Installment twenty-nine.

In our previous installment the group dispersed after Mr. Anderson
finished his defense of the Sabbath.
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Installment twenty-nine:

"Mr. Anderson, you will pardon me, I am sure, if I detain you for a moment.
This service has simply compelled me to come and take you by the hand and
to express to you my appreciation."
Mr. Anderson did not recognize the man.
"Of course, you do not know me; and may I therefore introduce myself as
Judge Kershaw of Little Rock, Arkansas?"
"Oh, are you the man who interrogated Dr. Spaulding yesterday?"
"Yes, sir, though perhaps I should be ashamed of what has since appeared
to me an impertinence, but you see, Dr. Spaulding's statements greatly
stirred me, as I remembered the occasion of several years ago, when at
his instance, a member of your denomination was brought before me for
Sunday violation."
A group of interested passengers began to form as soon as Judge Kershaw
began to speak. Harold Wilson was among them.
"At that time," the judge continued, "I thought I discovered on the part of
the prosecution a distinct spirit of intolerance, which to my mind is utterly
foreign to the gospel of Jesus Christ. But while this was true, the young
defendant manifested most beautiful patience and self-restraint; and as
he acted as his own counsel, I was persuaded that his principles were of a
higher order."
"Was he convicted, judge?" asked one of the listeners. "Yes; the letter of
the law had been violated, the jury brought in a verdict of guilty, and I was
obliged to pass sentence. But I was hurt, deeply hurt- hurt in one sense by
the wrong spirit shown by the professed Christians who prosecuted, and
hurt in another sense by the excellent spirit of the one who was condemned.
"Now I believe I have discovered the secret of that man's behavior. He had
Christ in his soul. He had a rest and peace to which all of us were strangers.
Why, when I was about to pass sentence and asked him if he had any further
word to give the court, he said: 'your honor, I wish to thank you and the
gentlemen of the jury for the spirit of fairness shown during the trial. You
need have no regret that you are obliged to pass this sentence. We may all
well be sad that our statute books are cumbered with a few laws that work
hardship to innocent and inoffensive citizens. Personally I hope to see the
day when our state will abolish this particular law which today sends me
to prison. I submit gladly to the penalty, as a Christian ought. I forgive
freely the men who have brought me this experience. And I want you all
to know that in my heart there is a peace surpassing all understanding, a
peace which will brighten every day and hour I shall spend behind bars."
"I sent him to prison, and in the prison he died. And from that day until
now, I have had his picture much before me and I wanted to know what it
was that made him the man he was."
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To be continued...