8,prophet's ,chamber' column4 ,oh that he could be captured for ,christ2 then his paper would doubtless be a clarion for his ,lord60 ,tom ,hammond turned hot and cold4 ,he trusted that no one had recognized him4 ,he would be glad to get away unrecognized4 ,yet he was not offended by the speaker's personal allusion to him4 ,he felt that the major's soul rang true4 8,before ,i close10 the major went on1 8suffer me to read an extract from the #8,gentleman's ,magazine1' of the year seventeen hundred and fifty-nine3 8#8,mr4 ,urban1--,reading over chapter eleven1 verse two1 of ,revelation1 a thought came to me that ,i had hit upon the meaning of it which ,i desire you'll publish in one of your future magazines4 ,the verse runs thus3 8,but the court which is without the temple leave out1 and measure it not1 for it is given to the ,gentiles1 and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months40 8#8,now1 according to the ,scriptural way of putting a day for a year1 if we multiply forty-two months by thirty 7the number of days contained in a ,jewish month17 we have the time the ,turks will reign over the ,jews' country1 and the city of ,jerusalem--viz41 #a1bfj2 which1 if we add to the year of our ,lord #fcf1 when ,jerusalem was taken by the ,turks1 we have the year of our ,lord #ahif1 near or about which time the ,jews will be reinstated in their own country and city1 ,jerusalem1 again1 which will be about #acg years hence2 and that the ,turks are the ,gentiles mentioned in the above-quoted chapter and verse appears from their having that country and city in possession about #a1abc years1 and will continue to possess it till the ,omnipotent ,god1 in ,his own time1 bringeth this prophecy to its full period4' 8,this letter is signed #8,m4 ,forster1' and is dated from #8,bessborough1 ,october #bdth1 #agei4' ,i have very little sympathy with those of our brethren who are ever venting in speech and in print the exact dates 7as they declare7 of the coming events surrounding the return of our ,lord1 but ,i do believe 7in spite of the somewhat hazy chronology at our command7 that the regarding of approximate times is perfectly permissible1 and the letter ,i have read you has some value when1 taking dates1 etc41 approximately1 we remember that this letter was written nearly a hundred and fifty years ago1 and that #ahif was memorable for a distinct movement towards the ,holy ,land4 8,so1 ,i say1 #8the coming of the ,lord draweth nigh4 ,to myself and to every ,christian here1 ,i would say1 #8,may ,god help us to quicken all our hearts1 and purify all our lives1 that we may not be ashamed at ,his coming4' 8,and to any who are here 7if such there be7 who are not converted1 may ,god help you to seek ,his face1 that you may not be #8left1' when ,he shall suddenly1 silently snatch away ,his ,church out of this godless generation4 #8,left6' 8,think of what that will mean1 unsaved friend1 if you are here to-day4 ,left6 ,left behind6 ,when the ,spirit of ,god will have been taken out of the earth4 ,when ,satan will dwell on the earth--for1 with the coming of ,christ into the air1 ,satan1 #8the prince of the power of the air1' will have to descend4 8,christ and ,satan can never live in the same realm4 ,oh1 ,god1 save anyone here from being left--left behind1 to come upon the unspeakable judgments which will follow the taking out of the world of the ,church6 8,some husband1 whose head was laid on his bed1 ,throbbing with mad excess1 ,awakes from that dream by the lightning gleam1 ,alone in his last distress4 8,for the patient wife1 who through each day's life1 ,watched and wept for his soul1 ,is taken away1 and no more shall pray1 ,for the judgment thunders roll4 8,and that thoughtless fair who breathed no prayer1 ,oft as her husband knelt1 ,shall find he is fled1 and start from her bed ,to feel as never she felt4 8,the children of day are summoned away2 ,left are the children of night4 8,it is high time for us all to awake4 ,god keep us awake and watching for our ,lord1 for ,his precious name's sake4 ,amen40 ,the murmured ,amens rolled through the congregation like the deep surge of a sea billow on a shingle shore4 8,our time has gone1 friends10 cried the major4 8,we will sing two verses only of the closing hymn #daj1 the first and last verse4 ,sing straight away40 ,tom ,hammond1 wondered at it all much as ever1 listened while the song rang out3 8,when ,jesus comes to reward ,his servants1 ,whether it be noon or night1 ,faithful to ,him will ,he find us watching8 ,with our lamps all trimmed and bright8 ,,chorus4 8,oh1 can we say we are ready1 brother8 ,ready for the soul's bright home8 ,say1 will ,he find you and me still watching1 ,waiting1 waiting1 when the ,lord shall come8 8,blessed are those whom the ,lord finds watching ,in ,his glory they shall share3 ,if ,he shall come at the dawn or midnight1 ,will ,he find us watching there80 ,again the chorus rang out1 and as ,tom ,hammond left the hall1 the question of it clung to him4 ,it forced itself upon his brain2 it groped about for his heart2 it clamoured to be hearkened to4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,her ,,cabin ,,companion4 8,there'll be one other lady with you in your cabin1 miss40 ,the berth-steward's announcement in no way disconcerted ,madge ,finisterre4 ,she had had two cabin companions on the outward voyage4 ,she was arranging her cabin necessaries when her fellow-traveller entered4 ,she was a wee1 winsome girl1 very fragile in appearance1 with a yearning sweetness in her great grey eyes1 such as ,madge had never seen in any eyes before4 ,with half-a-dozen words of exchanged greeting and a very warm handshake1 the pair became instant friends4 ,by a strange but happy coincidence neither of them ever suffered from sea-sickness1 and from the first moment of the great liner's departure they became inseparable4 ,as the vessel forged her way down ,channel that evening1 a glorious moon shining down upon them1 the two girls1 arm-in-arm1 paced the promenade deck talking4 ,the subject of the acute distress among the poor and out-of-works in all the world's great cities came up between them4 8,oh1 if only our ,lord would come quickly60 cried the girl--,kate ,harland was her name4 8,what do you mean1 ,kate80 ,madge's voice was full of amazed wonder4 8,i mean that----0 ,the fragile girl paused2 then1 glancing quickly up into ,madge's face1 she cried3 8,you love ,jesus1 of course1 ,madge8 ,you are saved1 dear1 and looking for ,his coming80 ,for an instant ,madge was silent4 ,then1 with a deep sigh1 she replied3 8,oh1 me6 ,i am afraid ,i am not saved1 as you call it4 ,katie1 dear1 the fact is----0 ,she halted in her speech4 ,she did not know how to put into words all that her friend's question had aroused within her4 ,while she halted thus1 the girl at her side put her arms about her1 clasping her with a kind of yearning--an 8,i will not let you go0 kind of clasp--as she cried1 softly3 8,oh1 my darling1 you must not lie down to-night until you know you are ,christ's4 ,then--then--after that1 nothing can ever matter4 ,come weal1 come woe1 come life1 come death1 all is well60 99 99 99 99 99 ,it was past midnight before the two girls climbed into their berths1 but by that time ,madge ,finisterre knew that she had passed from death into life4 ,before the vessel reached ,new ,york she had learned something of the truth of the near return of the ,lord4 ,on the quay1 when they landed1 the two girls bade each other a sorrowful farewell4 8,we shall meet in heaven1 ,katie1 if nevermore on earth10 sobbed ,madge4 8,in the air1 my darling10 replied the other4 8,do not let us lose sight of that4 ,when our ,lord shall come1 #8,loved ones shall meet in a joyful surprise1 ,caught up together to ,him in the skies1 ,when ,jesus shall come once again4'0 ,kate ,harland's friends1 who had travelled to meet her from ,denver1 carried her off1 and ,madge took the car to the ,central4 ,one hour later she boarded the train and began the last lap of her long journey4 ,her spirits rose higher every moment4 ,she had conceived a very bold idea1 and she was going to carry it through after her own fashion4 ,she sent no message of warning of her coming1 as this would spoil her little plot4 ,her eyes rested delightedly upon every place she passed4 ,at ,garrisons1 where the train waited a few minutes1 she caught a glimpse of the father of the man whom she was hurrying to meet4 ,the white-haired old father lived at ,garrisons1 and was a preacher of the ,gospel1 like his son4 ,he was leaving the depot as her train pulled up4 ,she easily recognized him1 because several times during his son's pastorate at ,balhang he had been to see him1 staying a week at a time1 and preaching once on the ,sunday on each occasion4 ,at ,duchess ,junction she had to change trains4 ,to her joy1 she met no one from ,balhang2 there was not a soul at the depot whom she even knew by sight4 ,just before her train reached ,balhang she donned a thick brown gauze veil4 ,no one could see her face through this to recognize it4 ,there would be nothing to detain her at the depot1 for her baggage was all 8expressed40 ,the train stopped2 she alighted4 ,several people peered hard at her1 the depot manager especially1 as he took her check1 but no one recognized her4 ,she passed on4 ,twenty yards from the depot she met ,judge ,anstey4 ,she stopped him with a 8,good day1 ,judge2 can ,i speak with you80 8,certainly1 madam10 the official replied genially4 8,come aside1 ,judge10 she whispered4 8,i don't want anyone to recognize me1 or to hear what ,i am saying to you1 should people pass40 ,as he moved on by her side in the direction she wished1 she whispered3 8,i have put on this thick veil1 ,judge1 so as not to be recognized4 ,i am ,madge ,finisterre40 8,du say60 he gasped4 8,i knew the voice1 but could not recall whose it was4 ,i hadn't heard a breath of your coming home1 ,miss ,madge40 8,i let no one1 not even mumma and poppa1 know that ,i was coming10 she replied4 8,the fact is1 ,judge----0 ,she was glad1 as she prepared to take him into her confidence1 that the thick veil would hide the hot colour that she felt leaped into her face4 8,momma wrote me10 she went on1 8that the pastor was very sick1 and that the doctor didn't understand his case4 ,i only got the letter last ,saturday morning4 ,the boat was to start that day at two2 but ,i caught it1 for ,i knew that would cure the pastor40 ,she felt how fiercely the blushes burned in her cheeks1 but1 assured that he could not see them1 she went on3 8,just before ,i started for ,europe1 ,judge1 pastor told me he loved me1 and asked me to be his wife----0 ,she watched the amused amaze leap into the ,judge's face1 and smiled herself at his low whistle4 8,i told him10 she continued1 8,i could make him no definite promise1 as ,i was not quite sure of myself2 but that1 when ,i was1 ,i would not wait for him to ask me again--,i would come and tell him4 ,i am going straight to him now1 ,judge1 and ,i want you to give me a clear quarter of an hour's start4 ,while ,i am gone to fix him up and to make him happy1 ,i want you to go 'long to mumma and poppa1 and bring them right along with you1 and marry me and pastor as soon as you git up to us4 ,so-long for a quarter of an hour40 ,without another word she moved swiftly away4 8,she's tropical60 he laughed1 as he saw her making for ,mrs4 ,keller's1 where the pastor boarded4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,french windows of the pastor's sitting-room were open1 for the day was like a spring one4 ,madge moved quickly across the patch of grass1 mounted the stoop1 and peered in4 ,in a large rocker1 looking very frail and ill1 the young pastor was lying back with his eyes closed4 ,madge felt her eyes fill with tears4 ,she lifted the disguising veil1 and wiped the salt drops away4 ,she did not lower her veil again1 but with a little glad cry of-- 8,homer1 dear love60 she crossed the threshold1 and dropped on her knees by his side1 flung her arms around his neck1 and laid her hot lips to his4 ,it was like a dream to him--a wondrous1 delicious dream4 ,his thin arms clasped her4 ,his kisses were rained upon her1 but at first he found no words to say4 ,between their passionately-exchanged kisses she poured out1 in rapid1 caress-punctured speech1 how she came to be there4 8,i have not seen mumma or poppa yet10 she explained2 8but ,i met ,judge ,anstey down by the depot4 ,i have sent him home for mumma and poppa2 they will be here in no time now4 ,the ,judge will come with them1 and will marry us right off1 dear4 ,for1 say1 you do want some nursing40 ,he found his voice at last1 declared that her coming1 her first kiss1 had made him strong2 that he would need no nursing now that she had come4 ,getting on to his feet1 he gathered her into his arms1 and rained fresh kisses upon her lips1 her cheeks1 her brow1 her eyes4 ,she managed to whisper the good news1 8,i have found ,jesus1 dear1 or ,he found me1 and now----0 ,a sound of voices and of hurrying steps outside checked her4 ,she had only time to tear herself from his arms when her mother and father reached her side4 ,an hour later1 when the ,judge had been and gone again1 ,madge ,finisterre was the wife of the pastor4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,casting ,a ,,shoe4 ,it was two hours after midnight when ,tom ,hammond was free at last4 ,but he did not go to bed4 ,his soul was disturbed4 ,what he had heard at the major's meeting had stirred a myriad disquieting thoughts within him1 and now that he was clear to do it1 he shut himself up alone with a ,bible1 and began to go over every point of the major's address4 ,he had taken copious notes in shorthand1 paying especial attention to the texts quoted and referred to4 ,at the end of an hour he looked up from his ,bible4 ,there was a wondering amaze in his eyes1 a strange1 perplexed knitting of his brows4 8,it is all most marvellous60 he murmured4 8,there is not a flaw or hitch anywhere in the major's statements or reasoning4 ,the ,scriptures prove1 to the hilt1 every word that he uttered40 ,he smiled to himself as1 rising to his feet1 he said aloud1 8,i should not sleep if ,i went to bed2 ,i will go out40 ,there are ways of getting into some of the ,london parks before the regulation hour for opening the gates4 ,tom ,hammond had often found a way to forestall the park-opener4 ,ten minutes after leaving his chambers he was inside the park he loved best4 ,everything was eerily still and silent4 ,the calm suited his mood4 ,he wanted to feel1 as well as to be1 absolutely alone4 ,he had his desire4 ,there had been a thick mist over ,london overnight1 but the atmosphere was as clear as a bell now4 ,the air was as balmy as a morning in ,may or ,september4 ,there was a faint light from the stars that stabbed the deep violet sky4 ,he moved slowly1 thoughtfully1 through paths as familiar to him as the rooms he occupied at home4 8,and the ,christ might come to-day60 he mused4 8,as ,major ,h---- showed plainly from the ,bible1 there is no other prophetic event to transpire before ,his coming40 ,almost unconsciously he paused in his walking4 8,if10 he cried softly1 a certain fearsomeness in his voice1 8if ,he came to-day1 came now1 what about me8 ,where should ,i come in80 ,he recalled the fact that1 according to the major's showing1 he1 ,tom ,hammond1 was quite unprepared for ,christ's coming1 because he was still unsaved4 ,he shivered slightly as the thought of his unpreparedness came to him4 ,with the flashing swiftness of one of memory's freaks1 there leaped into his mind some lines of ,charles ,wesley's4 ,he had written them1 a day or two before1 in illustration of a certain statement in an article on hymnology4 ,they had not borne any message to his soul then1 but now they seemed like the voicing of his own inmost thoughts4 ,he walked slowly on1 the words falling from his lips in half-uttered notes4 8,and am ,i only born to die8 ,and must ,i suddenly comply ,with nature's stern decree8 ,what after death for me remains-- ,celestial joys1 or bitter pains1 ,to all eternity8 8,no room for mirth or trifling here1 ,for worldly hope1 or worldly fear1 ,if life so soon is gone-- ,if now the ,judge is at the door1 ,and all mankind must stand before ,the inexorable throne6 8,nothing is worth a thought beneath1 ,but how ,i may escape the death ,that never1 never dies-- ,how make my own election sure1 ,and1 when ,i fail on earth1 secure ,a mansion in the skies40 8,there was something inspiring1 something helpful1 in the last verse10 he mused1 8but1 for the life of me1 ,i cannot recall it40 ,the piping note of a robin from a clump of bush trees close by broke into his reverie4 ,he lifted his head sharply and looked around1 then upwards4 ,the stars had paled in the violet dome above him4 ,somewhere near1 ahead of him1 was a piece of ornamental water4 ,he caught a glimpse of it between the trees4 8,pip-pip60 came again from the robin's throat4 ,he remembered ,charles ,fox1 and said softly aloud3 8,came forward to be seen1 ,my little bright-eyed fellow1 ,and an honest one as well ,o ,in thy suit of olive green1 ,with red-orange vest between1 ,and small touching voice so mellow40 ,the bird suddenly flew across his path1 dropped upon a low piece of iron fencing1 glanced askance at him1 then darted to where a morning meal peeped out of the damp sod4 ,two or three other low1 sleepy bird-notes followed1 then the water-fowl began their discordant quacking4 ,the tremulous flutenotes of a thrush made rich music on the morning air4 ,the stars faded out of sight4 ,the cold grey light of dawning day moved into the eastern horizon4 ,the smell of the earth grew rank4 ,the air grew keener4 ,the east slowly reddened4 ,roofs and towers of houses and churches grew up slowly1 and grey amid the cold light of the dawn4 ,he turned to face the spot where he knew the great clock-tower of ,westminster could be seen4 ,a light burned high aloft in the tower1 telling that ,england's legislators were still in session4 ,slowly1 thoughtfully1 he turned back to walk home4 8,if ,christ came at this instant10 he mused1 8how many of those ,commoners and ,peers would be ready to meet ,him8 ,and what of the teeming millions of this mighty city8 ,god help us all6 ,what blind fools we are60 99 99 99 99 99 ,in spite of his night vigil ,tom ,hammond was in his office at his usual hour4 ,he had been there about an hour when there came a short1 sharp rap on the panel of his room-door4 ,in response to his 8,come in60 ,joyce1 the drunken reporter lurched in4 ,in some way he had contrived to elude those on duty in the enquiry-office4 ,he was the worse for drink1 and in response to ,hammond's sharp queries3 8,what do you want8 ,how came you here unannounced80 he began to 8beg the loan of five shillings40 8,not a copper60 cried ,hammond4 ,joyce whined for it4 ,hammond refused more sharply4 ,the drunken wretch cringed1 whimpered for 8just 'arf-a-crown40 ,the fellow began to bluster1 then to threaten4 8,if you don't leave this room1 ,i'll hurl you out10 cried ,hammond1 8and give you in custody of the police40 ,the drunken beast straightened his limp form as well as he was able1 as he hiccoughed3 8,all rightsh1 ,tom ,ham'n'd4 ,every dawg hash hish day4 ,you're havin' yoursh now1 all rightsh--all rightsh1--but ,i'll--hic--do fur yer2 ,i'll--hic--ruin yer2 ,i'll----0 ,tom ,hammond darted from his place by the table4 ,the next instant he would have put his threat of 8hurling out0 into execution1 but the drunken braggart did not wait for him1 for he shuffled out of the room1 cursing hideously4 ,as the door closed upon him1 ,tom ,hammond went across to the window1 and flung up the lower sashes1 and drew down the upper ones4 ,from a drawer in a cabinet he took a strip of scented joss-paper1 and lit it4 ,the sandal-like perfume spread instantly through all the room4 8,faugh60 he muttered4 8,the whole place seems foul after his presence40 ,he turned to his wash-stand1 rolled back the polished top1 and washed his hands4 8,i'll see ,ralph10 he muttered1 as he dried his hands 8and go out for a couple of hours4 ,i'll go and see ,cohen40 ,it was curious how often he found excuse to visit the ,jew4 ,a quarter of an hour later he drove up to the house of ,cohen4 ,he found him1 with his wife and ,zillah1 on the point of starting for their synagogue4 8,one may live a life-time1 as a ,jew1 in this country10 ,cohen explained1 8and never see the ceremony that is about to take place in our synagogue4 ,it is what is known in our religion as #8,chalitza4' ,will you go with us1 ,mr4 ,hammond80 ,tom ,hammond's eyes met ,zillah's4 ,then he promptly said-- 8,yes0 to the ,jew's question4 8,right1 then6 ,we can explain about the ceremony as we go60 ,cohen said1 and the quartette left the house4 ,there was not much time for explanation1 but what ,tom ,hammond heard convinced him that he was a fortunate journalist that day4 ,he had no opportunity of talking with ,zillah1 but he found his heart beating with a strange wildness whenever his eyes met hers--and they frequently met4 ,at the door of the synagogue the party had to separate1 the two women going one way1 ,cohen and ,hammond another4 ,the building was filling very fast4 ,presently it was packed to suffocation4 ,it was ,tom ,hammond's first sight of a ,jewish congregation in a synagogue4 ,it amazed him4 ,the hatted men and bewigged women--these latter sat behind a grille4 ,the gorgeousness of much of the female finery4 ,the curious 8praying shawls0--the 8,talith0 of the men4 ,suddenly a ,rabbi began to intone the opening words of the service1 reading from the roll of the law1 8,the ,holy ,scroll30 8,if brethren dwell together1 and one of them die1 and have no child1 the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger2 her husband's brother shall take her to wife1 and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her4444 ,and if the man like not to take his brother's wife1 then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders1 and say1 ,my husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in ,israel1 he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother4 8,then the elder of the city shall call the man1 and speak unto him3 and if he stand to it1 and say1 ,i like not to take her2 8,then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders1 and loose his shoe from off his foot1 and shall spit in his face1 and shall answer and say1 #8,so shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house4' 8,and his name shall be called in ,israel1 #8the house of him that hath his shoe loosed'40 ,the service was all very curious in the eyes of ,tom ,hammond4 ,he followed every item of it with the closest1 most interested attention4 ,presently the parties specially concerned mounted the platform4 ,this platform was backed with a huge square frame covered with black cloth4 ,this was meant to symbolize mourning for the dead husband4 ,three tall candle-sticks held lighted candles1 their flames looking weird and sickly in the daylight4 ,the ,rabbi stooped before the brother-in-law1 and took off his right shoe and sock4 ,another official washed the foot1 wiped it with a towel1 and pared the toe-nails4 ,a soft white shoe1 made specially for the occasion1 was then taken by the rabbi1 put on to the bare foot of the man1 and laced up very tightly1 the long ends of the lace being twisted round the ankle and knotted securely4 ,then there followed a seemingly interminable string of questions1 put by the rabbi1 and answered by the brother-in-law4 ,the catechism culminated in a few chief questions such as3 8,do you wish to marry this woman80 8,i do not10 replied the brother-in-law4 8,for what reason80 8,i am already married2 my wife is living1 and the law of the land we live in does not permit my having more than one wife40 ,the reply rang clear and strong through the silent building1 and the hush seemed to deepen as the rabbi asked1 8,will you give this woman ,chalitza80 8,certainly ,i will1 if she wishes it10 replied the brother-in-law4 ,turning to the woman1 the rabbi asked1 8,do you wish to receive ,chalitza80 ,tom ,hammond saw how the light of a great eagerness leaped into the eyes of the beautiful ,jewess1 and how her face glowed with the warmth of a sudden colour1 as she replied1 8,i do wish for ,chalitza1 for ,i desire to marry again40 ,the rabbi's assistant gave her certain instructions1 and she knelt before her brother-in-law1 and with the thumb and finger of her right hand--she dare not use the left1 however difficult her task might prove1--she began untying the knots in the lace fastenings around the ankle4 ,it was no child's play to unfasten the shoe4 ,the knots had been drawn very tight2 but she was very determined1 and presently a deep sigh of relief broke from the breathless1 watching congregation1 as1 taking the shoe from the man's foot1 she flung it sharply down1 twice1 upon the floor4 ,she rose now to her feet to complete the ceremony4 ,the law of spitting in the face of the man had been modified to meet the views of a day less gross than when it was carried out in full coarseness4 ,the brother-in-law took a couple of paces backwards1 and the beautiful widow spat on the place he had stood a moment before4 ,then she faced the great congregation4 ,her eyes travelled straight to the face of the man she loved1 whom she was shortly to marry4 ,her eyes danced with excitement1 her cheeks were rosy with colour1 her whole face was full of an indescribable rapture1 as she cried3 8,i am free60 8,true1 sister1 you are free60 the brother-in-law responded4 ,the rabbi moved swiftly to her side1 and1 looking into her face1 said3 8,o woman of ,israel1 you are free60 ,with a shout that reminded ,tom ,hammond of the shout1 8,he is risen60 at the ,easter service in the ,greek churches of ,russia1 the excited1 perspiring congregation cried3 8,woman1 you are free60 ,a moment or two later the service concluded1 and the building emptied4 ,walking homeward by ,hammond's side1 ,cohen said1 8,only the most orthodox of ,jews would dream of using ,chalitza to free themselves for re-marrying4 ,this is the only case ,i have personally known4 ,by-the-bye1 ,mr4 ,hammond1 it is said that about the middle of the eighteenth century that one of the ,rothschild widows sought ,chalitza1 but failed to untie the lace of the shoe1 and was disqualified from re-marrying40 ,cohen's wife had stopped to speak to some friends4 ,the young ,jew joined her4 ,tom ,hammond found himself moving forward by ,zillah's side4 8,what an extraordinary service that was1 ,miss ,robart60 he said4 8,it was60 she glanced almost shyly away from him1 for1 unknown to himself his eyes were full of the warmest admiration4 8,do you think1 ,miss ,robart10 he went on1 8if you were situated as was that beautiful woman whom we have just seen freed from the ,mosaic bond1 that you would have braved the ,chalitza ceremony1 or would you have taken advantage of the ,english law and----0 ,she lifted her great1 black1 lustrous eyes to his in a sudden gaze of utter frankness1 as1 interrupting him1 she cried3 8,i would certainly not marry any man1 save one whom ,i could wholly revere and love60 8,happy the man whom you shall thus honour1 ,miss ,robart60 ,tom ,hammond barely whispered the words1 and she was not wholly sure that he meant them for her ears4 ,she did not respond in any way4 ,but she was conscious that his gaze was fixed upon her4 ,she was equally conscious that she was blushing furiously4 ,perhaps it was to give her a chance of recovering herself1 that his next question was on quite a different topic4 8,are you1 ,miss ,robart10 he said1 8wholly wedded to the ,jewish faith8 ,do you believe1 for instance1 that ,jesus1 the ,nazarene1 was an impostor80 ,he heard the catch that came into her throat4 ,then1 with a half-frightened look around1 she lifted her melting eyes to his1 as she said1 8,i can trust you1 ,mr4 ,hammond1 ,i know4 ,you will keep my confidence1 if ,i give it to you80 ,his eyes answered her1 and she went on4 8,i have not dared to breathe a word of it to anyone1 not even to my good brother-in-law ,abraham1 but ,i am learning to love the ,christ40 ,her face was filled with a holy light1 her cheeks glowed with excitement1 as she went on3 8,i see how the prophecies of our forefathers--,isaiah especially--were all literally fulfilled in the life and work of ,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,i see1 too1 that when next ,he comes1 it will not be as our race supposes1 as the ,messiah to the ,jews1 but ,he will come in the air1 and----0 ,she glanced sharply round4 ,some instinct told her her friends were coming4 8,no more now10 she whispered4 8,i will tell you more another time4 ,i shall myself know more1 to-night4 ,i go twice a week to a mission-room at ,spitalfields----0 8,what time80 he asked eagerly4 8,seven10 she replied1 not realizing the eagerness of his tone4 8,where is this place80 he went on4 ,she had just time to tell him4 ,when ,cohen and his wife came up1 husband and wife began talking together4 ,zillah appeared to listen1 but in reality she heard nothing of what they were saying4 ,for a strange thing had happened4 ,she had dropped her hand by her side as the ,cohens had rejoined them1 and had suddenly found her fingers clasped in ,hammond's hand4 ,what did it mean8 she wondered4 ,they had met often of late4 ,she had read an unmistakable ardency in his eyes very often1 when her glance met his4 ,and1 deep in her own heart1 she knew that all the woman-love she would ever have to give a man she had unconsciously given to him4 ,was this sudden secret handclasp of his a silent expression of love on his part1 or was it meant merely as an assurance of sympathy in the matter of her new faith8 ,she could not be sure which it was1 but she let her plump fingers give a little pressure of response4 ,how did he translate this response8 she wondered4 ,she had no means of deciding1 save that her heart leaped wildly in a tumultuous delight as she felt how he literally gripped her fingers in a closer1 warmer clasp4 ,they had reached the house by this time4 ,hammond would not go in4 ,he shook hands1 in parting1 with each1 but his hold upon ,zillah's hand was longer than on the others4 ,he pressed the fingers meaningly1 and his eyes held an ardency that gave a new tumult to her heart4 ,as she passed into the house she whispered to herself1 8,will he be at ,spitalfields to-night80 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,told ,,in ,a ,,cab4 ,a quarter of an hour before the time ,zillah had given him1 ,tom ,hammond was waiting near the 8,mission ,hall for ,jews10 where the meeting was to be held4 ,he was anxious that she should not know of his proximity1 so kept out of sight1--there were many possibilities of this among the various stalls in the gutter-way4 ,presently he saw her coming1 and the light of a glad admiration leaped into his eyes4 8,what a superb face and figure she has60 he mused4 8,what a perfect queen of a woman she is60 ,from behind a whelk-stall he watched her cross over to the door of the ,hall4 ,here she paused a moment1 and glanced around4 8,i believe she half expected to see me somewhere near60 he murmured to himself4 ,she entered the ,hall4 ,by the time her head was bowed in prayer1 he had entered1 and had taken a seat on the last form1 the fourth behind hers4 ,when she first raised her head from her silent prayer1 she looked around and backward4 ,in her heart she was hoping he would be there4 ,if he had not been bending in prayer1 she must have seen him4 ,after that she turned no more1 the service soon occupied all her thoughts4 ,he too became utterly absorbed by the service1 of which the address was the chief feature4 ,it was largely expository1 and from the first utterance of the speaker1 it riveted ,tom ,hammond's attention4 ,the speaker1 himself a converted ,jew1 took as his text ,deut4 xxi4 #bb1 #bc4 8,if a man have committed a sin worthy of death1 and is sentenced to death1 and thou hang him on a tree1 his corpse shall not remain all night upon the tree1 but1 burying1 thou shalt bury him on that day 7because he who is hanged is accursed of ,god740 8,now1 brethren10 the speaker went on1 8as far as ,i have been able to discover1 in all the ,hebrew records ,i have been able to consult1 and in all the histories of our race1 ,i have not found a single reference to a ,hebrew official hanging of a criminal on a tree4 ,to what1 then1 does this verse refer1 and why is it placed on ,jehovah's statute-book80 ,for a few moments he appealed to his ,jewish hearers on points peculiarly ,hebraic4 ,then presently he said1 8,now let us see if the ,new ,testament will shed any light upon this40 ,turning rapidly the leaves of his ,bible1 he went on3 8,there is a book in the ,christian ,scriptures known as the ,epistle to the ,galatians which1 in the tenth verse of the third chapter1 repeats our own word from ,deuteronomy3 8#8,cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the ,book of the ,law to do them1' and in the thirteenth verse says1 #8,christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law1 being made a curse for us3 for it is written1 ,cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree4' 8,we all1 brethren1 as the sons of ,abraham1 believe that our father ,david's ,psalm beginning1 #8,my ,god1 my ,god1 why hast ,thou forsaken me8' was never written out of his own experience1 but was prophetic of some other ,person4 ,now1 let me quote you some of the words of that ,psalm40 ,in clear1 succinct language1 the speaker1 quoting verse after verse of the ,psalm1 showed how literally the descriptions fitted into a death by crucifixion4 ,referring to the ,gospel narratives of the death on the cross1 he showed how they also fitted in with the description of ,christ's death1 and how ,christ actually took upon ,his dying lips the cry of the ,psalm1 8,my ,god1 ,my ,god1 why hast ,thou forsaken ,me80 ,then with wondrous clearness he referred to parts of ,isaiah liii41 and1 continuing his theme1 showed that it was evident that only one particular type of death could have atoned for the sin of the human race1 a death that would render the dying one accursed of the ,almighty4 ,the only death that would fully carry out that condition was crucifixion4 8,our race waited for the ,messiah10 he cried1 8and ,he came4 ,our prophet ,micah said1 #8,yet thou1 ,o ,bethlehem-,ephratah1 little as thou art amidst the thousands of ,judah1 yet out of thee shall proceed from ,me1 ,one who is to be ruler in ,israel60 8,the ,christ was born at the only time in the world's history when ,he could have been executed on a tree--crucified4 ,at a time when the ,roman--crucifixion was a ,roman punishment--swayed our beloved land of ,jewry4 ,so that ,paul1 the great ,jew1 chosen of ,god to be apostle to the ,gentiles1 wrote after the crucifixion of ,jesus1 the ,nazarene1 #8,according to the time1 ,christ died4'0 ,for some minutes the speaker appealed to his ,jewish hearers with a wonderful power4 ,then finally addressing not only the ,jews1 but any ,gentiles who might be present1 he cried3 8,we must know the meaning of sin1 brethren1 before we can understand the mystery of a crucified ,christ4 ,a beheaded1 a stoned ,christ1 could not have atoned for a guilty world1 but only a ,god-cursed death1 a tree-cursed death could have done this4 8,and ,christ was cursed for us--,he who knew no curse of ,his own4 ,ah6 beloved1 the guilt of the human race is the key to the cross4 8,times change1 customs change1 but sin remains1 sin is ever the same1 and only a living1 personal trust in the crucified ,christ can ever deliver the unsaved sinner from the wrath of ,god which abideth on him40 ,the address closed4 ,tom ,hammond awoke from his intense absorption of soul4 ,he had long since utterly forgotten ,zillah4 ,he had seen only himself1 at first1 his own sin1 and that his sin had nailed ,christ to the cross4 ,then1 better still1 he saw the ,christ4 ,only a few nights before he had paused to watch a ,salvation ,army open-air meeting4 ,the girl-officer in charge of the corps had announced thirty-eight as the number of the hymn they would sing1 and prefaced the reading of the first verse by saying3 8,this hymn was written by an ex-drunkard--an ex-blasphemer4 ,his name was ,newton--drunken ,jack ,newton1 he was often called by his mates1 and by others who knew him4 ,he was a sailor1 on a ship trading to the ,african coast1 at the time when his soul was aroused to its danger4 ,he was in agony1 not knowing what to do to get rest and peace4 8,one night he was keeping anchor-watch4 ,he was alone on the deck1 the night was dark and eerie4 ,his sins troubled him4 ,all that he had heard of the crucified ,christ--whom he had so often blasphemed--swept into his soul1 and he groaned in the misery of his sin-convicted state4 8,suddenly he paused in his deck-pacing1 and looked up4 ,to his fevered imagination1 the yard which crossed the mast high up above his head appeared like a mighty cross1 and it was remembering this1 with all the soul-experience of that night1 that in after years1 when he became a preacher of the gospel1 and a noted divine1 ,dr4 ,john ,newton wrote3 8,i saw ,one hanging on a tree ,in agonies and blood1 ,who fixed ,his dying eyes on me1 ,as near the cross ,i stood4 #8,a second look ,he gave1 which said1 8,i freely all forgive ,my blood was for thy ransom paid1 ,i die that thou may'st live4'00 ,recalling these words now1 ,tom ,hammond's soul received the great ,revelation4 ,he heard no word of the closing hymn and prayer1 but passed out into the open air a new man in ,christ4 ,the mission-leader had given an invitation to any who would like to be helped in soul matters to remain behind4 ,tom ,hammond noticed that ,zillah lingered4 ,it was half-an-hour before she came out4 ,tom ,hammond had lived a life-time of wonder in the thirty minutes4 ,like one in a delicious dream ,zillah walked on a few yards4 ,suddenly she became aware of ,tom ,hammond's presence at her side4 8,zillah60 ,he gave her no other word of greeting4 ,it was the first time he had ever called the young girl by her first name4 ,he took her hand1 and drew it through his arm4 ,she barely noticed the tender action1 for her soul was rioting in a new-found joy1 and she poured out1 in a few sentences1 all the story of her supreme trust in ,christ the ,nazarene4 ,his voice was hoarse with many emotions1 as he said1 8,i1 too1 ,zillah1 have to-night seen ,jesus ,christ dying for my sin1 and have taken ,him for my own personal ,saviour60 ,suddenly she realized how closely he was holding her to his side1 how tight was the clasp of his hand upon hers4 ,she looked up into his face to express her joy at his new-found faith4 ,their eyes met4 ,a new meaning flashed in their exchanged glances4 ,a four-wheeled cab moved slowly along in the gutter-way1 the driver uttered a low 8,keb1 keb60 ,tom ,hammond seized the opportune offer1 and whispered1 8,let us take a cab1 ,zillah4 ,i have something to say to you which ,i must say to-night40 ,before scarcely she realized it1 she was seated by his side in the cab4 ,there is a moment in every woman's life when her heart warns her of the coming of the great event in that life1 when love is to be offered to her by the only man who has ever loomed large enough in her consciousness to be able to affect her existence4 ,this moment had suddenly unexpectedly come to ,zillah ,robart4 ,her heart warned her that the crisis was upon her4 ,she had done nothing to precipitate it4 ,it had met her1 drawn her aside1 and had shut her up in the semi-darkness of this vehicle with the only man she could ever love4 ,the cab rattled over the cobbles of that wide ,east-end thoroughfare1 past the throngs of moving pedestrians1 though1 to her consciousness1 the whole wide world consisted of but one man--the man at her side4 ,he had secured her hand1 he held it in his strong1 hot clasp4 ,she held her breath in a strange1 expectant ecstasy4 ,then the inevitable came4 ,she felt its coming4 ,tom ,hammond was drawing her closer to himself4 ,she was yielding to that drawing4 ,she caught her breath again1 and as she did so a rush of strange tears filled her eyes4 8,zillah60 his voice was hoarse and deep4 ,she realized the meaning of the hoarseness4 ,she knew by her own feeling that the depth and intensity of his voice was due to the emotion that filled him4 ,she knew she would have found herself voiceless at that moment had she tried to speak4 8,i love you1 my darling60 he went on4 8,i have loved you from the first instant ,i met you4 ,you have felt it1 known it1 dear4 ,have you not80 ,she tried to speak1 her lips moved1 but no sound came from them4 ,but she looked into his eyes1 and he read his answer4 ,with a sweeping gesture of passionate love he gathered her into his arms and showered kisses upon her lips1 her cheeks1 her forehead1 her hair4 ,she lay like a stunned thing in his arms4 ,her joy was almost greater than she could bear4 ,then as his hot lips sought hers again1 she awoke from her semi-trance of ecstasy1 and with a little sob she flung her arms upwards and clasped them about his neck1 crying1 8,love you1 my darling8 ,love seems too poor a word to express my feeling1 for ,god knows that1 save my ,lord ,jesus1 to whom to-night ,i have fully yielded1 you are all my life40 ,her voice was stifled with a little rush of tears4 ,where she lay on his breast1 he felt how all her frame quivered4 8,and you will be mine1 dear ,zillah--and soon80 ,his eyes burned into hers1 asking for an answer as loudly as his lips4 ,she did not answer him for a moment4 ,her heart beat with a tumultuous gladness1 and her brain throbbed with the wonder of what she conceived to be the honour that had come to her4 ,wondering incredulity mingled with the rapturous ecstasy that filled her4 8,but you are so great--so----0 ,she paused1 she could find no words to express all that prospective wifedom to him appeared to her4 ,he smiled down into her eyes4 ,her loveliness seemed to him greater than ever before4 8,you seem like a king to me60 she gasped at last4 8,you1 ,zillah10 he smiled1 8do not seem1 you are1 a queen to me4 ,say1 darling1 the one word that shall fill all my soul with delight--say that you will be mine--and soon1 very soon60 8,i will40 ,there was the intensity of a mighty love in her utterance of the two words4 ,he gathered her to himself in an even closer embrace1 and spent his kisses on her lips4 ,the flush of pride1 of love1 burned deeper in her face4 8,oh1 why is it given to me to have such bliss80 she murmured4 ,the words were low-breathed2 they sounded like a gasping sigh of delight more than a voiced utterance4 ,for a moment1 clasped tightly in his arms1 she was silent1 and he uttered no word4 ,presently he whispered1 8,will it give you joy1 ,i wonder1 my darling1 to know that ,i have been a man free of all woman's love before8 ,i have seen many women1 in many lands1 the loveliest of the earth--though none so lovely as you1 my sweetheart4 ,it is no egotism on my part1 either1 to say that many women have sought my love by their smiles and favour4 ,but none ever won a word of love or response from me40 ,the cab was passing a great central light in the heart of a junction of four roads4 ,her eyes1 full of a great rapture1 sought his4 ,his were fixed upon her face1 and filled with a love so great that again she caught her breath in wonder4 8,but you1 my ,zillah60 ,he caught her close to himself again1 and bending his head1 let his lips cling to hers1 8,but you1 darling60 he continued1 8have been to me all that the heart of man could ever wish for1 from the first moment ,i met you4 ,may ,god give us a long life together1 dearest1 and make us 7with our new-born faith in ,him7 to be the best1 the holiest help-meets1 the one to the other1 that this world has ever known40 ,where she lay in his arms1 he felt her tremble with the intensity of her joy4 ,as he looked down into the deep1 dreamy lustrousness of her eyes1 he saw how they were full of a far-off look1 as though she was picturing that united future of which he had spoken4 ,perhaps he read that look in her eyes aright4 ,then1 as he watched her1 he saw how the colour deepened in her face4 ,she slowly1 proudly1 yet with a glad frankness1 lifted herself in his arms until1 in a tender1 passionate caress1 her lips rested upon his in the first spontaneous kiss she had given him4 8,if the ,christ1 to whom we have given ourselves to-night1 should tarry10 she whispered1 8and we are spared to dwell together on earth as husband and wife1 dear ,tom1 may ,god answer all that prayer of yours abundantly40 ,the cab turned a corner sharply at that moment4 ,he looked through the window4 ,they were within a few hundred yards of where he had given the driver orders to stop4 ,zillah would have1 on alighting1 only the length of a short street to traverse before reaching home1 and he would take a hansom and drive back to the office4 ,but the intervening moments before they would part were very precious1 and love took unlimited toll in those swift1 fleeting moments4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,tom ,,hammond ,,reviewing4 ,it was the morning after ,tom ,hammond had found ,christ1 and had closed with the great offer of redemption4 ,he had scarcely slept for the joy of the two loves that had so suddenly come into his life4 ,during the sleepless hours1 he had learned1 for the first time in his life1 the true secret of prayer1 and that even greater secret1 that of communion4 ,with real prayer there is always a certain degree of communion1 but real1 deep1 soul-filling communion is more often found in seasons when the communing one asks for nothing1 but1 silent before his or her ,god1 the sense of the ,divine fills all the being1 and if the lips utter any sound it is the cry1 8,my ,lord and my ,god60 ,tom ,hammond1 reviewing all that ,god had revealed to him1 learned in those first hours of his new birth the secret of adoring communion with ,god4 ,in the book of extracts he had been reading in the tube train at the moment when he had first heard of ,major ,h----'s coming address on the ,second ,advent1 he had come across one headed1 8,frederick ,william ,faber3 ,the ,precious ,blood--chap4 iv40 ,he had at the time been considerably impressed with the extract1 though there was a certain note about it which he had failed to understand4 ,in the flush of the great revelation that had come to his soul 7in that little meeting at ,spitalfields71 he now found the book1 and re-read the extract3 8,i was upon the sea-shore2 and my heart filled with love it knew not why4 ,its happiness went out over the wide waters1 and upon the unfettered wind1 and swelled up into the free dome of blue sky until it filled it4 ,the dawn lighted up the faces of the ivory cliffs1 which the sun and sea had been blanching for centuries of ,god's unchanging love4 ,the miles of noiseless sands seemed vast1 as if they were the floors of eternity4 ,somehow1 the daybreak was like eternity4 ,the idea came over me of that feeling of acceptance which so entrances the soul just judged and just admitted into heaven4 8#8,to be saved6' ,i said to myself1 #8to be saved6' 8,then the thoughts of all the things implied in salvation came in one thought upon me2 and ,i said3 8#8,this is the one grand joy of life2' and ,i clapped my hands like a child1 and spoke to ,god aloud4 ,but then there came many thoughts1 all in one thought1 about the nature and manner of our salvation4 ,to be saved with such a salvation6 8,this was a grander joy1 the second grand joy of life2 and ,i tried to say some lines of a hymn but the words were choked in my throat4 ,the ebb was sucking the sea down over the sand quite silently2 and the cliffs were whiter1 and more day-like4 ,then there came many more thoughts all in one thought1 and ,i stood still without intending it4 8,to be saved by such a ,saviour6 ,this was the grandest joy of all1 the third grand joy of life2 and it swallowed up the other joys2 and after it there could be on earth no higher joy4 8,i said nothing2 but ,i looked at the sinking sea as it reddened in the morning4 ,its great heart was throbbing in the calm2 and methought ,i saw the precious blood of ,jesus in heaven1 throbbing that hour with real human love of me40 8,yes10 murmured ,tom ,hammond1 8after all1 to be saved by such a ,saviour is a greater1 higher1 holier thought than the mere knowledge that one is saved1 or of the realization of what that salvation comprises40 ,in every way that night was one never to be forgotten by ,tom ,hammond4 ,he needed1 too1 all the strength born of his new communion with ,god to meet what awaited him with the coming of the new day's daily papers4 ,the paper whom whose staff he had been practically dismissed in our first chapter 7the editor of which was his bitterest enemy7 had found how to use 8the glass stiletto40 ,some of the most scurrilous paragraphs ever penned appeared in his enemy's columns that morning4 ,it is true that the identity of the man slandered 7,tom ,hammond7 was veiled1 but so thinly--so devilishly--that every journalist1 and a myriad other readers1 would know against whom the scurrilous utterances were hurled4 ,tom ,hammond would not have been human if the reading of the paragraphs had not hurt him4 ,and he would not have been 8partaker of the ,divine nature10 as he now was1 if he had not found a balm in the committal of his soreness to ,god4 8,that is the work of that fellow ,joyce10 he told himself4 ,twenty-four hours before1 if this utterance had had to have been made by him1 he would have said1 8,that beast ,joyce60 ,but already1 as a young soldier of ,christ1 the promised watch was set upon his lips4 ,in the strength of the two great loves that had come into his life--the love of ,christ and the love of ,zillah ,robart--the scurrilous paragraphs affected him comparatively little4 ,when he had skimmed the papers1 attended to his correspondence1 and to one or two other special items1 he took pen and paper and began to write to his betrothed4 ,his pen flew over the smooth surface of the paper1 but his thoughts were even quicker than his pen4 ,his whole being palpitated with love4 ,it was the love of his highest ideal4 ,the love which he had sometimes dared to hope might some day be his1 but which he had scarcely dared to expect4 ,the memory of his passing fancy for ,madge ,finisterre crossed his mind1 once1 as he wrote4 ,he paused with the pen poised in his fingers1 and smiled that he should ever have thought it possible that he was beginning to love her4 8,i liked her1 admired her10 he mused4 8,i enjoyed her frank1 open friendship1 but love her--no1 no4 ,the word cannot be named in the same breath as my feeling for ,zillah40 ,he put his pen to the paper again1 and poured out all the wealth of the love of his heart to his beautiful betrothed4 ,when he had finally finished the letter1 he sent it by special messenger to ,zillah4 ,he had not forgotten that ,major ,h----'s second meeting was that day4 ,three o'clock found him again in the hall4 ,this time it was quite full4 ,there was a new sense of interest1 of understanding1 present within him as he entered the place4 ,this time he bowed his head in real prayer4 ,the preliminary proceedings were almost identically like those of the previous occasion1 except that the hymn sung--though equally new to ,hammond--was different to either of those sung at the first meeting4 ,but1 if anything1 he was more struck by the words than he had been with those of the other hymns4 ,and how rapturously the people sang3 8#8,till ,he come6' ,oh1 let the words ,linger on the trembling chords2 ,let the #8little while' between ,in their golden light be seen2 ,let us think how heaven and home ,lie beyond that #8,till ,he come6'0 ,this time a lady1 a returned ,chinese missionary1 led prayer1 and then the major resumed his subject4 8,we saw1 dear friends1 at our last meeting10 the grand old soldier-preacher began1 8what were some of the prophesied signs of our ,lord's second coming and how literally these signs were being fulfilled in our midst to-day4 ,this afternoon1 ,god willing1 and time permitting1 ,i want us to see how ,he will come2 what will happen to the believer2 and also what effect the expectancy of ,his coming should have upon us1 as believers4 8,first of all1 how will ,he come8 ,while ,jesus1 who had led ,his disciples out of the city1 was in the act of blessing them1 ,he suddenly rose before their eyes1 and a cloud received ,him out of their sight4 ,have you ever thought of this fact1 beloved1 that the cloud itself was a miracle8 ,whoever heard of a cloud at that special period of the year1 in ,palestine8 ,and ,i very much doubt if anyone1 save the apostles1 in all the country round about1 saw that cloud4 ,if you ask me what ,i think the cloud was1 ,i should be inclined to refer you to the #bdth ,psalm1 and say that the cloud was composed of the angel-convoy1 who1 like a guard of honour1 escorted the ,lord back to glory1 crying1 as they neared the gates of the celestial city1 #8,lift up your heads1 oh1 ye gates1 and let the ,king of ,glory come in60 8,he went away in a cloud4 ,the angels1 addressing the amazed disciples declared to them that #8,he would so come in like manner as ye have seen ,him go4' 8,it may be that to the letter that will be fulfilled1 and that our ,lord's return for ,his ,church will be in an actual cloud4 ,i think it is probable it will4 ,anyway1 we know that ,he will come #8in the air1' for ,paul1 to whom was given1 by ,god1 the privilege of revealing to ,his ,church the great mystery of the second coming of our ,lord1 and who said1 in this connection3 8#8,behold1 ,i show you a mystery3 we shall not all sleep1 but we shall all be changed1 in a moment1 in the twinkling of an eye1' when writing more explicitly to the church at ,thessalonica1 said3 8#8,for this we say unto you by the word of the ,lord1 that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the ,lord shall not prevent them which are asleep4 ,for the ,lord ,himself shall descend from heaven with a shout1 with the voice of the archangel1 and with the trump of ,god1 and the dead in ,christ shall rise first4 ,then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds1 to meet the ,lord in the air2 and so shall ever be with the ,lord4 ,wherefore comfort one another with these words4' 8,now1 beloved1 can any words be plainer1 simpler1 than these of ,paul's1 forming1 as they do1 the climax to all that has gone before in the ,new ,testament4 ,jesus had ,himself said1 8#8,i will come again and receive you unto ,myself4' 8,the angels said1 8#8,in like manner as ye have seen ,him go1 ,he shall come again1' and now ,paul amplifies this manner of ,his coming1 while1 at the same time1 he emphasizes the fact of that return4 8,now let us look1 dear friends1 at the separate items of that detailed coming4 ,we have already1 more than once1 alluded to the secrecy of the return of our ,lord for ,his people1 and people are puzzled over the language used by ,paul's description of the return4 #8,the ,lord shall come with a shout4' ,then the world at large will hear ,him coming8 ,no2 we think not4 ,or1 if they hear a sound1 they will not understand it4 8,the ,lord's voice in ,his spiritual revelations is never heard save by the ,lord's people4 ,but there is the voice of the archangel--how about that8 ,the same rule applies to that1 we think4 8,there were godly shepherds watching their flocks at night1 near ,bethlehem1 and there was a whole host of angels singing1 but the ,bethlehemites did not hear4 ,no one appears to have heard or seen anything save the godly shepherds4 ,the same1 we believe1 applies to the #8trump1' the call of ,god4 8,in this connection it is interesting to note a fact that probably was in the mind of ,paul when he wrote thus to the ,thessalonians4 ,the ,roman army used three special trumpet-calls in connection with departure--with marching4 8,the first meant1 #8,pull down tents4' 8,the second1 #8,get in array4' 8,the third1 #8,start4' 8,did ,paul1 moved by the ,holy ,ghost1 translate these three clarion notes in the topic of #a ,thess4 iv4 #af1 after this fashion3 8#a4 #8,the ,lord ,himself4' 8#b4 #8,voice of the archangel4' 8#c4 #8,the trump of ,god4' 8,but leaving that1 again ,i would emphasize this truth1 that it is only the trained ear of the spiritually-awakened soul which ever hears the call of ,god4 ,we believe that all ,scripture teaches the secrecy as well as the suddenness of the rapture of the church4 8,in all the many appearances of the risen1 resurrected ,lord ,jesus1 during the many weeks between the resurrection and the ascension1 even though1 on one occasion1 at least1 ,he was seen by #ejj disciples at once1 yet there is no hint1 either in the ,word of ,god or in the records of history of that time1 that ,jesus was ever seen by the eye of an unbeliever4 ,and depend upon it1 no eye will see1 no ear will hear ,him1 when ,he comes again1 save those who are in ,christ4 8#8,the world seeth ,me no more' our ,lord said1 #8but ye see ,me4' #8,him ,god raised up the third day1 and gave ,him to be made manifest1 not to all the people1 but unto witnesses that were chosen before ,god1 even to us who did eat and drink with ,him after ,he rose from the dead4' 8,when the voice of the ,father came from heaven1 witnessing to ,jesus' truth1 the people that stood by failed to hear it as a voice1 but exclaimed1--#8,it thunders4' ,in the case of ,paul on the way to ,damascus1 those with him heard nothing understandable4 8,enoch was taken secretly4 ,noah was shut into the ark before the flood came4 ,only ,israel1 at ,sinai1 and not the surrounding nations1 understood those awful physical manifestations of ,god's power4 ,elijah was taken secretly4 ,the nation neither saw nor heard anything of it4 8,when will ,he come8 ,i do not know2 no one knows exactly2 but this we do know1 from the ,word of ,god--that nothing remains to be fulfilled before ,he comes4 ,he may come before this meeting closes4 ,again we know by every sign of the times that ,his coming can not now be delayed much longer4 8,now to a very important feature as to the truth of the second coming of the ,lord4 ,there are many who argue that such teaching will tend to make the ,christian worker careless of his work1 his life1 etc4 ,there was never a more foolish argument advanced4 8,first take a concrete illustration that gives the flat denial to it--namely1 that the most spiritual-minded workers1 at home and abroad1 are those whose hearts 7not heads only7 are saturated with1 not the doctrine merely1 but the expectancy of their ,lord's near return4 ,then1 too1 every such worker finds an incentive to redoubled service in the remembrance that every soul saved through their instrumentality brings the ,lord's return nearer--#8hasting ,his coming'--since1 when the last unit composing ,his ,church has been gathered in1 ,he will come4 8,scripture1 dear friends1 is most plain1 most emphatic1 in its statements that the effect of living in momentary expectancy of our ,lord's return touches the spiritual life and service at every point4 #8,we know1' wrote ,john1 #8that when ,he shall appear we shall be like ,him1 for we shall see ,him as ,he is4 ,and every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself1 even as ,he is pure4' ,that1 beloved1 is the general statement4 ,now let us look at some of the separate particular statements4 8,writing to the ,philippians1 ,paul connects heavenly mindedness with the return of the ,lord for ,his ,church saying1 #8,for our conversation'--our manner of living1 our citizenship--#8is in heaven2 from whence also we look for the ,saviour1 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4' ,to the ,colossians the great apostle showed how the coming of the ,lord was to be the incentive to mortification of self4 #8,when ,christ1 who is our life1 shall appear1 then shall ye also appear with ,him in glory4 ,mortify1 therefore1 your members which are upon the earth1' etc4 ,james taught that the real cure for impatience was this dwelling in the hope and expectancy of our ,lord's coming again4 #8,be ye also patient1' he wrote2 #8stablish your hearts2 for the coming of the ,lord draweth nigh6' ,we live in an age which is cursed with impatience--children1 young men and women1 parents1 business people1 domestic people1 pastors1 ,christian workers1 ,sunday-school teachers1 all alike have their spiritual lives and their work marred by impatience4 ,a real1 moment-by-moment heart-apprehension of the possible coming of ,jesus in the next moment of time1 is the only real cure for this universal impatience in the ,christian ,church4 8,then take another great sin in the ,church1 beloved--censoriousness4 ,oh1 the damage it does to the one who indulges in it1 and the suffering it causes to the one who is the victim of it4 ,but here1 again1 a full1 a constant realization of the near coming of our ,lord will check censoriousness4 ,writing to the ,corinthians1 in his first epistle1 ,paul says1 #8,therefore1 judge nothing before the time1 until the ,lord come1 who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness1 and make manifest the counsels of the hearts4' 8,the great quickener1 too1 of ,christian diligence is to be found in the coming of the ,lord4 ,peter writes to us saying1 #8,but the day of the ,lord will come as a thief in the night1 444 seeing then that these things shall be1 444 what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy living and godliness2 looking for and hasting the coming4444 ,wherefore1 beloved1 seeing that ye look for such things1 be diligent that ye may be found of ,him in peace1 without spot1 and blameless4' 8,may ,i say1 too1 in all gentleness and love1 that it has seemed to me1 for years1 that the missing link in nearly all #8holiness' preaching 7so called7 is this much-neglected expectancy of our ,lord's return4 ,paul connects holiness and the second coming of ,christ1 in his first epistle to the ,thessalonians1 saying1 #8,the ,god of peace sanctify you wholly2 and ,i pray ,god your spirit1 soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4' 8,the scoff of the world1 dear friends1 against us1 as ,christians1 is that the professed bond of love is absent from our life4 ,and here again ,god's ,word shows us that a real living in expectancy of our ,lord's return would teach us to love one another4 ,in that same epistle ,i have just quoted1 ,paul says1 #8,the ,lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another1 and toward all men1 even as we do toward you3 to the end ,he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before ,god1 even our ,father1 at the coming of our ,lord with all ,his saints4' 8,i have only time1 this afternoon1 for but one more of these references1 and that is a very elementary though a very essential one4 ,paul1 in that same epistle1 teaches that to be saved means that we are saved to serve4 #8,ye turned to ,god1' he says1 #8to serve 444 and to wait for ,his ,son from heaven4' 8,i must close1 friends4 ,but before ,i do1 do let me beseech every ,christian here this afternoon to go aside with ,god1 and with ,his plain1 unadulterated ,word4 ,assure yourself that ,jesus is coming again1 that ,he is coming soon1 and that you are so living that you shall #8not be ashamed at ,his coming4' ,should ,he tarry till ,thursday next1 and ,he is willing to suffer me to meet you here again1 we will continue this great subject on the line of the three judgments4 ,let us close our meeting by singing hymn number #cjh40 ,like one in a strange1 delicious dream1 ,tom ,hammond rose with the others and sang3 8,jesus is coming6 ,sing the glad word6 ,coming for those ,he redeemed by ,his blood1 ,coming to reign as the glorified ,lord6 ,jesus is coming again60 ,as he left the hall1 and thought1 8,how ,zillah would have enjoyed1 how she would have been helped1 by this meeting60 he muttered4 8,how senseless of me not to have told her of it when ,i wrote this morning40 ,he smiled a little to himself as he murmured3 8,may ,i take this bit of remissness as a sign that the ,divine love was predominant within me1 rather than the human8 ,or was it that ,i am not yet sufficiently taught in the school of human love80 ,,chapter ,x,i,xa4 8,,my ,,mentor40 ,it was about the hour that ,tom ,hammond entered the ,hall to listen to the ,major's second address4 ,cohen1 the ,jew1 was in his workshop1 his brain busy with many problems1 while his hands wrought out that wondrous ,temple work4 ,the door opened1 quietly1 and ,zillah entered4 ,she often came for a talk with him at this hour1 as she was mostly sure of an uninterrupted conversation4 ,her sister1 to a large extent1 lived to eat1 and always slept for a couple hours or more after her hearty two o'clock dinner4 ,the young ,jew gave the beautiful girl a pleasant greeting4 ,then1 after the exchange of a few very general words1 the pair were silent4 ,zillah broke the silence at last4 8,abraham10 she began1 8,i want to talk to you on--on--well--,i've something important to say40 ,he eyed her curiously1 a tender little smile moving about among the lines of his mouth4 ,there was a new note in her voice1 a new light in her eyes4 ,he had caught glimpses of both when they had met at breakfast1 and again at dinner1 but both were more marked than ever now4 ,he had laid down his tool at her first word of address4 ,now she laid one of her pretty plump hands on his1 as she went on3---- 8,you could not have been kinder1 truer1 dear ,abraham1 if you had been my own brother1 after the flesh4 ,i have looked upon you as a brother1 as a friend1 as a protector1 and ,i have always felt that ,i could1 and would make a confidant of you1 should the needs-be ever arise40 ,the gentle smile in his eyes as well as his mouth encouraged her1 and she went on3-- 8,a gentleman has asked me to marry him1 ,abraham----0 ,cohen gave a quick little start1 but in her eagerness she did not notice it4 8,i have promised10 she continued1 8for ,i love him1 and he loves me as only----0 8,who is he1 ,zillah80 8,mr4 ,hammond1 dear60 ,his eyes flashed with the mildest surprise4 ,but1 to her astonishment1 she noticed that he showed no anger4 ,in spite of all his usual gentleness she had half expected a little outburst1 for to marry out of the ,jewish faith1 was equal in shame almost to turning ,meshumed1 and usually brought down the curse of one's nearest and dearest4 8,he is of the ,gentile race1 ,zillah60 ,cohen said quietly4 ,she noticed that he said race1 and not faith1 and she unconsciously took courage from the fact4 ,she was silent for a moment4 ,her lips moved slightly1 but no sound came from her4 ,watching her1 he wondered4 ,she was praying6 ,suddenly she lifted her head1 proudly almost4 ,she suffered her great lustrous eyes1--liquid in their love-light--to meet his1 as she said1 with a ringing frankness3---- 8,abraham6 ,i have found the ,messiah6 ,he whom the ,gentiles call the ,christ2 ,the man-,god1 ,jesus1 is the ,messiah60 ,his eyes dwelt fixedly upon her face4 ,she wondered that there was neither anger nor indignation in them4 8,may ,i tell you why ,i think1 why ,i know ,he is the ,messiah1 ,abraham80 she asked4 8,do1 ,zillah60 ,he spoke very gently1 and she wondered more and more4 ,she made no remark1 however1 on his toleration1 but began to pour out her soul in the words of the ,old ,testament scriptures1 connecting them with their fulfillment in the ,new ,testament4 ,cohen1 watching her1 thought of ,deborah1 for all her beautiful form seemed suddenly ennobled under the power of the theme that fired her4 8,now ,i know1 dear ,abraham10 she presently cried1 8,how it is that ,jehovah is allowing our ,rabbis--you told me1 you know1 the other day1 of the one at ,safed--to be led to dates that prove that ,messiah is coming soon8 ,now ,i know why ,god has allowed our nation to be stirred up1--the ,zionist movement1 the colonization of ,jerusalem and its neighbourhood1 and all else of this like--yes1 it is because the ,christ is coming4 8,only1 dear brother1 it is not as the ,messiah of the ,jews that ,he comes soon--,he came thus more than #a1ijj years ago--this time1 when ,he comes1 ,he will come for ,his church1 ,his redeemed ones--,jew and ,gentile alike who are washed in ,his blood that was shed on ,calvary for all the human race4 ,for ,he was surely ,god's ,lamb1 and was slain at the ,great1 the last real ,passover1 dear ,abraham1 if only we all--our race--could see this4 ,what the blood of that first ,passover lamb1 in ,egypt1 was in type1 to our people in their bondage and ,blood-deliverance1 so ,jesus was in reality40 ,moses1 of old1 wist not how his face shone4 ,and this lovely ,jewish maiden1 as she talked of her ,lord1 wist not how all her lovely face was transformed as she talked--glorified would not be too strong a description of the change her theme had wrought in her countenance4 8,and now1 dear ,abraham10 she went on1 8that same ,jesus has not only blotted out all my sin1 for ,his name's sake1 but he bids me look for ,him to come again4 ,when next ,he comes--it may be before even this day closes--0 ,cohen shot a quick1 puzzled glance at her4 ,she did not notice it but went on3-- 8,i have learned many things from the scriptures since ,i have been going to the little ,room at ,spitalfields1 and from the ,word of ,jehovah1 ,himself1 ,i have learned that ,jesus may now come at any moment4 8,he will come in the air1 and will catch away all ,his believing children4 ,then1 as the teachers show from the ,word of ,god1 when the church is gone1 there shall arise a terrible power1 a man who will be ,satan's great agent to lead the whole world astray--,antichrist1 the ,word of ,god calls him--then1 during a period1 probably about seven years altogether1 there shall be an ever growing persecution of those who shall witness boldly for ,jesus1 and--0 8,who will they be1 ,zillah10 he interrupted1 8if all the #8,church1' as you say1 will be taken out of the world at the coming of ,christ80 8,one of the teachers1 the other night1 ,abraham10 she replied1 said1 8that the natural consequence of the sudden taking away of the ,believers from this earth would probably be1 at first1 a mighty revival1 a turning to ,god4 ,if this be so1 then these converts will be the witnesses to ,jesus during the awful seven years1 which the ,word of ,god calls ,the ,great ,tribulation40 8,then too1 one of the teachers at the ,room said1 #8it is possible that not all ,christians will be caught up in the air at the coming again of ,jesus1 but only those faithful ones who are found watching1 expecting ,his coming4 ,if that be so--and no one dare dogmatise about so sacred and solemn a thing--then there will be thousands of ,christians left behind who will have to pass through the awful time of ,antichrist's ,tribulation4'0 ,her face glowed with holy light1 as inspired by the thought in her soul1 she went on3-- 8,at first1 dear ,abraham1 our own race will return to ,jerusalem1 and to all the land of our ,father1 still believing in the coming of the ,messiah4 ,the temple--that wondrous ,temple for which you are working--will be reared to ,jehovah4 ,the morning and evening sacrifices will be resumed4 ,then presently the ,antichrist will make our people believe that he is the ,messiah4 ,pretending to be ,israel's friend and protector he will deceive them at first1 but1 by and by1 he will try to force idolatry upon them1 he will want to set up in our glorious ,temple1 7which will have been reared to ,jehovah17 an idol1 an abomination4 8,the teacher whom ,i have heard1 ,abraham1--and many of them are of our own race--see from scripture that the great mass of our people1 in the land of our fathers1 will blindly accept this hideous idol worship4 8,but ,jehovah will not let ,antichrist have all his own way4 ,jesus1 with all those who were caught up with ,him into the air1 will come to the deliverance of our people4 ,he will come1 this time1 to the earth4 ,he will fight against ,antichrist1 will overcome him1 ,his feet shall stand on the ,mount of ,olives4 8,our poor deluded1 suffering people will see ,him1 as our own prophets have said3--8,i will pour out upon the ,house of ,david and upon the inhabitants of ,jerusalem1 the spirit of grace and of supplication1 ,,and ,,they ,,shall ,,look ,,upon ,,me ,,whom ,,they ,,have ,,pierced1 ,,and ,,they ,,shall ,,mourn ,,for ,,him1 as one mourneth for his only son1 and shall be in bitterness for ,him1 as one that is in bitterness for his first-born40 ,she paused abruptly1 struck by ,cohen's quietude of manner1 where she had expected a storm4 ,gazing up wonderingly into his face she cried3-- 8,abraham1 why are you thus quiet8 ,why have you not cursed me for a ,meshumed1 dear8 ,can it be that you1 too1 know aught of these glorious truths80 ,there was sadness and kindness in his eyes as he returned her pleading glance4 ,but there was no trace of anger4 8,i wonder why1 little sister10 he began1 8,i am not angry1 as the men of ,israel's faith usually are with a ,meshumed1 even though the defaulter should be as beautiful as ,zillah ,robart80 ,his glance grew kinder1 as he went on3--8,i began to wonder where my little sister went1 twice a week1 in the evenings1 and1 anxious about her1 lest she1 in her innocence of heart and ignorance of life1 should get into trouble1 ,i followed her one night1 and saw that she entered a hall1 which ,i knew to be a preaching-place for ,jews40 ,zillah's eyes were very wide with wonder4 ,but she did not interrupt him4 8,i did not enter the place myself10 he went on1 8but that very first night1 while waiting about for a few minutes1 ,i met an old friend1 a ,jew like myself1 by race1 but a ,christian by faith4 ,he talked with me1 pointed to our scriptures1 quoted from the ,gentile ,new ,testament1 showed1 from them1 how1 in every detail1 the birth1 the life1 the death of ,jesus1 the ,nazarene1 fulfilled the prophecies of our father1 and----0 8,and you1 ,abraham--0 ,zillah laid her hand on the ,jew's wrist1 in a swift gesture of excitement1 8you1 dear10 she cried1 8see that ,jesus was the ,messiah80 ,slowly1 almost sorrowfully it seemed to the eager girl1 he shook his head4 8,i cannot say all that1 ,zillah10 he went on1 8,i sat in a seat1 last night1 in that ,hall1 where ,i could see you and ,hammond1 where ,i could hear all that was said upon the platform1 but where ,i knew that neither you nor ,hammond would be able to see me4 ,all that ,i heard1 last night1 dear1 has more than half convinced me1 but--well1 ,i cannot rush through this matter1 ,i have to remember that it has to do with the life beyond1 as well as this life40 ,he sighed a little wearily4 8,i saw the meeting between ,hammond and you1 ,zillah10 he went on4 8,i had before begun to scent something of ,hammond's probable feeling for you1 and ,i had seen you look at him in a way that1 though you did not yourself probably realize it1 meant1 ,i knew1 a growing feeling for him warmer than our maidens usually bestow on a ,gentile4 ,i saw you enter the cab together1 and drive off1 and----0 ,he sighed again4 ,then without finishing his sentence1 he said3 8,perhaps ,i shall see with you1 ,zillah1 soon4 ,meanwhile1 dear----0 ,he lifted his hands1 let them rest upon her head1 and softly1 reverently1 cried3-- 8,the ,lord bless thee and keep thee2 the ,lord make his face shine upon thee1 and be gracious unto thee2 the ,lord lift up ,his countenance upon thee1 and give thee peace40 ,the sweet old ,nazarite blessing never fell more tenderly upon human ears than it did upon ,zillah ,robart4 ,jehovah had been very gracious to her4 ,she had feared anger1 indignation from her brother-in-law1 she received blessing instead4 ,as he slowly lifted his hands from her head1 she caught them in hers1 lifted them to her lips1 and kissed them gratefully4 8,may that blessing fall back upon your own head1 upon your heart1 your life1 dear ,abraham80 she cried4 ,still holding his hands1 she lifted her head4 ,an eager light filled all her face1 as she added3-- 8,it wants but a few days to ,passover1 dear1 ,i shall pray ,god that ,he will reveal ,jesus fully to you before that60 ,she dropped his hands1 and made for the door4 8,i hear the children from school10 she cried4 ,then she was gone4 ,cohen did not turn to his work4 ,but taking a ,new ,testament from his pocket1 began to study anew the ,passion of ,jesus1 as recorded in the ,gospels4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,the ,,placard4 ,riding back to his office from that meeting ,tom ,hammond asked himself3--8,ought ,i to begin to make this near ,return of our ,lord for ,his church1 the subject of my #8,prophet's ,chamber ,column' for to-morrow's issue80 8,i must seek special guidance about this10 he presently decided4 ,the cab was nearing the office when he suddenly murmured3--8,,he might come to-day60 ,even as he murmured the words his eyes seemed to see a striking way of exhibiting his new-found faith in the ,return of his ,lord1 and he came to a rapid decision4 ,lifting the flap in the roof of the cab1 he told the driver to go on to a certain ,sign and ,ticket writer's4 ,arrived at the place1 he explained to the writer that he wanted a card three feet six inches long1 proportionate in width1 very boldly1 handsomely written with just the two words upon it1 in the order of his sketch4 ,he had taken an odd piece of card from the man's scrap heap1 and with his pencil he drew out his idea1 thus3-- ------------ ,,to-,,day8 ,,perhaps6 ------------ 8,how soon can ,i have it80 he asked4 8,in a couple of hours1 sir60 8,pack it carefully and ,i will send a messenger for it60 ,hammond was turning from the counter1 when the man said3-- 8,i beg your pardon1 sir1 but if it is not too bold a question1 may ,i ask what the two words mean80 8,they mean10 smiled ,tom ,hammond1 8that ,jesus ,christ1 ,god's son1 may come suddenly to-day1 before even you have time to finish the work upon my order60 ,the man's face wore a puzzled look4 ,then suddenly it brightened a little1 as he said3-- 8,ah6 ,i sees1 its somethink religious4 ,that aint in my line1 not a bit1 sir4 ,i aint built that way4 ,now1 my misses is6 ,she's the best wife a man ever had1 ,i can't find a speck o' fault wi' her1 but1 there it is1 yer know1 she's gone1 fair gone1 sir1 on religious things60 8,do you love her8 ,would you like to lose her80 asked ,hammond4 8,like to lose her1 sir8 why1 no1 sir6 ,i believes ,i should--,i should--well ,i don't know what ,i should do1 if she wur took60 ,there was a note of deep gravity in ,tom ,hammond's voice1 as he said3-- 8,then let that motto warn you1 as you prepare to write it1 that even before you can finish it1 the ,christ who is to come again1 who will surely come now very soon1 may come4 ,then1 when you go to look for your wife1 when you are perhaps expecting her to call you to your tea1 she will be missing4 ,you will call her1 search for her1 yet never find her4 ,because1 if she is a true child of ,god1 she1 with all true ,christians1 will have been snatched away unseen from the world1 caught up to meet their ,lord in the air40 8,good gracious1 sir6 yer give me the creeps60 gasped the man4 8#8,seek ye the ,lord'--your good wife's ,lord1--#8while ,he may be found1' my friend40 ,with this parting word ,tom ,hammond left the shop4 ,two hours and a half later the splendid bit of sign writing hung upon the wall of ,hammond's room4 ,it was a most striking placard4 ,the first letter of each word nearly eight inches in length1 and in brilliant crimson1 the other letters six inches long in deep1 purple black4 ,as he sat back and regarded it where it hung1 ,tom ,hammond mused on all that he had heard that afternoon1 of the effects upon the lives of those who possessed a real heart apprehension of the truth of the near ,return of the ,lord4 8,one can scarcely conceive10 he murmured1 8what ,london1 what all the civilized1 and so-called ,christian world1 would be like1 if every man and woman1 who professes to be a christian1 lived in the light of the truth that the ,lord's return was near1 was imminent4 #8,every man' 7he was recalling the truth quoted that afternoon71 #8,who hath this ,hope in him1 purifieth himself even as ,he 7,jesus7 is pure4'0 ,the rest of the day was a busy one4 ,many callers came in4 ,everyone noticed the strange placard4 ,some asked what it meant4 ,modestly1 but with strong purpose1 and with perfect frankness1 ,hammond told each and all who enquired1 of his change of heart1 and how possessed with the fact that ,christ's return was imminent1 he had had the placard done for his own1 and for others quickening and reminder4 ,people smiled indulgently1 but entered into no argument with him4 ,he was too important a man for that1 and1 equally1 they dare not pooh-pooh his testimony1 wild as it appeared to most1 if not all of them4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,was ,,he ,,mad8 ,madge1 a wife of barely eighteen hours1 found her husband's church packed in every nook and corner when she entered it on the ,sunday morning4 ,the news of her sudden return1 and equally sudden marriage1 had helped to fill the church1 though the knowledge that the ,rev4 ,doig was to preach would1 in itself1 have been sufficient to have gathered an unusually large congregation4 ,during the pastor's sickness the pulpit had been supplied by various good men1 secured by the deacons from all over the county4 ,doig had preached twice before1 and was already a great favourite with the people4 ,the pastor had not been well enough to be present at any service for many weeks1 and as he entered the church this morning1 leaning heavily upon his wife's arm1 he received quite an ovation from the people4 ,in spite of the curiosity and excitement over ,madge's appearance1 the congregation speedily settled down to quiet worship4 ,there was something subducing1 quieting in the preacher's manner4 ,just before the address1 the people sang3-- 8,lo6 ,god is here6 let us adore1 ,and own how dreadful is this place6 ,let all within us feel ,his power1 ,and silent bow before ,his face2 ,who know ,his power1 ,his grace who prove1 ,serve ,him with awe1 with reverence1 love40 ,with the singing of this hymn a deep1 deep solemnity came down upon the assembly4 ,it deepened as the preacher unfolded the wonders of the ,bible revelation relating to the ,lord's second coming4 ,madge forgot her husband1 as1 absorbed by the wonder of the revelation1 she drank in the glorious truth4 ,had she been more alert in watching the pastor1 she would have seen how restless he grew6 ,how angrily his eyes flashed6 ,how scowling his beetling brows became4 ,some of the people noticed their pastor's evident displeasure1 and so did one or two of the deacons4 ,but no one dreamed that he would dare to utter any dissent to the service4 ,was he mad8 ,perhaps he was1 for the time1 as many men and women become1 who nurse a groundless1 senseless anger and jealousy6 ,he was jealous of this man's hold upon the people4 ,he had not dreamed that any man could hold his congregation1 as this man was holding them4 ,he was angry1 too1 at the doctrine preached4 ,with a startling suddenness he leaped to his feet1 forgetting his weakness1 as he cried3-- 8,i will not have that lying1 senseless nonsense--worse than nonsense--preached in my church1 ,mr4 ,doig4 ,you will either announce another text1 and take a different subject1 sir1 or you must cease to preach60 ,a slight flush rose into the cheeks of the preacher1 as he half turned to the pastor1 and in low1 but firm voice1 heard everywhere amid the sudden strained silence1 he said3-- 8,dear ,pastor1 if you insist1 7you have the legal right to do so1 as pastor of this church1 ,i suppose7 ,i will desist4 ,but ,i cannot1 if ,i preach on1 do other than declare all that ,god would have me do4 ,why1 even as we are here1 our ,loving ,lord may come1 and if ,i faltered in my testimony ,i should have to meet ,him ashamedly--and--0 8,rot60 muttered the pastor4 ,the word was heard by everyone1 and a murmur of strong dissent ran through the place4 ,with a white angry face1 and flashing savage eyes1 the ,pastor walked to the table1 and leant upon it heavily in his weakness1 as he cried hoarsely1 8,this service is now concluded4 ,while ,i hold the pastorate1 no such sentimental rubbish1 as ,mr4 ,doig seems bent upon giving us1 shall be voiced from this platform40 ,one of the deacons protested4 ,the pastor was firm4 ,passion had rendered him temporarily irresponsible4 ,another of the deacons1 who had been conferring with ,doig--who had whispered the facts of the pastor's evident temporary irresponsibility--now urged the people to disperse quietly4 ,doig walked down to his host1 and whispered1 8if ,i go at once1 it will help matters40 ,the pair then left the church4 ,the congregation followed quickly4 ,the deacons remained behind to confer together over the situation1 which was of a hitherto unheard of character4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the pastor had left by the side door1 and leaning more heavily than ever upon ,madge1 they made their way to the house of ,thaddeus ,finisterre1 ,madge's father4 ,they were staying there4 ,they took a private way1 by which they were spared the unpleasantness of meeting any of the congregation4 ,four minutes took them to the house4 ,neither of them spoke during the brief journey4 ,for the first time in her life ,madge knew what it was to feel the touch of fear4 ,she had married the man by her side knowing comparatively little of his real character and temperament4 8,there may be insanity in his family10 she mused1 as she walked by his side4 ,she had already told herself that nothing but a temporary touch of madness could have led to his outburst in the church4 ,arrived at the house1 the pastor went straight to his room1 this gave ,madge an opportunity to confer with her father and mother a moment4 8,his long anxious illness has unsettled his brain a little60 the mother said4 8,the best thing will be to take no notice1 let us all be as cheerful1 as much like our ordinary selves1 as we can4 ,then1 if we can persuade him to go away to-morrow1 ,i guess the best thing for you to do1 ,madge1 will be to get a good doctor to examine him1 and to prescribe for him40 ,the dinner-meal which followed1 presently1 was fairly free of constraint4 ,after dinner ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,finisterre slipped away and left the husband and wife to themselves4 ,almost immediately the pair were left1 the pastor began to abuse the preacher of the morning1 and to denounce the teaching of the ,lord's second coming4 8,but1 my dear10 cried ,madge1 8it is evidently almost the most prominent doctrine in the ,new ,testament4 ,there are more direct references to it in the ,new ,testament1 ,mr4 ,doig said1 than to any other revealed doctrine40 8,but its not my doctrine10 snapped the pastor1 8not the doctrine of our church4 ,it was scoffed at at our college1 when ,i was a student1 and--and--0 ,madge gazed wonderingly at him4 ,his argument seemed so puerile1 if not actually sinful4 8,but10 she cried1 8,i don't see how that argument holds4 ,to me1 it sounds like blasphemy1 almost1 to say ,i1 as a minister1 and we as a church1 will not preach the most prominent doctrine of the ,new ,testament1 because of the foolish abuse of the teaching by here and there a wild visionary who lets his fancy and whim run away with his judgment4 ,suppose1 dear ,homer1 some church or minister should say1 #8,we won't preach the doctrine of the ,atonement1' would that save them from the charge of blasphemy1 when ,god says3 8#8,if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy1 ,god shall take away his part out of the ,book of ,life1 and out of the ,holy ,city1 and from the things which are written in his ,book4'0 ,the pastor gazed at her in amazement4 ,her fashion of putting the matter gave him small opportunity of replying1 so he took refuge in the coarse sneer3-- 8,have you turned ,doigite80 ,with a quick flush in her cheeks1 and sudden flashing of eye1 ,madge replied3-- 8,if by that you mean1 do ,i see1 and have ,i accepted the revelation of the ,word of ,god1 as to the near coming of ,christ1 then ,i say #8yes4' ,i am not a ,doigite1 but ,i am1 thank ,god1 a ,christian6 ,a very young one1 a very poor and inexperienced one1 'tis true1 but still ,i am one1 and am desirous to live to the ,lord to whom ,i have given myself1 and1 after all ,i heard from the preacher this morning1 ,i am more than ever determined to serve ,christ wholly1 and ,i can quite see how this wondrous fact of the near ,return of our ,lord will be a new and mighty force to revolutionize all my life40 ,an ugly snarl curled the lips of the amazed1 discomfited pastor1 and he was just beginning a cruel little speech1 when one of the ,deacons was announced4 ,madge left the two men alone4 ,as she passed on to her own room there was a terrible pain at her heart1 for the hideous thought came to her3--8,can ,homer be truly converted8 ,if he is1 how can it be that he flatly refuses to believe what ,god has so plainly revealed80 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,from ,,the ,,prophet',s ,,chamber4 ,tom ,hammond was alone in his editorial office4 ,he had come to the day1 the moment at last1 when he felt constrained to write out of his full heart1 to the readers of his paper1 all that he yearned that the world should know of the imminence of the ,return of the ,lord4 ,before he put pen to paper to write on this supreme theme in his 8,prophet's ,chamber0 column1 he bowed his head on his desk and prayed for guidance and help4 ,then he began to write out his heart fully1 telling first of his conversion1 and of the wondrous meetings conducted by ,major ,h----4 ,his whole being was fired with holy purpose4 8,had ever a preacher such a pulpit as has the editor of 8,the ,courier80 he wrote4 8,had any preacher ever so mighty a privilege1 so great a responsibility as is mine to-day8 ,this paper circulates through more than a million people's hands1 even allowing that only the one person purchasing the paper1 reads it--though one might almost safely double that million1 since there are very few of the papers which will not be read by two1 or more persons4 8,this #8,prophet's ,column' will likely overflow all its ordinary banks1 as does the ,great ,nile in its season1 but if my overflowing but carry life on its tide1 as does the tide of the overflowing ,nile1 then1 all will be well4 8,as a converted ,editor of a great daily1 ,i have put my hand1 my pen1 my mind into the mighty1 unerring hand of ,god1 praying that ,i may write only that which will reach the hearts of my readers4 ,and the question comes to me1 #8what word does ,london1 does ,england most need to-day8' 8,this--that all the world should know1 and realize1 that any day1 aye1 any hour1 ,christ may return--not to the earth but into the air--0 ,here followed the teaching of the ,gospel and ,epistles1 as he had learned it from ,major ,h----1 and from his own subsequent personal study of the ,word of ,god4 8,i appeal to the most thoughtful of my readers1 ,i appeal to the unthinking1 as ,i say1 #8do you not see how a real belief1 in this near coming of ,christ would revolutionize all our national1 commercial1 domestic1 and church life4 ,how1 too1 it would immediately settle every social problem4' 8,if our legislators1 sitting in council at ,st4 ,stephens1 realized that before the present ,parliamentary session could end in the ordinary way1 that ,christ might come1 what a speedy end they would seek to put to every national iniquity4 8,the hideous drink traffic would be swept1 root and branch1 from our land4 ,and1 in sweeping that curse away1 the awful problem of the unemployed1 the homeless1 the starving1 all that inures to our national poverty would be swept away4 8,the shameful opium traffic with ,china2 the national ,greed for territory2 the ,traffic in ,white ,slaves2 and every other national iniquity would be abolished4 8,christian churches1 7so-called7 would become worthy of the name ,christian4 ,all those bits of devilish device used to extract1 and extort money from the pockets of the people would end1 as by magic4 ,theatricals would be left to the theatres2 nigger entertainments would be left to the music-halls2 the church would leave all these things to their master--the ,devil4 8,in social life1 people would pay their debts2 the wild1 mad1 sinful extravagance that marks the life of to-day1 would cease4 ,christians would love one another4 ,every ,evangelical denomination would be inter-denominational in the truest sense1 and be one wholly in their ,crucified1 ,risen1 coming ,lord4 ,a love for the poor fallen world1 such as has never been since our ,lord spent ,himself in service1 would be the order of the day1 and not the vision of a few4 ,every missionary society would have more men and women and money than they actually needed4 8,but1 even as ,i pen this millennium-like picture1 ,i know1 from the ,word of ,god1 that it cannot be before ,christ comes4 ,but ,i seek to arouse every ,christian to ,god's call to them on this matter4 ,you1 who profess to be ,christ's1 dare not refuse this truth1 save at the peril of losing the ,crown of ,life4 8,the vast bulk of the churches1 ,i know1 preach1 that the world will continually improve until the earth shall be fit for ,christ to come and reign4 ,but ,i defy any cleric or layman to show me a single word of scripture that gives the faintest colour to that belief1 or statement--unless the person wrests the passage so advanced from its distinctly marked dispensational setting4 8,things 7spiritual7 are growing worse and worse4 ,there is a wholesale down-gradeism1 too awful to contemplate4 #8,priest and people have erred alike6' ,i take up the official organ of a section of the church that has ever been regarded as the most out-an-out1 in all that pertains to ,evangelical truth1 and ,i find its great head saying #8,the ,bible is not the sole spiritual guide for the christian1 for1 practically1 the ,bible is a dead book6' 8,the chief leader-writer of that same paper--himself usually regarded as the soundest of ,believers1 the most trenchant of all ,evangelical preachers1 writes in one of a series of articles1 #8,that the so-called ,finished work of ,christ1 is a doctrine not to be found in scripture1' and glories in the fact that #8we never have1 and1 ,i trust1 we never shall1 preach this doctrine4' 8,all this but proves the truth of the ,new ,testament prophecies1 #8,perilous times shall come1' #8,evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse1 deceiving1 and being deceived4' ,if only we could all be induced to read the signs of the times in the light of scripture6 we should then realize that we were in the thickest darkness of the world's blackest night1 the darkness immediately preceding the dawn1 and we should be looking for #8the ,morning ,star4'0 ,here1 writing with swift1 eager pen1 he went over the ground covered by ,major ,h----1 as regarded the signs of the coming of the ,lord--the movement among the ,jews2 their excitement1 as a race1 over the date discovery #e1fff2 the preparations for the rebuilding of the ,temple4 ,then the increased effort in the ,foreign ,mission fields4 ,the growth of the spirit of lawlessness in the world1 and in the church4 ,the multiplicity of spiritualistic devices--doctrine of ,devils4 ,the awakening of all real1 true1 spiritually-minded ,bible students to the fact of ,christ's near ,return4 ,and the great1 but often disregarded sign1 8the scoffers who shall say where is the promise of ,his coming8 for1 since the ,fathers fell asleep1 all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation40 8,but ,he will come6 ,he is near at hand6 ,every sign of the times proclaims this6 ,it is ,,night1 now1 and ,he will come as a thief in the night4 ,at any moment now we may look for ,him4 ,before this news-sheet1 damp from the press1 is in the hands of my readers1 ,christ may have come and taken away every one of ,his own ,believing people--,i shall be missing1 another here1 and another there will be missing4 8,and when a puzzled1 troubled ,london shall be gathering in business1 that saying shall have come to pass1 #8,the one shall be taken1 the other left6' 7,for though this word is primarily ,jewish in its application1 it will yet have a measure of meaning for the world1 when the ,church is taken away74 8,may every ,christian be ready to meet ,his ,lord1 when ,he shall come1 and every unready1 unsaved soul who reads these #8,prophet's ,chamber' columns1 seek the face of ,god through faith in the ,atoning work of ,jesus ,christ4 ,for1 believe me1 ,his ,return is very near1 to some of us the sound of ,his footfalls is even now in our ears40 ,he bent his head over the written sheets1 praying ,god to bless the message4 ,then an interruption came4 ,a knock at the door1 and his sub1 ,ralph ,bastin entered4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,passover6 ,cohen1 the ,jew1 blew out the candle1 and set the stand aside4 ,the knees of his trousers were pressed and dusty4 ,he had just been over the whole house1 lighted candle in hand1 and had searched every nook and crannie1 every cupboard1 every shelf1 under the edge of every carpet1 looking for the faintest sign of leaven in the form of bread1 cake1 or biscuit crumb4 ,he had found nothing1 and went to his room to bathe and change his clothing4 8,what of you1 ,zillah80 he had asked the lovely girl1 earlier in the day4 8,with your newly-espoused faith in the ,nazarene1 shall you partake of the lamb with us80 8,certainly1 ,i will10 she replied1 8only ,i shall take the meal more in the spirit of the ,lord's ,supper1 of the ,christian ,church4 ,and ,abraham----0 ,her eyes1 as they were lifted to his1 swam with tender1 pitying tears1 as she added3 8,all the time ,i shall be praying that you may meet the ,christ of ,god1 ,jesus of ,nazareth2 and while you seek to remember our people's deliverance from the land of ,bondage1 ,i shall be praying that you1 dear ,abram1 may be delivered from the bondage of the legalism of our race40 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,passover table was spread in ,cohen's house4 ,the arrangement of that table was a curious mixture of ,mosaic and ,rabbinical command4 ,in the case of all but really very pious ,jews of this day1 the real and actual ,passover is not kept4 ,passover--7chag ,appesach of the ,jews7 must have a lamb roasted to make it the real feast1 the ordinary ,jew to-day1 contents himself with an egg1 and a burnt shank-bone of mutton1 and unleavened cakes4 ,cohen's ,passover ,feast always included a small lamb4 ,still1 ,rabbinical lore and ,bible command were curiously mixed in the ,cohen celebration4 ,the table1 to-night1 had an egg according to ,rabbinical order1 but there was a tiny roast lamb as well4 ,there was the glass dish of bitter herbs2 the salt water1 typifying the tears of ,israelitish misery in ,egypt2 a dish of almonds1 apples1 and other fruit1 chopped and mixed1 represented the lime and mortar of the ,brick-making in the ,land of ,bondage4 ,chervil and parsley were there1 and lettuce4 ,a large pile of unleavened cakes1 a big coloured glass ewer with unfermented wine and water1 and many other items considered to be the orthodox thing at the ,feast4 ,all the ,cohen household was there4 ,zillah1 radiant with the glow of the new life in ,christ that had come to her4 ,rachel1 her sister1 was red-eyed and sullen4 ,zillah had been pleading with her to open her mind1 and her heart to the ,christian teaching of the ,messiah who had come1 and who had atoned for all the race1 ,jew and ,gentile alike4 ,angry and sullen1 the wife had said hard things of ,zillah4 ,her frivolous1 irresponsible nature was more than satisfied with the barest form of the faith of her race4 ,the two children were full of suppressed excitement1 the elder--the boy--especially4 ,cohen1 the head of the house1 was singularly quiet and grave4 ,his eyes had a far-away look in them4 ,he looked like a man moving in a trance4 ,presently the boy1 7he had been carefully coached7 asked1 according to the usual formula3 8,what mean ye1 father1 by this ,service80 ,cohen's eyes stared over the head of his son1 and in a voice very unlike its usual tones1 replied3-- 8,it is the ,sacrifice of ,jehovah's ,passover1 who halted by the blood-sprinkled houses of our fathers in ,egypt1 that the destroying angel should come not nigh1 when ,he smote the ,egyptians1 but preserved our fathers40 8,will our people ever do this1 father80 queried the boy4 8,till ,messiah come1 they will1 dear son40 ,the strained gaze of ,cohen1 as he answered1 was as though he was trying to pierce ,time's veil1 and see the coming ,messiah approaching4 8,when will ,messiah come1 father80 continued the boy4 8,to-night1 perhaps1 my son4 ,set ,his chair6 ,open the door60 ,swiftly1 but with remarkable quietude1 for a child1 the boy placed a chair at the table1 then1 stepping briskly1 silently to the door1 he set it wide open1 and left it thus1 and returned to his place by the table4 ,rachel took the ewer and poured out a little wine and water into each glass4 ,in her sullenness1 as she came to ,zillah's glass1 she slopped the wine over the edge4 ,the children glanced curiously from the spilled wine to the face of their aunt1 then at their father's face4 ,zillah's face flushed2 ,cohen's grew pale1 and set in a sharp spasm of pain4 ,no word was said1 each took up their glass1 and drank the first cup of blessing4 ,there was a moment's pause1 then ,cohen spread his hands1 bowed his head1 and repeated 8,the ,blessing3--0 8,the ,lord bless us and keep us2 the ,lord make ,his face shine upon us and be gracious unto us4 ,the ,lord lift up the light of his countenance upon us and give us peace40 ,under her breath1 yet distinctly heard by ,cohen1 in the solemn hush that followed the ,blessing1 ,zillah murmured3-- 8,but now1 in ,christ ,jesus1 ye who sometimes were afar off1 are made nigh by the blood of ,christ4 ,,for ,,he ,,is ,,our ,,peace40 ,cohen glanced quietly at her4 ,she met the glance with one of intense yearning4 ,he translated it rightly1 as meaning 8,if only you could see this truth80 ,there were two bowls of water set on a side-board4 ,cohen and his wife rinsed their hands in one bowl1 ,zillah and the two children in the other4 ,addressing himself to his son1 more than to the others1 ,cohen1 when they had returned to the table1 as the head of the house was instructed to do1 explained why they sat at the ,feast3-- 8,our ,fathers1 when they took the ,feast for the first time in ,egypt1 my son1 took it standing1 with their loins girt1 and their staff in hand1 for they were starting on that great journey that eventually lasted forty years4 ,but we1 their descendants1 eat the feast to-day1 sitting at our ease1 as a symbol that our people have been delivered from the cruel bondage40 ,then the first ,hallel was repeated4--,psalms #aac1 and #aad4 ,the second cup of ,blessing was taken by each4 ,then ,cohen asked a ,blessing on each kind of food on the table4 ,then he carved a portion of lamb for each one1 they took their seats1 and the meal began4 ,the children were excused from eating the stinging bitter herbs4 ,but ,cohen1 ,rachel1 and ,zillah1 each took a little with their lamb and unleavened bread4 ,conversation became fairly general over the meal1 except that ,rachel's sullen anger increased1 and she kept silent4 ,at the conclusion of the meal1 the third cup of ,blessing was drunk1 and ,cohen repeated the #aae1 #aaf1 #aag1 #aah1 ,psalm4 ,at the close of the ,hallel1 the fourth1 and last cup of ,blessing was taken4 ,the ,feast was over4 ,a sudden silence fell upon them all4 ,no one moved1 no one spoke1 for a moment4 ,suddenly ,zillah broke the dead silence4 ,she had a glorious voice1 and she let it ring out in that wondrous song3-- 8,not all the blood of beasts ,on ,jewish altars slain ,could give the guilty conscience peace1 ,or wash away our stain40 ,no one interrupted4 ,cohen could not1 for the thrall of some strange1 new power was upon him4 ,his wife was furious--but kept her fury bottled up4 ,the children were delighted1 they loved to hear their aunt sing1 and to the amaze of their father and mother--they joined in the singing1 for1 with other children1 they had often of late been to the evening meeting for ,jewish children4 ,and ,zillah1 who had talked with them1 believed that they loved the ,christ4 ,without a break1 the three voices sang on3 8,but ,christ the ,heavenly ,lamb1 ,takes all our sins away2 ,a sacrifice of nobler name1 ,and richer ,blood than they4 8,my faith would lay her hand ,on that meek head of ,thine1 ,while as a penitent ,i stand1 ,and here confess my sin4 8,my soul looks back to see ,the burden ,thou didst bear ,when hanging on the accursed tree1 ,and knows her guilt was there4 8,believing we rejoice ,to feel the curse remove2 ,we bless the ,lamb with cheerful voice1 ,and trust ,his bleeding love40 ,again1 for full thirty seconds1 as the glorious song finished1 there was an absolute silence1 save for the ricketting of ,rachel's chair1 as she moved in pettish anger on her seat4 ,zillah had kept her eyes fixed upon ,cohen's face all the time she was singing1 and had seen a strangely wondrous light slowly gather in his eyes4 ,she had known1 for days1 that he was very1 very near to the point of acceptance of ,christ4 ,even as they had gathered at the table of the ,passover1 she was not sure1 but that in all but profession and testimony1 he was a ,christian4 ,now he suddenly broke the silence4 8,sing the last two verses again1 ,zillah0 he said4 8,my soul looks back to see ,the burden ,thou didst bear ,when hanging on the accursed tree1 ,and knows her guilt was there40 ,zillah's glorious voice rang out4 ,and now1 even to her wonder1 ,cohen's deeper tones joined hers4 ,her heart leaped as she noted the emphasis he put upon the 8,my soul40 ,she sang on4 ,his voice sang on too4 ,then came the last verse1 and in a perfect burst of triumph1 his voice rang out3-- 8,believing ,i rejoice ,to feel the curse remove2 ,i bless the ,lamb with cheerful voice1 ,and trust ,his bleeding love60 ,it was a strangely ecstatic moment for ,zillah4 ,tears flooded her eyes1 she tried to speak1 but her emotion choked her4 ,cohen stood up4 ,his face was ablaze with the wonder of the revelation that had come to him4 ,he spread his hands upward1 and his eyes were lifted in the same direction1 as he cried3-- 8,thou loving ,christ6 ,thou ,precious ,jesus6 ,i am ,thine--,,thine--,,thine--60 ,then he remembered his wife4 8,rachael1 dear heart10 he cried1 as he moved to her side4 8,machael1 wife of my heart4 ,jesus is the ,messiah60 8,bah60 she cried4 ,with a thrust of her hand and foot1 she kept him from her4 ,then in tones of withering scorn and disgust1 she cried3 8,mehusmed60 ,he bent over her very tenderly1 stooping to meet her eyes1 and trying to take her hand4 ,the two children clung to ,zillah1 and the boy suddenly began to pipe out1 in his clear treble1 the hymn so beloved of ,jewish children who attend the mission meetings4 8,come to the ,saviour1 ,make no delay10 ,rachael shot a fiercely angry glance in the boy's direction1 then without looking at her husband1 she thrust at him1 to prevent his taking her hand1 as she cried3-- 8,accursed6 ,mehusmed6 ,don't touch me60 8,but1 ,rachael60 he began tenderly4 ,she flung herself sharply round upon him and spat full in his face4 ,then she turned sharply from him again4 ,a full half minute went by4 ,the room grew so eerily still that it startled her4 ,she turned to gaze where the quartette had been4 ,the room was empty save for herself6 ,with a cry she started to her feet4 ,they could not have gone out of the door for her chair had all the time stood right in the way4 ,what was this then that had happened8 ,her breath came hot and laboured4 ,her eye-balls bulged horribly6 ,a reeling sickness began to steal over her4 ,she dropped back1 terrified1 in her chair1 gasping3-- 8,zillah said this morning 8,the ,christ will come soon1 suddenly1 then those who are ,his1 will be taken1 unseen1 unheard1 from the world60 ,with a sharp1 anguished cry1 she let her bulging1 terror-filled eyes sweep the room again as she cried3-- 8,and my children1 too60 ,her eyes were tearless1 but dry1 hard sobs shook all her frame4 ,the next moment a kind of frenzy seized her4 ,she rushed to the front door1 and into the street4 ,she would find out if any one else was missing4 ,a little crowd was on the pavement4 ,a hansom cab stood by the curb4 ,the fare was standing on the front board4 ,he was a minister of some kind4 ,he wore a ,m4,b4 waistcoat1 a clerical collar1 a soft1 wide-brimmed1 black felt hat4 ,he glanced up at the driver's seat1 as he cried3-- 8,but some one1 surely1 must have seen what became of him4 ,if he fell off his box in a fit1 where is his body80 8,i seed him one hinstant10 cried a voice from the crowd1 8,i wur lookin straight at 'im1 'cos ,i sed to myself1 taint often as yer see a kebby wear a white 'at1 now-a-days4 ,then1 while ,i wur starin' at 'im1 he sort o' disappeared1 the reins fell on the roof o' the keb1 the 'oss stopped1 an--0 8,he's gone60 shrieked a woman's voice4 ,it was ,rachael4 ,bare-headed1 dressed in all her festal finery1 she had just rushed down the steps of the house1 and heard the question and answer as to the disappearance of the hansom driver4 ,the crowd turned and faced her1 her shrill tones had startled them4 8,he's gone to ,jehovah60 she screamed again4 8,my husband1 my sister1 my two children--we were at ,passover--we----0 ,with a piercing shriek she flung up her arms1 laughed hideously and fell in a huddled heap on the bottom step of the flight4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 8,,this ,,saying ,,shall ,,come ,,to ,,pass40 ,tom ,hammond greeted his sub most heartily4 ,ralph had been away1 in ,paris1 for a fortnight1 partly on business1 partly for a change4 ,as soon as their greetings were exchanged1 he turned eagerly to ,hammond1 as he said3-- 8,but ,i say1 old man1 what on earth is all this jargon you wrote me about1 the return of the ,christ1 and----0 ,he paused suddenly4 ,his eyes had just caught sight of the great placard4 ,his gaze was riveted on it4 ,he read the two words aloud3-- 8,,to-,,day8 ,,perhaps60 ,in a voice of wondering amaze1 he gasped3-- 8,what's that1 ,tom8 ,what does it mean80 ,tom ,hammond repeated1 in a few sentences1 what he had previously written to his friend1 as to his conversion1 then1 passing on to the subject of the ,lord's second coming1 he said3 8,i am so impressed1 ,ralph1 with the imminence of our ,lord's return1 that ,i have had that placard done to arrest the attention of callers upon me1 and give me an opportunity of speaking to them about their eternal destiny4 ,to-day1 too1 ,i have been impressed so with the necessity of speaking to the world--8,the ,courier's0 world1 ,i mean of course--on this great1 this momentous subject1 that ,i have made it the subject of my #8,prophet's ,chamber' column40 ,he gathered up the sheets of his ,m4,s4 he had written1 and passed them over the table to ,ralph ,bastin4 8,you will see1 ,i have written it in the most simple1 almost colloquial style1 ,ralph10 he said4 8,i wanted it to be a man's quiet1 earnest1 simple utterance to his fellow man1 and not a journalist's article40 ,ralph ,bastin's eyes raced over the papers4 ,his face was a strange study1 while he read1 reflecting a score of different1 ever-changing emotions1 but amid them all never losing a constant deepening amaze4 ,as he finished the last sheet1 he looked ,tom ,hammond hard and searchingly in the face4 8,my dear ,tom10 he began4 ,his voice was very grave1 very serious4 8,you'll ruin ,the ,courier6 ,you will ruin yourself6 ,the world will call you mad----60 8,they called my ,lord mad1 ,ralph1 and they have called ,his servants mad1 over and over again1 ever since40 ,there was not a shadow of cant in his voice and manner1 as he went on3-- 8,the word of our ,god1 ,ralph--which is the only real rule of life1 tells us that ,christ1 whose name ,i profess1 said3-- 8#8,whosoever shall confess me1 before men1 him will ,i confess also before my ,father which is in ,heaven4444 ,if any man will come after ,me1 let him deny himself1 and take up his cross daily1 and follow ,me4 ,for whosoever will save his life shall lose it3 but whosoever will lose his life1 for ,my sake1 the same shall save it4 ,for what is a man advantaged1 if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul4444 8#8,for whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of ,my words4' 7#8,surely ,i come quickly1' ,ralph1 is one of ,his very last recorded words17 #8of him shall the ,son of ,man be ashamed1 when ,he shall come in ,his own glory1 and in ,his ,father's1 and of the holy angels4'0 ,tom ,hammond leant forward in his chair to lay his hand on the wrist of the other1 to plead with him4 ,but1 with an exclamation of angry impatience1 ,ralph1 cried3 8,hang it1 old man1 you must be going dotty60 ,with an expression of annoyance1 almost amounting to disgust1 he swung round on his heel4 8,look here1 ,tom10 he began4 ,he swirled back to meet his friend face to face4 ,then1 with a startled cry1 he stared at the chair1 in which1 an instant before1 ,tom ,hammond had been sitting4 ,the chair was empty6 8,good ,god60 he gasped4 ,instinctively he knew what had happened6 ,involuntarily his eyes travelled to the ,placard1 and in the same moment he recalled the closing words of ,tom ,hammond's ,m4,s4 which he had just read3-- 8#8,then shall it come to pass1 that which is written1 8,,one ,,shall ,,be ,,taken1 ,,the ,,other ,,left4'0 ,a strange1 unnatural trembling seized him4 ,he dropped into the chair he had been occupying1 and stared at the empty revolving chair opposite4 8,good----,god60 ,he slowly repeated the words4 ,there was no thought of irreverence in the utterance4 ,it was the unconscious acknowledgment of ,god's ,presence and ,power4 ,for a time--he never knew how long--he sat still and silent like a man stunned4 ,then1 as his eyes travelled slowly to where the sheets of ,m4,s4's lay1 he smiled wearily1 drew them towards him1 and took his stylo from his pocket4 ,putting the most powerful pressure of his will upon himself1 he began to write after the last works penned by his translated chief3-- 8,p4,s4--,written by the sub-editor of 8,the ,courier40 ,by the time this printed sheet is being read1 the world will have learned that a section of the community has been suddenly taken from our midst4 ,the ,editor of ,the ,courier1 the giant mind and kindly heart of ,tom ,hammond1 have been taken from us4 8,the writer of this postscript1 who was in the room1 when the 8,prophet0 of ,the ,courier was taken1 was in the act of scorning his message as to the nearing of the great translation4 8,in a moment1 in the twinkling of an eye0 he was gone4 8,the writer has not left the room since1 and has no means of knowing who else among those known to him are missing1--not many personal acquaintances1 he fears1 since one's personal clique has never shown any very marked signs of what one has hitherto considered an ultra type of ,christianity1 a condition of 8righteous overmuch40 8,when we pass out of this room1 presently1 and touch the great outside world once more1 what shall we find8 ,how soon will it be generally known that a section of the community--a larger section1 maybe1 than we conceive possible--has been silently1 suddenly1 secretly taken from our midst8 ,what will follow8 ,where are the prophets who shall teach us where we are1 and what we may expect8 ,does the end of the world follow next8 ,is there any order of events1 specified in the ,bible1 that follows this mysterious translation1 if so1 what is it8 ,who will show us these things8 8,again1 since ,i1 the writer of this postscript1 am left1 while my friend1 ,hammond1 is taken1 why am ,i left1 and why shall ,i find--as of course ,i shall when ,i begin to go abroad among mine acquaintance--hundreds of others left8 ,i have been christened1 confirmed1 have occasionally #8communicated1'--this is the clerical term1 though as ,i write1 it occurs to me that there must have been some flaw1 somewhere1 in the #8communicating4' 8,i have always supposed myself a ,christian by virtue of these things1 to which a clean1 decent life has been added4 ,thousands upon thousands1 ,i feel sure1 will be puzzled by this same contemplation1 when this wonderful ,translation becomes generally known4 8,if we are not made ,christians by christening1 confirmation1 communicating1 why have we always been taught so1 by our clergy8 ,how many of these same clergy shall we find left behind4 8,and ,i suppose there will have been some kind of kindred process at work among the ,nonconformists bodies--in pulpit and pew1 alike4 ,for ourselves1 we have come little in contact with ,nonconformity1 but1 if what is accepted generally1 to-day1 as to the religious situation1 be true--that the curse of the ,ritualism of the #8,establishment1' finds its parallel in the ,rationalism1 ,unitarianism1 ,socialism1 etc41 of ,nonconformity--then ,i shall expect to find as many ,nonconformists1 lay and ministerial1 left behind from this mysterious1 spiritual translation1 as churchmen40 ,there came a tap at the door4 ,the messenger boy ,charley1 appeared4 ,he glanced towards the empty ,editor's chair1 then stammered4 8,i beg pardon1 sir1 ,i thought ,mr4 ,hammond was here1 sir4 ,they have jest blown up the tube to know if the #8,prophet's' column was ready40 ,ralph ,bastin noticed that the eyes of the boy flitted from his face to the placard4 8,know what that means1 ,charley80 ,bastin asked4 8,yus1 sir1 leastways1 ,i knows what ,mr4 ,hammond means by it6 ,e sez that ,jesus ,christ's comin' back1 an' goin' to take all the real ,christians out 'er the world1 an' nobody wont see 'em go1 nor nothink4 ,i 'eard ,mr4 ,hammond 'splainin' it all to a gent1 t'other day40 ,curious to know if the boy himself had thought seriously at all of the matter1 ,bastin said3-- 8,what do you think of it1 ,charley80 8,wal1 it's like this1 sir1 ,i aint been to no ,sunday ,school since ,i wus quite a young 'un1 'bout eight perhaps4 ,an' ,i never goes to no ,church nor ,chapel1 cos why8 ,why 'cos ,sunday's the only day--'cepts my 'olidays--when ,i gits any chance fur any rickreation or fresh hair4 ,so ,i aint up much in 'ligious things4 ,but my sister1 ,lulu1 she walks out wi' a chap as teaches in a ,sunday ,school--leastways1 he oosed to afore he took up wi' our ,lulu1 but now 'e wants 'is ,sunday ,school time fur spoonying1 an' 'e can spoon1 sir1 there's no error--well1 knowin' as 'e oosed to do summat at 'ligion1 ,i ups an' arsks 'im about what ,mr4 ,hammond said1 about that takin' away business1 an 'e 7,jimmy ,doubleyou1 ,lulu's chap1 ,i mean1 sir17 larfed1 an' said1 8,don't yer b'lieve any sich rot6 ,d'yer think ,gawd 'ud go an' kidnap all ',is people like that80#a #a ,at a ,bible-,reading in ,malvern in the house of one of ,god's choicest saints1 ,miss ,ann ,boobbyer1 where the precious truth of 8,the ,rapture0 was being unfolded1 a minister present1 who was much used of ,god1 as an evangelist1 started up1 and cried1 8,what6 ,my ,lord coming to ,kidnap all ,his people8 ,never6 ,never6 ,i'll not believe that60 ,ralph ,bastin would have smiled1 at any other time1 at this curious reply4 ,but1 to-night1 his soul was too sobered4 ,gathering up the sheets of ,m4,s4's1 he clipped them together1 stamped them with ,hammond's mechanical imprimatur1 and handed the sheaf to the lad1 giving him instructions to deliver them in the ,composing ,room4 ,as the lad left the room1 he sat back in his chair1 and tried to think out the position of affairs4 ,he had hardly settled himself down1 before the messenger boy returned4 8',scuse me1 sir10 the lad began1 8but summat curious hev 'appened4 ,there's two #8holy ,joes1' in the ,composing room1 an' one in the ,sterio room--leastways1 they oosed to be--an' they's all three bunked off1 somewheres1 nobody seed 'em go1 an their coats an' 'ats is 'ung hup where they ussally is1 an' some o' the chaps says as they's translated4 ,alf ,charman1 one o' the comp's1 oosed to talk like ,mr4 ',ammond did1 sir----0 ,the boy looked a trifle fearsomely at the empty editor's chair1 as he added4 8,mr4 ',ammond1 sir1 ,i--er--,i suppose as--'e--'e aint----40 8,mr4 ,hammond has gone out60 ,bastin rapped out the words quite sharply4 ,all this talk of the missing men was getting on his nerves4 8,that will do1 ,charley60 he added4 ,the lad walked slowly to the door1 his eyes fixed on the placard1 his lips moving to the words1 8,to-day80 8,perhaps60 8,coorius60 he muttered as he passed out of the room4 ,ralph ,bastin tried again to settle himself down for a quiet think4 ,suddenly he started to his feet1 wild of eye1 and with horror in his face4 8,viola80 he muttered4 8,my beautiful little ,viola8 ,she has talked continuously of the ,christ of late4 ,has she been----80 ,he seized his hat1 and with a crushed down sob of literal fear1 he rushed away4 ,outside the office he came upon a hansom4 ,he leaped into it1 shouting the ,bloomsbury address to the man4 8,drive for your life60 he yelled4 8,a sovereign for you if you get me there quickly60 ,the man's horse was fresh4 ,they rushed through the streets4 ,arriving at the house1 he tossed the driver his promised sovereign1 and letting himself in with his latch key1 he dashed into the drawing room4 ,it was empty6 ,he was leaving the room hurriedly1 when he encountered the landlady4 8,miss ,viola has gone to bed1 sir1 she overtired herself1 visiting the sick-poor with her flowers1 and all that1 to-day1 and she----0 8,thanks60 with a hurried nod he raced up the stairs4 ,the child's bedroom was next to his own4 ,he entered it without knocking4 ,he was too much agitated to stand upon ceremony4 ,the room was in darkness1 he struck a match1 laid it to the gas nipple1 then shot a quick glance at the bed4 ,in that first glance1 he saw that it was empty4 ,he went close up to the bed1 it had been occupied1 he could see that4 ,he thrust his hand well down under the clothes4 ,there was faint body warmth left in the bedding--or it seemed so to him4 8,god help me80 he groaned4 ,and two great tears fell glittering from his eyes4 8,viola6 ,viola6 my precious darling60 he moaned4 8,you were my life1 my----0 ,his emotion choked him4 ,he was dropping into the chair by the bedside1 when he noticed that the back and seat of the chair were strewn with the under-clothing1 which the child had evidently placed there when disrobing4 ,with eyes blinded with tears1 he lifted the dainty garments in a pile1 and laid them on the foot of the bed4 ,then he dropped back into the chair1 buried his face in the pillow--the impress of the lost1 beautiful head was left in the pillow--and wept4 ,for five minutes he remained thus4 ,then rousing himself1 he muttered3--8,i must play the man6 and get back to the office and lay hold of things40 ,he left the room1 and managed to clear the house without encountering his landlady4 ,lucky in finding a hansom1 he had himself driven first to the central ,news ,agency4 ,he wanted to find out if anything of the mystery was generally known4 ,the careless-minded1 light-hearted tapists1 clerks and journalists1 were laughing over the few vague rumours of the translation that had reached them4 ,he said nothing of what he knew1 and drove on to the office4 8,if the world has to go on1 for a time1 just as it has been going1 in spite of this wonderful thing10 he muttered1 8then1 as acting editor of the ,courier1 ,i had better stifle every feeling1 save the professional1 and give ,london--,england--the best morning issue under the new condition of things40 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,foiled6 ,thin and pale1 but with the likeness of ,god shining in her dark eyes--there was the bruise-like colour of great exhaustion under each eye--,mrs4 ,joyce sat wearily stitching at her warehouse needle-work4 ,jem ,joyce1 the drunken1 reprobate husband1 was serving a six weeks sentence for his old crime1 drunken disorderliness in the streets1 and assaulting the police4 ,his time would soon be up4 ,the fearsome wife had recalled the fact1 that very day1 though she could not be sure of the actual date4 ,as she worked now her voice whispered low in song3-- 8,it may be in the evening1 ,when the work of the day is done1 ,and you have time to sit in the twilight ,and watch the sinking sun1 ,when the long1 bright day dies slowly ,over the sea1 ,and the hour grows quiet and holy ,with thoughts of ,me2 ,while you hear the village children ,passing along the street1 ,among those thronging footsteps ,may come the sound of ,my feet4 ,therefore ,i tell you3 ,watch ,by the light of the evening-star1 ,when the room is growing dusky ,as the clouds afar2 ,let the door be on the latch ,in your home1 ,for it may be through the gleaming ,i will come40 ,low1 soft1 yearning in its passionate longing for her ,lord's ,return1 she began again to hum her lay1 when a step sounded somewhere near4 ,so keenly had her imagination been aroused by her song1 and by her long1 yearning-dwelling on the theme of the song1 that she1 almost unconsciously to herself1 rose to her feet1 her work and needle held lightly in her hand1 her face turned towards the door4 ,for one instant1 her imagination had suggested the step to have been her ,lord's4 ,the next moment she turned deadly pale4 ,she had recognized the step4 ,it was her husband's4 ,she had just time to drop back into her chair1 and1 tremblingly1 to resume her work1 when the brute entered4 ,he was drunk--viciously1 murderously drunk4 ,he began to curse her1 the moment he crossed the threshold4 ,he called her foul names that brought the flush of a great shame--for him1 not for herself--to her cheeks4 ,he sneered at her religion1 and blasphemed the name of her ,lord4 ,her lips moved1 but no sound came from them4 ,she prayed for grace to be silent1 for she feared to aggravate him4 ,suddenly1 he shook his fist in her face1 and hissed3-- 8,curse you6 ,you ----6 ,do you know ,i've only come back to you to settle all my scores4 ,i've come to----0 ,his foaming1 blaspheming rage choked him1 and he leaped forward1 7she had drawn back from his clenched fist7 and caught her by the throat4 ,she could not cry out4 ,she thought his purpose was to strangle her4 ,he glared murderously back into her eyes1 which his awful grip was forcing from their sockets4 ,he shook her fiercely1 hurling hideous blasphemies at her all the time4 ,then he essayed to put his real purpose in view1 and drawing himself up1 and drawing her1 at the same time1 towards himself1 he hurled himself forward to dash her head against the wall of the room4 ,it was his head that struck the wall4 ,his hands clutched air4 ,he fell head-long stunned1 bleeding1 and--presently1 he was dead4 ,the room was very still4 ,awesomely silent4 ,margaret ,joyce was in the air1 with her ,lord6 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,a ,,castaway4 ,madge and her husband left ,albany on the ,monday morning1 ostensibly for a brief honey-moon1 but1 chiefly1 with a view to recruit her husband's health4 ,they had gone to a tiny little house among the ,catskills1 kept by a coloured woman named 8,julie40 ,the pastor had been there before1 and had himself chosen this quiet retreat for their marriage trip4 ,the heart of ,madge was broken1 for her husband would not be friendly with her4 ,he was barely civil when he spoke to her1 and answered her in short1 sharp monosyllables only4 ,all the old natural pride1 with which she would have met this treatment a fortnight ago1 or less1 was1 fortunately1 for him1 swallowed up in her new found faith in1 and her utter surrender to ,god4 ,and with this there had come to her the patience and purifying1 born of the ,hope of the near return of the ,lord1 whom she now loved4 ,she had been alone1 thinking over the whole position1 for a couple of hours4 ,the situation had become intolerable4 ,she determined to make an appeal to him1 though it hurt her natural pride even to contemplate it4 8,help me6 ,teach me6 ,guide me60 she cried unto her ,god4 ,and in the strength of the divine promises of upholding and guidance1 she decided to go to her husband4 99 99 99 99 99 ,he was alone1 with a book before him on the table4 ,but he was not reading4 ,he was not even thinking4 ,his mind was in a confused whirl1 born of the inward rage of a much discomfited man4 ,he had made a fool of himself1 in public4 ,he knew it1 and he had been too proud to apologize4 ,he had spurned and snubbed the woman1 for whom he had professed to be dying of love1 and who had made the greatest sacrifice any honest woman can make to man--since she had offered herself to him1 in marriage4 ,he knew that1 in the eyes of his wife1 and in the eyes of the little world he had lived and laboured in1 that he had lowered himself1 had proved himself less than ordinarily human4 ,some of his own recent platform and pulpit utterances1 returned to his mind1 and they stung him by their reproach4 ,the very last sermon he had preached1 before his breakdown of health1 had had for its text1 8,to him that overcometh1 will ,i give----40 ,in the course of his address he had alluded to the shame of some of life's failures1 and had quoted ,william ,s4 ,walsh's 8,ichabod40 ,now1 as he sat brooding over his own fall1 the lines returned to him4 ,they mocked him1 gibed at him1 becoming1 to his brooding imagination1 sentient things with laughing1 mocking1 sneering voices1 that somehow contrived to fling back into his ears1 the very tones of his own voice1 as he had declaimed the verses from his platform1 weeks ago3 8,alas1 for the lofty dreaming1 ,the longed-for high emprise1 ,for the man whose outer seeming ,his inner self belies6 8,i looked on the life before me ,with purpose high and true1 ,when the passions of youth surged o'er me1 ,and the world was strange and true4 8,where the hero-soul rejoices ,i would play the hero's part2 ,my ears were attuned to the voices ,that speak to the poet's heart4 8,i would conquer a place in story1 ,with a soul unsmirched by sin2 ,my heart should be crowned with glory1 ,my heart be pure within4 8,but the hour that should have crowned me1 ,cast all high hope adown1 ,and the time of trial found me1 ,a sinner1 coward1 clown40 ,the thought that many of those who heard him declaim those lines1 would be now recalling them1 and perhaps be applying them to himself1 half maddened him4 ,and it was at this worst of all moments for her mission of reconciliation1 that ,madge entered the room4 ,with a rare gentleness she began to plead with him1 reminding him of all the passionate love he had expressed for her up to the very moment1 almost1 when they entered the church together for that ,sunday morning service4 ,he answered her coldly1 sullenly at first4 ,then he grew pettishly angry with her1 and snapped sharply at her1 contradicting her in nearly all she said3 8,but1 ,homer10 she pleaded again1 and in the deep yearning heart to win him back to his old loving self1 she knelt before him1 and tried to take his hand4 ,with an angry exclamation1 he rose sharply to his feet and thrust her away with his foot1 as he cried3-- 8,i don't want you6 ,you go your way1 ,i'll go mine1 and----0 ,he stopped suddenly4 ,with a sharp cry of agony1 he stretched his hands out into the empty space1 where an instant before1 she had knelt--for1 in one flashing moment1 she had disappeared from before his eyes4 8,madge6 ,madge1 dear love1 dear love1 dear wife60 he cried4 ,the sound of his own voice struck chilly upon his soul4 ,deep1 deep down in his heart he knew what had happened--only he would not own it to himself4 ,he flashed a swift glance at the window and door4 ,both were fast shut4 8,this is what ,doig preached6 ,what ,madge believed would come to pass60 he cried1 hoarsely4 ,there was a strange look of terror in his eyes4 8,julie will have gone1 too1 if it is the--the--40 ,he did not finish his muttered thought4 ,like a man walking in his sleep1 he moved to the door1 opened it1 and called1 loudly3--8,julie60 ,there came no reply4 ,an eerie stillness was in the house4 ,he moved on into the kitchen1 the room was empty4 ,a saucepan of milk was boiling over on the hot-plate of the grate6 ,he hurried into the garden1 calling 8,madge6 ,julie60 ,there was no response4 ,he went back to the house4 ,the turkeys had strayed into the kitchen1 there being no one to drive them back4 ,he made a hurried1 fearsome tour of the house4 ,every room was empty6 ,he went back to where he had been1 when ,madge was taken1 with a groan he dropped into his chair1 staring into space with horror-stricken eyes4 ,suddenly1 as though a living voice uttered them1 the words of scripture sounded in his ears4 8,lest1 that by any means1 when ,i have preached to others1 ,i myself should be a castaway60 ,a mortal agony filled his eyes1 as he groaned3-- 8,god help me6 ,i know now that ,i have only been a minister1 by training and by profession1 ,i have never been a son of ,god by conversion1 by the ,new ,birth60 ,his untaught soul had misinterpreted the real inwardness of that passage of ,paul's4 ,but it was true1 in the sense he meant it1 he was 8a castaway40 ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,a ,,stricken ,,city4 ,it was not really until business time next morning1 that ,london1 that the whole country1 really fully awoke to the fact of the great event of the previous night4 ,suburbans1 in many cases1 only heard the strange news on their arrival at their particular railway stations4 ,even then1 a hundred rumours were the order of the moment4 ,everything reported was vague and shadowy4 ,there were a few rank unbelievers of the garbled stories of the translation1 who laughed sceptically1 then began to grumble at the strange disorganization of the ,railway traffic4 ,more than one annoyed1 belated traveller1 remarked in similar terms to the utterance of a commercial traveller1 at ,surbiton station3-- 8,if there is any actual truth in this story of the secret translation of a number of religious people1 then the mysterious taking away of so many signal-men1 and engine-men1 will be an eye-opener to the travelling public1 who never1 somehow1 suppose that ,christianity is a strong factor in the lives of railway men40 8,it is a revelation in another way10 remarked a second1 8since it suggests why we have hitherto had so few railway accidents1 compared with other nations40 ,the tens and hundreds of thousands1 the millions1 poured into ,london as usual4 ,but the snap had gone out of most of them4 ,a horrible sense of foreboding1 was upon the spirits of the travellers4 ,as the newspapers more fully confirmed the news1 ,london approached perilously near the verge of a general panic4 ,the newspapers were bought up with phenomenal eagerness4 8,souf ,efriken ,war worn't in it1 fur clearin' out peepers60 a street seller remarked4 ,but few of the morning papers1 7except the 8,courier07 had anything special to say on the great event4 ,most of them1 in fact1 were absolutely silent4 ,there were weather prophecies1 political prophecies1 financial prophecies1 social prophecies1 sporting prophecies1 commercial prophecies1--but no prophecy of the ,coming of the ,christ4 ,the 8,courier's0 rival had a brief note to the effect3-- 8,some wild1 senseless rumours were abroad in ,london last night1 as to the sudden1 mysterious disappearance of numbers of the ultra religious persons of ,london1 and elsewhere4 ,some people talked wildly of the end of the world4 ,we therefore despatched special commissioners1 to ascertain what truth there was in all this4 ,our representative returned an hour and a half later1 after having visited all the chief places of amusement and principal restaurants4 ,but everywhere managers told the same story1 #8there has been no signs of the end of the world in our place4 ,we are fuller than ever4' ,the genial manager of the ---- ,theatre1 assured our ,representative1 that no later than last ,sunday morning1 he heard it repeated at his ,church1 that #8as it was in the beginning1 is now1 and ever shall be1 world without end1 ,amen4' ,so that1 for the life of him1 he could not conceive any one being such a fool as to talk of the end of the world40 ,but the note of the 8,courier's0 clarion call had no uncertain sound4 ,besides all that we have already seen written in the office by the translated ,tom ,hammond1 and afterwards by ,ralph ,bastin1 the latter had added to his postscript1 another4 ,it was a solemn1 a pathetic word1 and ran as follows3 8,our sheets must go to press in a few moments1 if the 8,courier0 is to be in the hands of its readers at the usual hour4 ,but before we print1 we feel compelled to add a word or two more to what we wrote two hours ago4 8,during the last two hours1 we have made many discoveries1 not the least of which1 from the personal standpoint1 is the fact1 that the nearest and dearest being to our own heart and life1 one whose life and thought1 of late1 has been strangely taken up by the ,christ of ,god1 is missing4 ,she has shared in the glory and joy of the wondrous1 mysterious1 and--to most of us1 to all of us surely who are left--unexpected translation4 8,we have no wish or intention to parade our own personal griefs before our readers1 but dare to say that no journalist ever worked with a more broken1 crushed sense of life1 than did we during the two hours we afterwards spent in searching ,london for facts4 8,one curious fact which we speedily discovered1 was1 that no one had been taken in this wondrous translation1 from any of the ,theatres or music-halls4 ,in the old days--four hours ago1 seems1 to look back to1 like four centuries--before this awfully solemn event1 discussions arose1 periodically1 in certain religious and semi-religious journals1 as to whether true ,christians could attend the theatre and music-hall40 8,the fact that no one appears to have been translated from any of these ,london houses of amusement1 answers1 we think1 that question1 as it has never been answered before40 ,here followed a brief resume of his experiences in other quarters4 ,then in big black type he asked the question3-- 8,,what ,,follows1 7,,according ,,to ,,the ,,bible ,,program7 ,,this ,,stupendous ,,event8--,the ,bible1 evidently1 7when read aright7 told those1 who have been taken from our midst1 that this translation was approaching1 then it must surely give some hint of what we may expect to follow so startling an episode as that of to-night4 ,the question is1 what follows80 8,there must surely be many clergymen and ministers who knew about this great translation1 who though not living in the spirit of what they knew1 and being therefore left behind1 like the common ruck of those of us1 who were carelessly ignorant--there must be many such ministers left1 who could teach us now1 what to expect next1 and how to prepare for the next eruption--whatever form it may take40 8,we therefore propose to any such ministers1 that they gather us into the ,albert ,hall1 ,agricultural ,hall1 ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral1 ,spurgeon's ,tabernacle1 ,whitfields--why not1 in fact1 into every church1 chapel1 ,salvation ,army ,barracks1 or even in the great open spaces such as ,hyde ,park1 and other ,parks1 ,primrose ,hill1 ,hampstead ,heath1 etc41 and teach us1 who are left behind from the wondrous ,translation1 that has just occurred1 how to be prepared for the next mighty change1 for we believe the bulk of us are absolutely in the dark40 8,meanwhile1 are there no houses in ,paternoster ,row1 and its neighbourhood1 where books and pamphlets on these momentous subjects can be obtained1 or are all such publishers translated with those of whom we have been writing80 ,one effect of the last suggestion1 in ,bastin's second postscript1 was to send thousands of people to ,paternoster ,row1 the ,square1 ,ivy ,lane1 and all the neighbourhood4 ,some of the publishers of books on the ,lord's ,second ,coming1 had been left behind1 had not shared in the ,rapture of which they had printed and published4 ,storekeepers1 packers1 masters1 clerks1 were most of them reading up the contents of their own wares4 ,business system among them1 at first1 seemed an unknown quantity4 ,deadness1 amaze1 fear1 uncertainty1 all of these things held and dominated them4 ,but they had to wake up4 ,their counters were besieged4 ,hordes of people thronged the doors4 ,in twenty minutes after the first great influx1 there was not a tract1 a booklet1 or a volume1 on the 8,lord's coming1 and the events to follow10 left in the 8,row40 ,at any other time those in command of the stores1 would have tried to get the printing presses at work1 to run off some hundreds of thousands of the briefest of the 8,second ,advent0 literature4 ,but1 to-day1 fear1 nameless fear held every one in thrall4 ,the 8,row0 put up shutters1 and went home--or at least got away from business4 ,business1 everywhere1 was at a standstill4 ,by eleven o'clock most of the city houses were closed4 ,some of the banks never opened at all4 ,throgmorton ,street and the ,stock ,exchange were in a state of dazed incredulity4 ,a few members were missing1 and these were known to be 8,expectants0 of the ,translation4 8,salvation ,s----1 is gone60 some one called out4 8,aye60 cried another1 8,i'd give all ,i possess1 or ever hoped to possess1 to be where he is now4 ,i remember how he tried and prayed to persuade me once to----0 ,there was a rush of members across 8,the ,floor0 at that moment4 ,some one had a proposition to make1 namely a trip to #aja ,queen ,victoria ,street1 to see if there were any ,salvationists left there4 ,a little band1 about a dozen1 responded1 and the silk-hatted1 excited little crowd swept away on their curious quest4 ,,chapter ,,xxviii4 8,,hallelujah ,,lass40 ,there was one 8,hallelujah ,lass10 in the front shop1 at the 8,headquarters40 ,she was bonnetless1 but the big1 navy-blue head-dress laid on a glass show-case4 ,she wore a finely-knitted crimson jersey and braided blue skirt4 ,her eyes were red with weeping4 ,she was strangely distraught4 ,there was no lilt of the song upon her lips3-- 8,oh6 the peace my ,saviour gives1 ,peace ,i never knew before40 8,not all translated then80 began the leader of the ,stock ,exchange band1 addressing her4 ,there was nothing flippant1 nothing sneering in his tone or manner4 ,the girl essayed a reply1 but at first it ended in a sob only4 ,presently she recovered herself enough to say3-- 8,no1 we're not all translated6 ,you see1 sir1 the ,army1 as a body1 never quite admitted the truth of this ,second coming of our ,lord4 ,it has always preached that we1 as an ,army of ,salvation1 were raised up by ,god to get all the world converted4 ,a lady in the train1 as ,i came up to business1 only yesterday----0 ,the girl sighed wearily1 as she interpolated1 8,yesterday seems as far off as ,wesley's times4 ,but1 only yesterday1 this lady1 in the train talked to me about the #8,lord's near return'--that is how she put it--and said1 #8,god is undoubtedly using the ,army in evangelizing the distant heathen1 and thus allowing them to fulfil ,his purpose in calling out those who are to form the ,bride of the ,heavenly ,bridegroom--but1 believe me1 my dear1 the world will never be converted before ,christ comes for ,his ,church4' 8,she talked to me very beautifully1 and simply1 only1 as she said1 one could only grasp these truths in proportion as one kept clear in their minds the things which belonged to the separate dispensations4 8#8,if1' she said1 #8,the ,lord came to-night'--how little she or ,i dreamed that ,he actually would--#8this dispensation would be closed1 and a new one would begin to-morrow4'0 ,the girl looked around in a bewildered way1 almost as though she was looking for something she had lost4 8,i have never known anything about the dispensations1 and their bearing on the ,bible10 she went on4 8,the ,army has always taught us that we should all die1 lie in our graves until 8the last ,day10 then appear before the ,great ,white ,throne1 and be judged according to our lives1 and all that4 ,the lady who spoke to me yesterday--yesterday8 oh1 how far off it seems--explained to me1 from the ,bible1 that true ,christians would never appear before the ,great ,white ,throne4 8,that when the ,great ,white ,throne shall be set1 the real ,christian will be seated in glory with ,jesus1 the ,judge4 ,and only the wicked1 unsaved dead will be judged there4 ,the sin of the true ,christian1 she said1 is done with1 settled1 put away at the ,cross4 8#8,there is therefore now no condemnation 7judgment7 to them who are in ,christ ,jesus4' #8,he that heareth1 and believeth on ,jesus1 hath everlasting life1 and shall not come into the judgment1 but is passed from death unto life4' 8,she told me that the true ,christian1 who might be living1 when the ,lord should ,return1 would be caught up into the air1 with all the ,christian dead1 who will rise from their graves2 and1 that then the only judgment that can ever come to the ,christian1 will take place4 ,that will be at ,christ's judgment of ,rewards4 ,she said that eternal life did not enter into the question4 ,that was settled once and for ever1 but at ,christ's ,reward-judgment1 the ,christian's work would be tried40 ,some of the silk-hatted listening men began to fidget4 ,all this talk was foreign and uninteresting to them4 8,the lady10 the girl went on1 8promised to meet me this morning at the station1 at the same time as we met yesterday1 #8,should the ,lord ,tarry' she said4 ,but ,i saw nothing of her this morning4 ,she had been #8caught up1' of course1 to meet her ,lord in the air1 and ,i----0 ,the girl's voice broke1 her eyes streamed with tears4 ,one of the youngest of the stock-brokers asked3-- 8,but why1 if ,salvationists are ,christians1 are you here8 ,why were you not translated80 8,god help me60 she cried1 8,i know now1 now that it is too late1 that ,i was never converted4 ,i was drawn into an ,army meeting by reports ,i heard of the singing and music4 ,the ,army's methods fascinated me--the young officer who came to our town1 was a very taking fellow4 ,he talked to me in an after-meeting1 ,i wept with the many emotions that were at work within me2 ,i went to the penitent form--and--and--afterwards joined the ,salvation ,army--but ,i know now1 ,i was not really saved40 ,she caught her breath in a quick sob1 then a little glow suddenly filled her face1 as she added3-- 8,but ,i have settled the matter this morning4 ,i have yielded1 intelligently to ,christ1 and ,i know that 8,jesus with me is united1 ,doubting and fears they are gone2 ,with ,him now my soul is delighted1 ,i and ,king ,jesus are one40 8,and10 she cried1 her eyes flashing with a holy light1 8,if witnessing for ,jesus means martyrdom1 then1 by ,god's grace1 ,i'll show by my death that----0 8,are there many ,salvationists left80 interrupted one of her listeners4 ,a quick flush dyed her cheek2 as she replied3-- 8,i can't say6 ,there are some here at head-quarters1 whom ,i should not have thought would have been left behind1 but who are4 ,though ,i don't believe there will be more1 if so many ,salvationists1 as other sects1 in proportion1 be found to be left behind1 or----0 ,the sound of thousands of tramping feet broke into the girl's speech4 ,the little crowd of ,stock-brokers rushed to the door4 ,a dense mass of men and women were marching up the street4 ,every face was set and serious4 ,there were many clergymen and ministers in the crowd1 if the clerical collar and ministerial garb gave true indication of their calling4 8,to ,st4 ,paul's6 ,to ,st4 ,paul's60 a stentorian voice was shouting4 ,the stock-brokers joined the mighty crowd1 which1 grim1 resolute1 silent1 swept on4 99 99 99 99 99 ,by midnight1 or soon after1 a few hours only after the great ,translation1 the hordes of the vicious that festered in the slums--women1 as well as men1 aliens and ,british alike--had heard something of what had happened1 and creeping from their filthy lairs1 began1 at once to become a menace to public life and property4 ,many of the police beats were unprotected1 the men who had been patrolling them sharing in the sudden glorious ,rapture of their ,lord's return4 ,by midnight1 the whole police service had become temporarily disorganized1 if not actually demoralized4 ,scotland ,yard heads of departments were missing1 as well as local ,superintendents1 ,sergeants1 etc4 ,in many cases there was no one to give orders1 or to maintain control4 ,and where leaders were left1 they were often too scared and unnerved to exercise a healthful authority4 ,under these circumstances the hordes of vicious1 and out of work grew bolder every hour4 ,they had no fear of the ,spiritual character of the strange situation1 for ,god1 to them1 was a name only to blaspheme4 ,hell was a merry jest to them1 a synonym for warmth and rest1--a combination which had been all too rare with them on earth4 ,besides1 ,hell had no shadow of terror to people who1 for years1 had suffered the torments of a life in a literal hell in ,london4 ,shops1 and private houses1 and some of the larger business houses had been openly burgled4 ,a rumour got abroad1 that the ,banks were to be raided4 ,ralph ,bastin1 passing the ,bank of ,england1 found that the guard of ,soldiers had been quadrupled1 and this too for the day-time4 ,curious to know how the ,translation of the night before had affected the army1 he asked one of the privates if any of the ,london soldiers were missing8 8,all the #8blue-lights1' 7as we calls the ,christians1 sir17 is missin'4 ,yer see1 sir1 if a feller perfesses to be a ,chrishun in the ,army1 an' aint real1 'e soon gits the perfession knocked outer 'im4 ,on the other han' if 'e's real1 why all the persekushun on'y drives 'is 'ligion deeper inter 'im4 ,yes1 all the #8blue-lights' is gone1 sir1 an' any amount o' officers4 8,these1 as is gone1 is mos'ly the middle-age an' ole ones1 an' those wot's been in ,india1 ,malta1 an' other furrin stations4 ,i've knowed lots o' that sort o' officer1 as oosed to hev ,bible-,readin's at their ,bungalows4 ,ah1 they wur right1 they wur1 the other wur wrong1 an' the wrong 'uns knows to-day as they's out o' luck6 8,if yer arsks my erpinun1 ser1 ,i sez1 that ,london's full o' fools1 to-day1 fur if we'd all been doin' an' thinkin' as we'd oughter1 why we'd be now up in ,glory wi ,jesus4 ,i've yeard the truth at ,so'dger ,homes1 an' sich places1 an' ,i've sung wi' lots o' others3-- 8,blessed are those whom the ,lord finds watching2 ,in his glory they shall share3 ,if ,he shall come at the dawn or midnight1 ,will ,he find us watching there80 8,o1 can we say we are ready1 brother8-- ,ready for the soul's bright home8 ,say1 will ,he find you and me still watching1 ,waiting1 waiting1 when the ,lord shall come80 ,the man suddenly straightened himself1 and glanced away from ,bastin4 ,an officer was approaching4 ,ralph ,bastin walked away1 the thought that filled his mind1 was of the strange mood that had suddenly come over everyone1 since to-day1 everybody seemed ready to talk freely of religious things4 ,he moved on up ,cheapside1 his destination being ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral4 ,,chapter ,,xxix4 ,,in ,,st4 ,,paul',s4 ,the cathedral was packed1 packed out to the doors4 ,the aisles1 and every other inch of standing-room was a solid ,jam4 ,the whole area of the interior showed one black mass of silent waiting1 expectant people--it was curious to note that almost every woman had donned black1 in some form or other4 ,the great organ was silent4 ,no one dreamed of singing4 ,the choir seats were full of strangers4 ,the stalls were filled with an indiscriminate crowd4 ,there was no rule1 no discipline to-day4 ,suddenly the tall1 square-built form of a certain well-known ,bishop1 rose near the pulpit4 ,he had linked his arm in that of one of ,london's most popular ,nonconformist preachers1 and almost dragged him to his feet4 ,there was evidently a controversy going on between the two men as to which of them should address the people1 each urging the other to lead off4 ,the same thought was in the minds of nearly all who were in view of the pair1 namely1 8how comes it that a ,bishop1 and a popular preacher like the ,rev4 ----1 have been left behind80 ,a strange new tenseness1 a deepening silence1 settled upon the mighty mass gathered under that great dome4 ,suddenly the silence was broken by a voice calling3 8,bishop ----40 ,another voice immediately cried1 8,no6 ,the ,rev4 ----40 ,a momentary clamour of voices ensued4 ,the voices were not shrill in their eagerness1 but sullen1 sombre1 almost savage1 in fact4 ,a moment1 and the ,bishop slowly entered the pulpit4 ,he bowed his head in prayer4 ,like the slow1 rushing sound of the letting loose of some distant water1 the noise of thousands of bending forms filled the place1 for everyone bowed the head4 ,a moment later1 the heads were raised4 ,the silence almost of a tomb filled the place1 when the first momentary rustle of the uprearing had subsided4 ,the voice of the ,bishop broke the silence1 crying3-- 8,men and women of ,london1 fellows with me in the greatest shame the world has ever known--the shame of bearing the name ,christian1 and yet of being the rejected of ,christ1--we meet to-day under awful1 solemn circumstances4 8,we are face to face with the most solemnly awful situation the human race has ever known1 if we except the conditions under which1 during those three hours of blackness at ,calvary1 the people of ,jerusalem were found1 while the ,crucified ,christ hung mid-air1 on the ,fatal ,tree4 8,it may be said that our position bears some likeness to that of the people who were destroyed at the ,flood4 ,those antediluvians had one hundred and twenty years warning1 we1 as professing ,christians1 have had nearly two thousand years warning1 yet1 ,london1 ,england and the whole world has by last night's events1 been proved practically heathen--or atheist1 atheist will perhaps best fit our character4 8,the moment came when ,god called ,noah and his family into the ark4 ,but what never occurred to me1 until this morning1 was the significant fact1 that ,god did not shut the door of the ark1 or send the flood1 until seven days later1 thus giving the unbelievers another opportunity to be saved4 8,and ,god has given ,london1 ,england1 ,america1 the world1 this same extra opportunity of being prepared for the ,return of the ,lord1 and the ,translation of ,his ,church4 8,for1 for some years1 now1 conferences1 and conventions1 addresses1 ,bible-,readings1 etc41 where this subject of the ,second ,coming of ,christ has been specially taught1 has been multiplied mightily4 ,i have been present at some of these gatherings1 but1 smiling amusedly at what ,i termed the wild utterances of visionaries1 ,i neglected my opportunity4 8,yet1 of all men1 ,i ought to have been prepared for this ,coming of the ,lord4 ,i have held ministerial office in a church that taught the doctrine1 plainly1 in many of its prayers and collects4 ,but ,i see1 now1 that all through my life1 ,i have been blinded by the letter of things1 and have mistaken christening1 confirmation1 communicating1 for conversion1 and for life in ,christ4 8,i see1 to-day1 that ,i entered the established church of this realm1 and not the family of ,god1 and the service of ,christ4 ,i have never really been ,god's1 by the ,new ,birth1 until last night1 when my dear wife1 in company with all the waiting1 longing church1 was suddenly called up to be with her ,lord4 ,not by death1 dear friends--she saw no death--but by that sudden translation1 that has startled us all so40 ,a low sobbing sound ran through all the building4 ,the gathered thousands1 almost to a man1 realised that they1 with the speaker1 were equally lifeless1 spiritually4 8,i was in the room when my wife disappeared10 the ,bishop went on4 8,she had been very ill4 ,it became necessary to perform a critical operation on her4 ,i insisted on being present4 ,i see the scene now4 8,the nurses standing by the antiseptic baths with the sponges and clips immersed4 ,in the eerie silence of that room1 no sound came save the voice of the great surgeon1 as he cried #8clip'--#8iodoform'--#8bandages4' ,suddenly1 as he half turned to take a bandage of the nurse1 the form of my precious wife disappeared from the operating table4 ,one of the nurses at the antiseptic bowl1 was gone also4 8,and ,i1 a professed servant of the ,christ who had called the translated ones1 was left1 with the great surgeon1 and others1 as you1 dear friends1 many1 most perhaps1 members of some ,christian church1 have been left4 8#8,sister ,carrie gone too6' cried the great surgeon1 #8then you may depend1 ,bishop1 that ,christ has come for all ,his real church1 for ,nurse ,carrie lived in daily1 hourly expectation of some kind of translation4' ,with a puzzled look upon his face1 he said1 suddenly3 8#8,but1 ,bishop1 how is it that you are left behind1 who1 of all men in our midst1 one would have thought would have gone8' 8,i had to say last night to him1 dear friends1 what1 with shame and regret1 ,i have to say to you now1 that ,i ought to have known the ,truth1 and have been prepared1 but because ,i was unconverted1 ,i had failed to apprehend the fact of the ,lord's near ,return4 8,yet1 how often1 on the third ,sunday in ,advent1 have ,i1 with many of you1 repeated the ,great ,truth1 in the collect3-- 8#8,o ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who1 at ,thy first coming1 didst send ,thy messenger to prepare ,thy way before ,thee2 ,grant that the ministers and stewards of ,thy mysteries1 may likewise so prepare and make ready ,thy way1 by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just1 that at ,thy second coming to judge the world1 we may be found an acceptable people in ,thy sight1 who livest and reignest with the ,father1 and the ,holy ,spirit1 ever one ,god1 world without end4 ,amen4' 8,in the burial of our dead1 too1 how often have ,i recited1 and have heard the words1 8#8,beseeching ,thee that it may please ,thee1 of ,thy gracious goodness1 shortly to accomplish the number of ,thine elect1 and to hasten ,thy ,kingdom2 that we1 with all those that are departed in the ,true faith of ,thy ,holy ,name1 may have our perfect consummation and bliss1 both in body and soul1 in ,thy eternal and everlasting glory2 through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4' 8,again1 the words of ,paul in the matter of the ,lord's ,supper #8,,till ,,he ,,come6' ought to have opened my eyes4 ,but ,i confess1 with shame1 ,i have been blind1 a blind leader of the blind----0 ,visible emotion checked the ,bishop's speech1 for a moment4 ,recovering himself1 he went on3-- 8,a blind leader of the blind1 because unborn of ,god4 ,i ought to have known that ,christ's ,return was near4 ,i should have known it1 had ,i been spiritually-minded1 by the signs of the ,apostasy which1 7prophesied to precede the ,second ,coming of the ,lord7 have been having their fulfillment all around us for years4 8,since last night1 ,i have lived a whole life-time4 ,i have read the whole of the ,gospels and ,epistles1 and1 taking my true place as a lost soul before ,god1 ,i have been born of ,god4 ,and now1 here1 in this solemn moment1 ,i bring to you the ,spirit-taught knowledge that has been given to me40 ,for a few minutes1 he traversed ground already covered in these pages1 then1 continuing1 he said3-- 8,last ,sunday1 when1 in all the pride of my office1 ,i preached--preached in my unconscious unbelief--,i quoted those lines of the poet3-- 8#8,they pass me like shadows1 crowds on crowds1 ,dim ghosts of men1 that hover to and fro1 ,hugging their bodies round them like their shrouds ,wherein their souls were buried long ago2 ,they trampled on their youth1 and faith and love1 ,with ,heaven's clear messages they madly strove1 ,and conquered--and their spirits turned to clay4444 ,alas6 poor fools1 the anointed eye may trace ,a dead soul's epitaph in every face4' 8,to-day1 friends1 ,i know that #8the anointed eye' must have traced #8,the dead soul's epitaph1' in my life1 if not in my face4 8,now let us face our present position1 as those who are left6 ,what is the future to be8 ,this is what you need to know1 what ,i need to know6 ,first1 let me say1 the next thing for each to do is to seek the ,lord1 to cry unto ,him for mercy and pardon1 while all our hearts are shocked and startled1 and our thoughts are turned ,god-wards4 ,for unless we close with ,god1 become ,his1 and live out the future to ,him1 our portion will be an ,eternal ,hell40 ,an awful hush rested upon the gathered thousands1 as he proceeded3-- 8,one thing appears very plain from ,scripture1 that is1 that when1 last night1 ,christ came into the air and caught up ,his ,church1 living and dead1 that the ,devil1 who has been the ,prince of the ,power of the air1 had to descend to earth4 ,christ and ,beelzebub can never live together in the same realm4 8,in the re-creation of this earth1 recorded in ,genesis1 ,god blessed everything that ,he created1 save the atmosphere1 ,he did not1 ,he could not bless that because ,satan1 driven from the re-created earth1 by the breath of the divine ,spirit1 had taken refuge in the air4 ,he is therefore called in ,scripture1 not only the #8,prince of this ,world1' but #8,,the ,,prince ,,of ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,the ,,air4' 8,now1 beloved1 the ,spirit of ,god has left the earth4 ,the ,devil has taken up his abode here with all his myriad agents1 and he is going to make earth as hot for those of us who will witness for ,god1 as is hell itself to the lost4 8,if we will witness for ,god during the years we are beginning to-day--called the years of #8,the ,great ,tribulation1' they will probably be seven in number1 and extend therefore to the dawning moment of the ,millennium--if we witness therefore for ,god1 ,i say1 during these intervening seven years1 we may expect to meet with hideous trial and suffering4 8,antichrist will now soon make himself known--he will be a man1 not a system1 mind1--he will mislead the ,jews1 who will now1 immediately1 return to their own land1 and build their ,new ,temple4 ,for a time1 ,antichrist will appear to be the friends of the ,jews1 but he will seek to force the most awful idolatry upon them4 ,the mass of ,jewry will accept all this4 8,with the ,jew1 every ,gentile will presently be compelled to accept ,antichrist1 and the ,roman ,beast----0 ,a sound of protest was heard from a seat near the pulpit1 as the ,bishop spoke of the 8,roman ,beast40 ,but the preacher took no note of the interruption and went on3-- 8,the ,devil will be so mad at being cast down out of heaven1 and because he knows such a very limited time to work against ,god1 that he will call up all hell to stamp out ,god's people40 ,for one instant the ,bishop paused4 ,he leaned over the pulpit edge1 his eyes were full of the light of a holy determination1 but into his voice there crept a tender yearning1 as he continued3-- 8,are we prepared for actual martyrdom8 ,for this will certainly be the fate of many who will not bear about upon them the mark of the ,beast40 ,again there came a growl from that seat near the pulpit4 ,but the most solemn hush rested upon the vast mass of people4 ,,chapter ,,xxx4 ,,conclusion4 ,quietly1 giving the impression that the sense of a great shame rested upon him1 the ,rev4 ---- ---- the noted popular ,nonconformist minister rose from his seat and faced the congregation4 ,many of his own church were there4 ,many others1 who had followed the criticisms of the more spiritual-toned ,christian papers1 upon his pulpit and other utterances1 were there4 ,every one waited breathless1 wondering what contribution he would make to the great matter in hand4 ,it was evident that it was only by the exercise of tremendous will-power that he could restrain his emotions sufficiently to speak4 8,god help me1 dear friends60 he began1 8for ,i know now that ,i have been a ,judas to the ,lord of ,life and ,glory1 whose professed servant ,i have been4 ,i have gloried in my success2 in the crowd that always filled my church2 in the adulation of my intellectual powers by the ,press4 ,but ,i have never glorified ,christ4 ,in a hundred subtle ways ,i have denied my ,lord----,he is my ,lord now1 ,i have found ,him in the silence of the past awful night----4 ,i have been practically denying ,his deity for years1 ,i have talked learnedly1 when ,i ought to have been walking humbly1 and--and----40 ,the strain was too much for him1 tears streamed down his face1 he covered his face with his hands1 and dropped1 sobbing1 into his seat4 ,sobs broke from many of the people4 ,weeping is infectious4 ,in another moment the released pent-up emotions would have become a storm that none could have stayed4 ,but the ,bishop's voice called out1 8,let us pray60 ,every head was bent1 and a prayer1 such as ,london's ,cathedral had never heard before1 poured from the ,bishop's lips4 ,the conclusion of the prayer was followed by a moment or two of deepest stillness4 ,the silence was1 suddenly1 sharply broken by a full1 rich voice crying3-- 8,sit up1 dear friends6 ,hear ye the word of the ,lord60 ,as the people lifted their heads a cry of amaze rang out from many throats3-- 8,the ,monk of ----60 ,the face of the ,monk was familiar to all ,londoners by his photograph1 which beside being on sale in the shops1 had appeared again and again in magazines4 ,he had a striking figure1 and there was a curious picturesqueness about his appearance1 with his smooth1 clean-shaven face1 eagle eyes1 tonsured crown1 and curious purple-brown cowled habit1 girdled with a stout yellow cord about the waist4 ,his bare feet were sandaled4 ,his hands1 long1 thin1 with white tapering fingers1 were outstretched a moment1 then dropped slowly as he went on3-- 8,these are times when no one of us may shrink from speaking the truth boldly1 if the ,truth has been committed to us4 8,with all due respect to our friend1 ,bishop ----1 ,i would say1 that all the surmises abroad in ,london1 to-day1 and those that have been voiced in our hearing here1 during this hour1 are wrong6 8,the true meaning of the mysterious disappearance of so many ultra-protestants1 is this3 ,the great end is near6 ,god's work was being frustrated by those unholy zealots1 who have been therefore graciously snatched away to hell1 before they could do further mischief40 ,murmurs of dissent and protest ran through the mass of people1 like the low sullen roar1 at sea1 of a coming storm4 ,the ,bishop thought of his ,translated wife4 ,he knew1 too1 that ,god not only indwelt himself1 now1 but that ,he had guided him in speaking to the people4 ,he rose in the pulpit to protest against the words of the ,romanist4 ,but a voice cried out from the congregation3-- 8,let the ,monk have his say4 ,these are strange times1 and we would hear all sides before we can judge40 ,and the ,monk went on3-- 8,his supreme ,holiness1 the ,pontiff1 had been warned of ,god--as he is ,god's ,regent on earth--of the event that has happened in our midst4 ,his priests were warned a few days ago1 and in most of our churches1 last ,sunday1 certain dark hints of the coming catastrophe were given4 ,god therefore1 now1 calls upon you all1 through me1 to turn to the true church1 the real church1 the church of ,st4 ,peter's1 the church of ,rome----40 ,a storm of protesting murmurs rolled up from the people4 ,he waited1 smiling confidently a moment4 ,then he went on3 8,when all the inhabitants of the earth bear upon them the sign of the true church----0 8,,the ,,mark ,,of ,,the ,,beast60 yelled a voice4 ,another instant and there would have been a hideous uproar1 but that everything became forgotten in a new excitement4 ,from outside1 in the street1 there rose the roar of a multitude1 crying 8,fire60 ,fortunately the packed congregation within the ,cathedral1 one and all realised that the alarming thing was outside1 not inside the building1 so that there was no panic4 ,in a few minutes the great place was cleared4 ,the ,bishop1 the ,great ,nonconformist1 and a dozen other ministers1 and laymen1 remained gathered together as by a common instinct1 by the pulpit4 8,what is coming1 brethren80 8,the power of ,antichrist1 and the manifestation of ,the man of ,sin1 himself10 cried the ,bishop1 solemnly4 8,the ,monk of ----10 he went on 8has been the first to voice the awful claims of this ,man of ,sin40 99 99 99 99 99 ,a week later666 ,like a sow that returneth to the mire1 ,london1 ,england1 the world had returned to its old careless life4 ,the fever for sport1 pleasure1 money-getting1 drinking1 gambling1 licentiousness1 was fiercer than ever4 ,everyone aimed at forgetting what had happened a week before--and the bulk of the people were succeeding in finding the lethal element4 ,there had been many conversions during the first forty-eight hours after the ,translation of the ,church1 but1 since then1 scarcely one4 ,already there had arisen1 all over the land1 all over the world in fact1 as the ,american1 ,australasian1 and ,foreign ,press ,telegrams made clear1 a multitude of men and women who were preaching the maddest1 most dangerous doctrines4 ,among the most popular1 and successful1 of these was ,spiritualism4 ,not the comparatively mild form known before the ,great ,translation1 but an open1 hideous blasphemous exhibition that proved itself to be1 what it had really always been--demonology4 ,antichrist's sway had begun4 ,satan was a positive1 active1 agent4 ,the restraints of the ,holy ,spirit were missing1 for ,,he had left the earth when the ,church had been taken away4 ,other restraints were also taken from the midst of the people1 since1 whether the world recognise it or not1 the fact remains1 that the people of ,god are the ,salt1 the preservative of the earth4 99 99 99 99 99 ,final word6 ,whether or no1 the writer has failed in the purpose he had when he set pen to paper2 whether or no he has bungled his subject2 whether the reader is1 or is not willing to accept the main statements of the special teaching in this book1 does not really affect the real question1 namely1 ,the ,near ,return of our ,lord4 ,his word to us1 whether we believe and accept it1 or whether we slight and reject it1 is3-- 8,,behold ,i ,,come ,,quickly60 ,,be ,,ye ,,also ,,ready1 ,,for ,,in ,,such ,,an ,,hour ,,as ,,ye ,,think ,,not1 ,,the ,,son ,,of ,,man ,,cometh4 ,,for ,,the ,,lord ,,himself ,,shall ,,descend ,,from ,,heaven4444 ,,and ,,the ,,dead ,,in ,,christ ,,shall ,,rise ,,first3 ,,then1 ,,we ,,which ,,are ,,alive ,,and ,,remain1 ,,shall ,,be ,,caught ,,up ,,together ,,with ,,them ,,in ,,the ,,clouds1 ,,to ,,meet ,,the ,,lord ,,in ,,the ,,air3 ,,and ,,so ,,shall ,,we ,,ever ,,be ,,with ,,the ,,lord6 ,,to-,,day8 ,,perhaps6 ,the continuation of this ,book is published under the title 8,the ,mark of the ,beast40