"
Miss Avies opened the meeting with an extempore prayer: then they
all stood up and sang a hymn, and their quavering voices were thin
and sharp and strained in the stuffy close-ceilinged room. The hymn,
like all the other Chapel hymns that Maggie had heard, had to do
with "the Blood of the Lamb," "the sacrifice of Blood," "the Blood
that heals." There was also a refrain:
And, when Thou comest, Lord, we pray That Thou wilt spare Thy
sword, Or on that grim and ghastly day Who will escape the Lord? WHO
will escape the Lord?
There were many verses to this hymn, and it had a long and
lugubrious tune, so that Maggie thought that it would never end, but
as it proceeded the words worked their effect on the congregation,
and at the last there was much emotion and several women were
crying.
Then they all sat down again and the meeting developed a very
business-like side. There was a great deal of discussion as to
dates, places, appointments, and Maggie was amused to discover that
in this part of the proceedings Mrs. Smith had a great deal to say,
and took a very leading place.
The gathering became like any other assemblage of ladies for some
charitable or social purpose, and there were the usual disputes and
signs of temper and wounded pride; in all those matters Miss Avies
was a most admirable and unflinching chairman.
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