l
huddled in the saloon of the first cabin--Americans and Germans, Jews,
Protestants, Catholics and skeptics--although at that time I doubt if
there were many skeptics among us. For forty-eight hours we were in this
mortal fear.

"Sabbath morning dawned upon as wretched a ship's company as ever sailed
the sea. There was at that time no talk of religious services. I think
that if this had been suggested then there would have been a panic. To
talk of religion to those poor people would have been to suggest the
most terrible things to them. Everybody was waiting for his neighbor to
say: 'Are we, then, doomed to die?'

"But as night approached I gathered those 700 quaking souls together and
we held a prayer meeting. I think everybody prayed. There were no
skeptics present. I have been under fire in the war, I have stood by
deathbeds during the cholera epidemic in Chicago, but I never was so
sorely tried. I could with difficulty command my voice as I read the
ninety-first Psalm. I read without comment, and then I prayed that God
would still the anger of the deep and bring us safely to our desired
heaven. The people were weeping all around me. I also read from the
107th Psalm.

"We tried to sing. I gave out the first verse of 'Jesus, Lover of My
Soul,' and General Howard started the tune. He sang the hymn through in
a strong voice, but very few joined him. Instead, the melody was
punctuated by broken sobs and exclamation of grief. That night I went to
bed and slept, I felt that everything would be all right.

"Never was a more earnest meeting held than this. All prayed together,
and I did not hear much talk of skepticism, I can tell you. At 2:30
o'clock in the morning a ship's light was sighted, and in a few hours we
were comparatively safe, although our danger was not over. The strain on
our minds was almost as great, and minds gave way under it. Two women
became violently insane and it was necessary to confine them. A young
man from Vienna threw himself overboard and was drowned.

"When we were finally safe in port we had a thanksgiving service, and
then such singing as there was--such praises that went up.

"We prayed that the ship be brought to a haven, and relief came on the
night after our prayer meeting. I am a firm believer in prayer. I always
have been. I believe and I know that God saved the Spree in response to
our prayers."

PUBLISHED BY
RHODES & McCLURE PUBLISHING CO.,
CHICAGO.

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