the weakness more precious to him than all his strength, In the great
world beauty comes to men in many guises, and art in a hundred forms,
but for Eric there was only his violin.

It stood, to him, for all the manifestations of art; it was his only
bridge into the kingdom of the soul.

It was to Eric Hermannson that the evangelist directed his impassioned
pleading that night.

"_Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?_ Is there a Saul here tonight
who has stopped his ears to that gentle pleading, who has thrust a spear
into that bleeding side? Think of it, my brother; you are offered this
wonderful love and you prefer the worm that dieth not and the fire which
will not be quenched. What right have you to lose one of God's precious
souls? _Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?_"

A great joy dawned in Asa Skinner's pale face, for he saw that Eric
Hermannson was swaying to and fro in his seat. The minister fell upon
his knees and threw his long arms up over his head.

"O my brothers! I feel it coming, the blessing we have prayed for. I
tell you the Spirit is coming! just a little more prayer, brothers, a
little more zeal, and he will be here. I can feel his cooling wing upon
my brow. Glory be to God forever and ever, amen!"

The whole congregation groaned under the pressure of this spiritual
panic. Shouts and hallelujahs went up from every lip. Another figure
fell prostrate upon the floor. From the mourners' bench rose a chant of
terror and rapture:

"Eating honey and drinking wine,
_Glory to the bleeding Lamb!_
I am my Lord's and he is mine,
_Glory to the bleeding Lamb!"_

The hymn was sung in a dozen dialects and voiced all the vague yearning
of these hungry lives, of these people who had starved all the passions
so long, only to fall victims to the barest of them all, fear.

A groan of ultimate anguish rose from Eric Hermannson's bowed head,
and the sound was like the groan of a great tree when it falls in the
forest.

The minister rose suddenly to his feet and threw back his head, crying
in a loud voice:

"_Lazarus, come forth!_ Eric Hermannson, you are lost, going down at
sea. In the name of God, and Jesus Christ his Son, I throw you the life
line. Take hold! Almighty God, my soul for his!" The minister threw his
arms out and lifted his quivering face.

Eric Hermannson rose to his feet; his lips were set and the lightning
was in his eyes. He took his v