the dayspring from on high,
dawning in mid-heaven. Her heart quickened to meet it, and her reviving
confidence, still convalescent, stirred and smiled, as the tremendous
chords blared overhead, telling of triumph full-armed. God was man,
then, after all--a God who last night had faltered for an hour, but who
rose again on this morning of a new year, scattering mists, dominant
over his own passion, all-compelling and all-beloved. God was man, and
Felsenburgh his Incarnation! Yes, she must believe that! She did
believe that!

Then she saw how already the long procession was winding up beneath the
screen, and by imperceptible art the light grew yet more acutely
beautiful. They were coming, then, those ministers of a pure worship;
grave men who knew in what they believed, and who, even if they did not
at this moment thrill with feeling (for she knew that in this respect
her husband for one did not), yet believed the principles of this
worship and recognised their need of expression for the majority of
mankind--coming slowly up in fours and pairs and units, led by robed
vergers, rippling over the steps, and emerging again into the coloured
sunlight in all their bravery of Masonic apron, badge and jewel. Surely
here was reassurance enough.

* * * * *

The sanctuary now held a figure or two. Anxious-faced Mr. Francis, in
his robes of office, came gravely down the steps and stood awaiting the
procession, directing with almost imperceptible motions his satellites
who hovered about the aisles ready to point this way and that to the
advancing stream; and the western-most seats were already beginning to
fill, when on a sudden she recognised that something had happened.

Just now the roaring of the mob outside had provided a kind of underbass
to the music within, imperceptible except to sub-consciousness, but
clearly discernible in its absence; and this absence was now a fact.

At first she thought that the signal of beginning worship had hushed
them; and then, with an indescribable thrill, she remembered that in all
her knowledge only one thing had ever availed to quiet a turbulent
crowd. Yet she was not sure; it might be an illusion. Even now the mob
might be roaring still, and she only deaf to it; but again with an
ecstasy that was very near to agony she perceived that the murmur of
voices even within the building had ceased, and that some great wave of
emotion was stirring the sheets and slopes of faces before her as a win