Installment thirty-four.

On today's entry we will make a break from the action of our previous
chapter to return to the conversation between Mr. Gregory and Dr.
Spaulding after the preaching by Mr. Anderson.
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Installment thirty-four:

At the close of Mr. Anderson's service in the parlor, Dr. Spaulding and Mr.
Gregory got together to discuss Mr. Anderson's views on the Sabbath. As
they were talking, Captain Mann went by and Dr. Sapulding called to him.
"Captain, just a moment of your time. I simply want to ask; can we not
devise some plan to stop further spread of this Sabbath talk? It is not
producing the best results, inasmuch as it stirs up the spirit of unwhole-
some argument and, sooner or later, may be the means of unsettling the
views of some very good Christian people. That young man with the
marked Bible is already completely misled and I noticed that he is in-
fluencing others. You see, captain, I am terribly afraid of fanaticism."
"Well, Dr. Spaulding, you are aware that you are at liberty to plan as
you wish. The freedom of the vessel is yours. But let me say this, the
young man of whom you speak, Harold Wilson, has become during the
brief period since we left San Francisco, such a splendid Christian, such
a trustworthy and capable co-worker, that I marvel. From a profilgate,
a drinking, swearing, gambling, thieving criminal, as I have known him,
he has been transformed into the sober, praying, industrious, honest,
young man you see today. This certainly must be the fruit of a good
tree. And I confess that I myself have tasted and been made better.
"I must hasten, but let me assure you that this is something of which
you need not be afraid. It is not fanaticism. There is a large amount of
zeal, but it is founded on knowledge of the Bible. No one can go far
astray who studies the word of God. "
Then the captain left (and now we return to the scene where our
previous chapter ended).
"Do you believe God will enable me to bear the cross?" Mr. Severance
was asking when Captain Mann entered the room.
The view which met his eye as he entered the room was one which he
was never to forget. There sat Mr. Severance, bowed over the table,
with face buried in hands. And as he entered, Harold Wilson, Bible in
hand and with his arm thrown over the shoulder of the merchant, was
bearing witness to him of the surety of God's promise and of the
wonderful blessing that had come to him in the truth of the fourth
commandment.
As Captain Mann beheld the spirit manifested by Harold - the spirit
of the real soul winner and helper of those in trouble - his emotions
overcame him, and tears filled his eyes. How strange, yet how
beautiful was this expression of tenderness in this hardy veteran of
the sea! But not a word esaped his lips. He simply stepped over to
Mr. Anderson, gripped his hand strongly and feelingly, and with
quivering lip hastened on to his duty.
A shriek startled the little group in the dining room, and almost
immediately the cry, "Woman Overboard!" began to sound from
one end of the vessel to the other.