was illuminated with the glare of torches which
threw a lurid glow upon the assembly. The people were careworn and
emaciated, and their faces were characterized by the same pallor which
Marcellus had observed in the fossor. But the expression which now
rested upon them was not of sorrow, or misery, or despair. Hope
illumined their eyes, their upturned faces spoke of joy and triumph. The
scene moved the soul of the beholder to its inmost depths, for it
confirmed all that he had seen of the Christians, their heroism, their
hope, their peace, which rested on something hidden from him. As he
listened he heard their song, chanted by the whole congregation:

"Great and marvelous are thy works
Lord God Almighty,
Just and true are thy ways
Thou king of saints.
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name?
For thou only art holy.
For all nations shall come and worship before thee,
For thy judgments are made manifest."

Then there was a pause. The venerable leader read something from a
scroll which was new to Marcellus. It was a sublime assertion of the
immortality of the soul, and life after death. The congregation seemed
to hang upon the words as though they were the words of life. Finally,
the reader came to a burst of joyous exclamation which drew murmurs of
gratitude and enthusiastic hope from the audience. The words thrilled
upon the heart of the listener, though he did not understand their full
meaning. "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But
thanks be to God which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus
Christ."

These words seemed to open to his mind a new world with new thoughts.
Sin--death--Christ, with all the infinite train of ideas that rested
upon them, arose dimly before his awakening soul. The desire for the
Christian's secret which he had conceived now burned more eagerly within
him.

The leader raised his head, and stretching out his hands, uttered a
fervent prayer. Addressing the invisible God, he poured forth a
confession of sin and guilt. He plead for pardon through the atoning
death of Christ. He prayed for the Spirit from on high, so that they
might become holy. Then he enumerated all their sorrows, and prayed for
deliverance, asking for faith in life, victory in death, and immortality
in heaven for the sake of the Redeemer, Jesus.

After this followed