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116
Signs and Wonders

of baseball players were included in these Sunday gatherings. On the first Sabbath we held meeting, when we began to sing nearly a thousand of these roughs and toughs came rushing into the tent with their bats and balls. There were old men, middle-aged men, young men and children. Some were dressed in baseball uniforms, some in rags, some were drunk, some with pipes in their mouths, and some with cigars. They stoned the tent, stoned the people coming and going to the meeting.

The next Sabbath they came as usual, but the chief of police with several police came and drove them away. Oh, praise God for such victory! The neighbors had been tormented nearly to death. These roughs of the city were there every day, and especially on Sabbath, They said if the meetings did not do any other good, it had relieved them of an awful nuisance. With the kindness of the police and the power of God, those who came to the meeting and would not be tamed were driven away, the rest quieted down; then the civilized people came, many who had been afraid to come before. We do not blame them for being afraid. It was only by the grace of God we stood through the showers of stones. Some of the worst characters on earth came to the meeting. If God had not protected us we would not have left that camp-ground alive. Glory to God, he never leaves his children.

The women and children began to wear cleaner clothes, and came with their bonnets on, and left their dirty aprons at home. The men shaved and combed, and came with their families. They said the meeting was doing good, and that their wives and children were getting more tidy and keeping their homes cleaner. I told those who opposed opposed the meeting that if it did no good, except to clean up some of their citizens and better their moral condition, I thought it a good work, and they ought to give us a helping hand. Many of the best citizens came to the meetings and were astonished at the great victory we had gained over the rough element, and the good order maintained.

The tent held eight thousand: There were meetings every day and night for five months. There were thousands outside the tent, but they could see and hear. We had six small tents, besides the large one and it looked like a little town. I slept, with my helpers like babes in our tents. Oh, praise the Lord for his care and protection!

Many were carried in, and got up and walked out. The blind