acit consent there was an unusually large
gathering at the church, and the subject was of necessity the recent
disaster. It was a spontaneous meeting. The minister briefly opened
with the express desire that God would bless the suffering, prepare the
dying, and comfort the living, and almost instantly a service of prayer
began which was like a flood in its continuous outpouring. The people
seemed urged by some irresistible feeling to relieve the pent-up strain
of the day in prayer; and such prayers had not been heard in that
church for many years.

A similar scene was witnessed in a church near the White River Junction
railroad disaster in 1887. The entire morning service was given up to
prayer, which seemed the only healthy relief to people suffering from
an overwhelming horror.

It was during the first pause that occurred that James Caxton opened
the door and gave a note to someone in the back seat, with a request
that it be sent up to Mr. Jones. He then turned as if to go out, but
hesitated, came back, and slipped into a vacant seat. Mr. Jones
received the note, glanced at its contents, and then rose. There was a
singular emotion in his voice as he spoke.

"I have just been handed a note from one of our members, Mr. Robert
Hardy, with the request that I read it aloud to the church to-night:

"'_To you, my dear pastor, and you, my brothers, and sisters in
Christ_:--I suppose it is known to most of you that three of my
children were on the train during the recent accident, and two of them
escaped with but slight injuries. But my daughter Clara was seriously
injured by the shock, and I am at this moment seated by her side,
praying that her reason may be spared and her possible injuries prove
to be within the region of cure. I had planned to be with you
to-night. I wanted to tell the church of the change that I have lately
experienced. I do not need to tell you that for the twenty-five years
that I have been a member of the church I have been a member only in
name. I have seldom appeared in any of the spiritual or devotional
services of the church. I have often sat in an attitude of criticism
to the best preaching. I have been a hard man with those in my employ.
I have been cold and even revengeful toward other members of this
church. I have been a very proud, un-Christian, selfish man. In the
sight of God I have been an altogether unworthy member of the Church of
Christ. I do not take any pride to m