se argument; he spoke and behaved
like a man who, having spent the emotional side of his nature in some
private gust of passionate prayer, had come forth nerved to cool and
determined action.

With her whole soul Susannah hung upon his every word, unreasonably
expecting to find some new and unforeseen solution to the problems of
her life. He had pointed out a straight path to multitudes; she hoped
that he could now show it to her.

The power of Finney's preaching lay in its close logical reasoning, by
which, accepting certain premises, he built up the conclusion that if a
man would escape eternal punishment he must forsake his sin and accept
salvation by faith in the doctrine of the substitution. He began always
by speaking to the indifferent and the unconvinced; he led them step by
step, until it appeared that there was but one step between them and
destruction, and that faith must make one quick, long leap to gain the
safety of the higher plane, whose joys he depicted in glowing terms.

For the most part there was intense silence in the congregation,
although sometimes an audible whisper of prayer or a groan of suppressed
emotion was heard. The infection of mental excitement was strong.

Susannah was experiencing disappointment. Accustomed as she was to
excitement in the meetings of the Saints, her mind easily resisted the
infectious influence. Finney's teaching had not differed in any respect
from the doctrine which she heard from her husband daily, a doctrine
which she knew by experience did not save men from delusion and rancour.
She still listened eagerly to hear of some provision made in the scheme
of salvation against injustice and folly. Surely Finney would say
something more.

As it happened he did say something more. When for more than an hour he
had explained the great plan of salvation he touched upon the
responsibility that the hearing of such conclusive reasoning imposed.
The sower had sown broadcast; it remained for him to speak with awful
impressiveness of those forces which would be arrayed against the
convicted soul. Under this head he referred at once and with deep
emotion to the devil, who, in the guise of false teachers lying in wait,
caught up the seed.

There could be no doubt that the Mormon leaders were in his mind, as
they were in the mind of his congregation. It became swiftly evident to
Susannah that Finney was stirred by what he believed to be righteous
indignation, and that he was a