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n it was emotions quite other than pity that she was feeling。 She saw at once that he was a practised preacher； and she who had； with the exception of Mr。 Warlock； never heard a fine preacher； was at once under the sway of one of the ablest and most dramatic orators of his time。 His voice was sweet and clear； and seemed strange enough coming from that ugly and malevolent countenance。 Only the head and the grasping hands could be seen； but sometimes the invisible body was driven with such force against the desk that it seemed that it must fling the thing over； down into the congregation。
〃My brothers and sisters；〃 he began； 〃I have come to…night to give you a warning； and this warning is given to you not as the expression of a personal opinion but as the declaration of an assumed fact。 Disregard it or not as you please； but I shall have done my duty in pointing out to you the sure and certain meaning of my message。〃
〃I； a sinner like the rest of you； live nevertheless in the fear of hell fire。 Hell fire has become； I think； to many of the present generation a mockery and a derision。 I come to tell you that it is no mockery； that it as surely lies there； a blazing furnace； in front of us as though we saw it with our own eyes 。 。 。〃
With his own eyes he had surely seen it。 They were fixed now in a frenzy of realisation upon some distant vision； and； with a shiver； the Chapel followed his gaze。 It is easy enough to laugh at bare and conventional words stripped of the atmosphere and significance of their original surroundings。 The merest baby in this twentieth century can laugh at the flames of hell and advance a string of easy arguments against the probability of any such melodramatic fulfilment of the commonplace and colourless lives that the majority of us lead； but Maggie was in no mood to laugh that night。
Before five minutes had passed she found herself shivering where she sat。 The Chapel was convicted of Sin； and of Sin of no ordinary measure。 The head that rested like a round ball on the surface of the desk thrust conviction into every heart： 〃You think that you may escape； you look at your neighbours； every one of you； and say； 'He is worse than I。 I am safe；' but I tell you that not one man or woman here shall be secure unless he turn instantly now to God and beg for mercy 。 。 。〃
As he continued he did indeed bear the almost breathless urgency of one who has been sent on in advance to announce the imminence of some awful peril。 No matter what the peril might be； simply through the Chapel there passed the breath of some coming danger。 Impossible to watch him and not realise that here was a man who had seen something with his own eyes that had changed in a moment the very fabric of his life。 Thurston might be a charlatan who played with the beliefs of his dupes； Warlock might be a mystic whose vision was in the future and not in the pastCrashaw knew。
He painted； quietly； without fine words but with assurance and conviction； his belief in the punishment of mankind。 God was almost now upon the threshold of their house。 He was at the very gates of their city； and with Him was coming a doom as sure and awful as the sentence of the earthly judge on his earthly victim。
〃Punishment！ Punishment！ 。 。 。 We have grown in this careless age to laugh at punishment。 A future life？ There is no future life。 God？ There is no God！ Even were He to come upon us we could escape from Him。 We could make a very good case for ourselves。 This world is safe； secure； founded upon our markets； our treasuries； our laws and commandments； our conventions of decent behaviour； our police and our ministers。 God cannot touch us。 We are secure 。 。 。 I tell you that at this very moment this earth in which you trust is trembling under you； at this instant everything in which you believed is undermined and is betraying you。 You have been given your opportunityyou are refusing itand God is upon you。〃
His voice changed suddenly to tones of a marvellous sweetness。 He appealed； pleaded； implored。 The ugliness of his face and body was forgotten； he was simply a voice issuing from space； sent to save a world。
〃And we herethe few of us out of this huge city gathered together hereit is not too late for us。 Let us surrender ourselves。 Let us go to Him and say that we are His； that we await His coming and obey His law 。 。 。 Brothers and sisters； I am as you are； weak and helpless and full of sin； but come to Him； come to Him； come to Him！ 。 。 。 There is help for us all； help and pity and love。 Love such as none of us have ever known； love that cannot fail us and will be with us until eternity！〃
He stepped out from behind the desk； stood before them all with his little stunted； twisted body； his arms held out towards them。 There followed then an extraordinary scenefrom all over the Chapel came sobs and cries。 A man rose suddenly from the back of the building and cried aloud； 〃Lord； I believe！ Help Thou mine unbelief。〃 One of the women who had come with Miss Avies fell upon her knees and began to sob； crying hysterically： 〃Oh God； have mercy！ God have mercy！〃 Women pressed up the two aisles； some of them falling on their knees there where they had stood； others coming to the front and kneeling there。 Somewhere they began to sing the hymn that had already been sung that evening； a few voices at first； then more； then all singing together：
〃By the blood； by the blood； by the blood of the Lamb We beseech Thee！〃
Everywhere now women were crying； the Chapel was filled with voices； sobs； cries and prayers。
Mr。 Crashaw stood there； motionless； his arms outstretched。
Maggie did not know what she felt。 She seemed deprived of all sensation on one side； and； on the other； fear and excitement； both joy and disgust held her。 She could not have told any one what her sensations were； she was trembling from head to foot as though with cold。 But behind everything she had this terror； that at any moment she might be drawn forward to do something； to give some pledge that would bind her for all her life。 She felt as though some power were urging her to this； and as though the Chapel and every one in it was conscious of the struggle。
What might have happened she would never know。 She felt a touch on her sleeve； and； turning round； saw Aunt Anne's eyes looking up at her out of a face that was so white and the skin of it so tightly drawn that it was like the face of a dead woman。
〃I'm in great pain； Maggie。 I think you must take me home；〃 she heard her aunt say。
Aunt Anne took her arm； they went out followed by Aunt Elizabeth。 The fresh evening air that blew upon Maggie's forehead seemed suddenly to make of the Chapel a dim； incredible phantom； faintly from behind the closed door came the echo of the hymn。 The street was absolutely stillno human being was in sight； only an old cab stationed close at hand waiting for a possible customer； into this they got。 The pale； almost white； evening sky； with stars in sheets and squares and pools of fire； shone with the clear radiance of glass above them。 Maggie could see the stars through the dirty windows of the cab。
They were quite silent all the way home。 Aunt Anne sitting up very straight； motionless； her