read that afternoon:

Fear not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy
God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I
will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Courtland lifted up his head and arose. He faced the sea of faces that a
few moments before had swum before his gaze as if they had been a
million. Then all at once Tennelly's face stood out from all the rest,
intent, curious, wondering, and Courtland knew that his opportunity had
come to tell Tennelly about the Presence!

Tennelly, the man whom he loved above all other men! Tennelly, the man
who perhaps loved Gila and was to be close to her through life! His
fears vanished. His soul burned within him.

Fixing his eyes on that fine, vivid face, Courtland began his story; and
truly the words that he used must have been drawn red-hot from his
heart, for he spoke as one inspired. Simply, as if he were alone in the
room with Tennelly, he looked into his friend's eyes and told his story,
forgetting all others present, intent only on making Tennelly see what
Christ had been to him, what He was willing to be to Tennelly--and Gila!
If they would!

Tennelly did not take his eyes from the speaker. It was curious to see
him so absorbed, Tennelly, who was so conventional, so careful what
people thought, so always conscious of all elements in his environment.
It was as if his soul were sitting frankly in his eyes for the first
time in his life, and things unsuspected, perhaps, even by himself, came
out and showed themselves: traits, weaknesses, possibilities; longings,
too, and pride.

When Courtland had finished and sat down he did not drop his head upon
his hands again. He had spoken in the strength of the Lord. He had
nothing of which to be ashamed. He was looking now at the audience, no
longer at Tennelly. He began to realize that it had been given to him to
bear the message to all these other people also. He was filled with
humble exaltation that to him had been intrusted this great opportunity.

The people, too, were hushed and filled with awe. They showed by the
quiet way they reached for the hymn-books, the reverent bowing of their
heads for the final prayer, that they had all felt the power of Christ
with the speaker. They lingered, many of them, and came up, pressing
about him, just to touch his hand and make mute appeal with their
troubled eyes. Some to ask him eagerly for reassurance of what he had
bee