train does not leave until 2 o'clock to-morrow evening, I shall expect to see you at the meeting; will you come?" To which he replied. "I have some business with the clerk of the Federal Court, and if I get through in time, I will try and be here." A prayer meeting was announced for 9 o'clock the next morning. At the appointed hour a fair congregation had assembled, and a few minutes after 9 o'clock Maj. Penn came in and took a seat not far from the door. The writer approached him and said: "I want you to conduct this meeting." He replied: "You must excuse me, I am a lawyer, and do not believe in mixing things in this way. You conduct the meeting or get one of those preachers sitting there to do it, and I will help in singing or lead in prayer, if desired." To which the writer replied: "If all the preachers in the world were here I could not permit one of them to conduct this meeting, and I am not physically able. You must do it." To which he answered. "Very well, I will conduct a prayer meeting."

The meeting was opened as is usual, when Brother Penn arose and read a portion of the 20th chapter of John, and then talked about fifteen minutes, which seemed to awaken a very deep interest throughout the entire congregation. At the close of this talk quite a number of wives, fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters arose one after another and in great earnestness asked prayer for their loved ones. While singing the last song, the writer asked Brother Penn to remain and conduct a service at night, which he positively refused to do, saying that he must go home. Whereupon the writer publicly entered a protest against his leaving. Sister Penn and others of the company from Jefferson consenting, he agreed to remain one more day. At night the house was crowded, and great interest manifested by Christians and by many unconverted. A prayer meeting was announced for 9 o'clock the next morning. At this meeting the house was well filled, with a decided increase of interest. One or two conversions-and a number of inquiries were made.

At the close of this meeting the writer said to Brother Penn, "You cannot leave this meeting, it will never do, there never has been such an interest in this town since I have been here." To which he replied "I am bound to go home, I have no partner and no one to attend to my business." The writer then arose, and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ entered another solemn protest against his leaving, saying: "I believe before God that it is Bro. Penn's solemn duty to remain here and carry on this meeting, and it is my firm conviction that if he leaves he will commit the great sin of his life, and I call upon every member of this church and of this congregation, who will join me in this protest, to stand up." The entire congregation were standing in a moment. He then said to the writer privately: "I tell you I am bound to go home; I promised my wife yesterday that I would be certain to go home with her to-day, and I know that she is bound to go home." The writer said: "Bro. Penn, you are mistaken; Sister Penn would not have you leave this meeting to go home with her. She will go with the young people." He then went to where his wife was sitting and said to her: "I promised you yesterday that I would go home with you to-day, and I am going to do it." Sister Penn looked up in his face with tearful eyes and trembling lips, and said, as only a true, noble hearted Christian woman could have said: "I can go home with the young people, I do not think you ought to go." This seems to have been the last hair that broke the camel's back. We have seen many striking photographs of the Major as taken by artists in his travels, and in various attitudes, but a picture delineating his features on this occasion would be preferable to all others.

As he rose to respond to the protest of the pastor, Church and congregation, with his head thrown back, his eyes dilated, his lips quivering, his voice stammering and tears coursing their way down his cheeks, he tried to give expression to his astonishment and the deep emotion of his heart; he seemed to realize that it was God's call, and that he could not resist it.

It was circulated through the town that a lawyer, and not a preacher, was to conduct services at the Baptist Church. Some thought it a strange freak in the pastor to suggest, and in the Church to approve such a thing. Various opinions were freely expressed as to the leader in these services. Then it was spoken in low tones of voice among some good people, in substance, after this fashion: "Did you ever hear of such a thing? Here are preachers all over the country that we know, good men, who can preach the gospel, and here they've called in a lawyer to carry on the meeting. Lord have mercy on us, what are we coming to any how?"

At every street corner and place of business, in the saloons, offices and homes throughout Tyler, Maj. Penn and the services were discussed, while his Satanic Majesty and his allies were busy in trying to cripple and crush the good effects. A mighty and irresistable attraction drew crowds to the house of God.

At times it was apparent that the leader was embarrassed; now and then fretted and and chafed; then at a loss what to say or do; and more than once was he tempted to say he would leave the meeting; and that he had not remained there to be slandered and persecuted. But he was reminded that the best of men had thus suffered, that God had furnaces through which we must pass, to burn up the dross, and that in the midst of this state of things the Church was being revived, wanderers brought back, souls awakened and converted from day to day, and that he had the sympathy, prayers and co-operation of many pious, devoted hearts. Again the new leader, after wrestling in prayer for grace and direction, took courage and was renewed by the spirit of God to go on in pulling down the strong-holds of iniquity. But Satan was not yet overcome, he made another powerful assault upon him.

When the meeting had been in progress about ten days, abuse, misrepresentation, lying, together with the basest and most contemptible slanders, were hurled at him with unmeasured severity. It was a new ordeal, and he was tempted stronger than ever to lay off his armor and leave the meeting. He decided to go home, and so stated to the pastor, saying: "You have already kept me here longer than any man on earth could have done, and now I am determined to go." "Well," said the pastor, "I am sorry to hear it, and believe you will commit a great wrong, and will incur the displeasure of Almighty God in leaving here at this time, and still further, I beg you to bear in mind this truth, that duty never points in two ways. If it is your duty to be in Jefferson practicing law, then it is not your duty to remain here and carry on this meeting. God only can guide you aright." This conversation occurred in the afternoon. At night the Major was in his place, and said to the large congregation: "My friends, I have heard to-day of so many slanderous reports about me that I determined to go home, but remembering that so persecuted they the prophets, which were before me, and that they persecuted my Master even unto death, I have only to say: 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do?' I shall go on with the meeting, 'looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith,' to sustain, protect and guide me in all things." It was, perhaps, the drinking of this cup of persecution that passed our brother across the Rubicon, that burned all the bridges behind him and caused him to bow in humble submission to the will of Almighty God.

As the meeting continued, and as the scores and hundreds came together "at the sound of the church-going bell," from day to day the leader seemed to develop in power from God to