you this salvation to-night, O, weary, sin-sick soul. Take it, I
beseech of you. Let the Sun of Righteousness break in upon you at this
hour, and never will you be in darkness again."

The man glowed under his theme, and his audience warmed with his
impulsive appeal. "Dodd's" soul grew hopeful. All these things
promised were the very things he was longing for. He had pledged
himself time and again to stop wrong doing, and had broken his word in
every case. He hated himself for this, and he stretched out his hands
for salvation from his miserable estate. Here, help was offered.

Why should he not take it?

And then the great congregation arose with a sound as of a rushing,
mighty wind, and all sang together, with an effect that must be seen to
be realized, "Just as I am, without one plea," etc.

You know what followed, do you not, ladies and gentlemen? "Dodd"
Weaver "indulged a hope" before he left the church.




CHAPTER XVIII.

If it were not for clouds and storms what a sunshiny world this would
be, to be sure! But there are clouds and storms everywhere that I know
anything about. There are legends of lands of perpetual sunshine, I
know. I have visited such climates. I have found clouds and storms
there also. The natives have told me that such were exceptional.