to him that hath-第43部分

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kindly　consented　to　be　present。　　They　will　be　here　in　half　an
hour's　time。〃

A　general　and　hearty　approval　of　his　action　was　expressed；　after
which　the　Chairman　invited　suggestions　as　to　the　course　to　be
pursued。　　But　no　one　was　ready　with　a　suggestion。　　Somehow　the
outlook　upon　life　was　different　this　morning；　and　readjustment　of
vision　appeared　to　be　necessary。　　No　man　felt　himself　qualified　to
offer　advice。

From　this　dilemma　they　were　relieved　by　a　knock　upon　the　door　and
the　Mayor　appeared。

〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　no　wish　to　intrude；　but　a　great　many
of　our　citizens　are　in　the　larger　hall。　　They　are　anxious　to　be
advised　upon　the　present　trying　situation。　　It　has　been　suggested
that　your　committee　might　join　with　us　in　a　general　public
meeting。〃

After　a　few　moments'　consideration；　the　Mayor's　proposition　was
accepted　and　the　committee　adjourned　to　the　larger　hall；　Mr。
Farrington　resigning　the　chair　to　His　Worship；　the　Mayor。

The　Mayor's　tongue　was　not　so　ready　this　morning。　　He　explained　the
circumstances　of　the　meeting　and　thanked　the　committee　for　yielding
to　his　request。　　He　was　ready　to　receive　any　suggestions　as　to　what
the　next　step　should　be。

The　silence　which　followed　was　broken　by　Mr。　McGinnis；　who　arose
and；　in　a　voice　much　shaken；　he　inquired：

〃Can　anyone　tell　us　just　what　is　the　last　word　concerning　the　young
girl　this　morning？〃

Mr。　Maitland　replied：　　〃Before　I　left　the　house；　the　last　report
was　that　she　was　resting　quietly　and；　while　the　doctor　was　not　able
to　offer　any　hope　of　her　recovery；　he　ventured　to　say　that　he　did
not　quite　despair。　　And　that　from　Dr。　Meredith；　as　we　know；　means
something。〃

〃Thank　God　for　that；〃　said　McGinnis；　and　leaning　his　head　upon　his
hand；　he　sat　with　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　floor。

Again　the　Mayor　asked　for　suggestions；　but　no　one　in　the　audience
appeared　willing　to　assume　the　responsibility　of　offering　guidance。

At　length　Rupert　Stillwell　arose。　　He　apologised　for　speaking　in
the　presence　of　older　men；　but　something　had　to　be　done　and　he
ventured　to　offer　one　suggestion　at　least。

〃It　occurs　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃that　one　thing　at　least　should　be
immediately　done。　　Those　responsible　for　the　disgraceful　riot　of
last　evening；　and　I　mean　more　than　the　actual　ringleaders　in　the
affair；　should　be　brought　to　justice。〃　　He　proceeded　to　elaborate
upon　the　enormity　of　the　crime；　the　danger　to　the　State　of　mob
rule；　the　necessity　for　stern　measures　to　prevent　the　recurrence　of
such　disorders。　　He　suggested　a　special　citizens'　committee　for　the
preservation　of　public　order。

His　words　appeared　to　meet　the　approval　of　a　large　number　of　those
present；　especially　of　the　younger　men。

While　he　was　speaking；　the　audience　appeared　to　be　greatly　relieved
to　see　Dr。　Templeton　and　the　Reverend　Murdo　Matheson　walk　in　and
quietly　take　their　seats。　　They　remembered；　many　of　them；　how　at　a
recent　similar　gathering　these　gentlemen　had　advised　a　procedure
which；　if　followed；　would　have　undoubtedly　prevented　the　disasters
of　the　previous　night。

Giving　a　brief　account　of　the　proceedings　of　the　meeting　to　the
present　point；　the　Mayor　suggested　that　Dr。　Templeton　might　offer
them　a　word　of　advice。

Courteously　thanking　the　Mayor　for　his　invitation；　the　Doctor　said：

〃As　I　came　in　this　room；　I　caught　the　words　of　my　young　friend；　who
suggested　a　committee　for　the　preservation　of　public　order。　　May　I
suggested　that　the　preservation　of　public　order　in　the　community　is
something　that　can　be　entrusted　to　no　committee？　　It　rests　with　the
whole　community。　　We　have　all　made　mistakes；　we　are　constantly
making　mistakes。　　We　have　yielded　to　passion；　and　always　to　our
sorrow　and　hurt。　　We　have　vainly　imagined　that　by　the　exercise　of
force　we　can　settle　strife。　　No　question　of　right　or　justice　is
settled　by　fighting；　for；　after　the　fighting　is　done；　the　matter　in
dispute　remains　to　be　settled。　　We　have　tried　that　way　and　to…day
we　are　fronted　with　disastrous　failure。　　I　have　come　from　a　home
over　which　the　shadow　of　death　hangs　low。　　There　a　father　and
mother　lie　prostrate　with　sorrow；　agonising　for　the　life　of　their
child。　　But　a　deeper　shadow　lies　there；　a　shadow　of　sin；　for　the
sting　of　death　is　sin。　　A　brother　torn　with　self…condemnation；　his
heart　broken　with　grief　for　his　sister；　who　loved　him　better　than
her　own　life；　lies　under　that　shadow　of　sin。　　But；　gentlemen；　can
any　of　us　escape　from　that　shadow？　　Do　we　not　all　share　in　that
sin？　　For　we　all　have　a　part　in　the　determining　of　our　environment。
Can　we　not；　by　God's　grace；　lift　that　shadow　at　least　from　our
lives？　　Let　us　turn　our　faces　from　the　path　of　strife　toward　the
path　of　peace；　for　the　pathway　of　right　doing　and　of　brotherly
kindness　is　the　only　path　to　peace　in　this　world。〃

The　Chairman　then　called　upon　the　Reverend　Murdo　Matheson　to
express　his　mind。　　But　at　this　point；　the　whole　audience　were
galvanised　into　an　intensity　of　confused　emotion　by　the　entrance　of
the　Executive　of　the　Allied　Unions；　led　by　McNish　himself。　　Simmons
alone　was　absent；　being　at　that　moment；　with　some　half　dozen
others；　in　the　care　of　the　police。　　Silently　the　Executive
Committee　walked　to　the　front　and　found　seats；　McNish　alone
remaining　standing。　　Grey；　gaunt；　hollow…eyed；　he　met　with　steady
gaze　the　eyes　of　the　audience；　some　of　them　aflame　with　hostile
wrath；　for　in　him　they　recognised　the　responsible　head　of　the
labour　movement　that　had　wrought　such　disaster　and　grief　in　the
community。

Without　apology　or　preface　McNish　began：　　〃I　am　here　seeking
peace；〃　he　said；　in　his　hoarse；　hard；　guttural　voice。　　〃I　have　made
mistakes。　　Would　I　could　suffer　for　them　alone；　but　no；　others　must
suffer　with　me。　　I　have　only　condemnation　for　the　outrages　of　last
night。　　We　repudiate　them；　we　lament　them。　　We　tried　to　prevent
them；　but　human　passion　and　circumstances　were　too　strong　for　us。
We　would　undo　the　illwould　to　God　could　undo　the　ill。　　How　gladly
would　I　suffer　all　that　has　come　to　others。〃　　His　deep；　harsh　voice
shook　under　the　stress　of　his　emotion。　　He　lifted　his　head：　　〃I
cannot　deny　my　cause；〃　he　continued；　his　voice　ringing　out　clear。
〃Our　cause　was　right；　but　the　spirit　was　wrong。〃　　He　paused　a　few
moments；　evidently　gathering　strength　to　hold　his　voice　steady。
〃Yes；　the　spirit　was　wrong　and　this　day　is　a　black　day　to　me。　　We
come　to　ask　for　peace。　　God　knows　I　have　no　heart　for　war。〃

Again　he　paused；　his　strong　stern　face　working　strangely　under　the
stress　of　the　emotions　which　he　was　fighting　to　subdue。　　〃We
suggest　a　committee　of　three；　with　powers　to　arbitrate；　and　we　name
as　our　man　one　who　till　recently　was　one　of　our　Union；　a　man　of
fair　and　honest　mind；　a　man　without　fear　and　with　a　heart　for　his
comrades。　　Our　man　is　Captain　Maitland。〃

His　words；　and　especially　the　name　of　the　representative　of　the
labour　unions　produced　an　overwhelming　effect　upon　the　audience。
No　sooner　had　he　finished　than　the　Reverend　Murdo　Matheson　took　the
floor。　　He　spoke　no　economics。　　He　offered　no　elaborate　argument
for　peace。　　In　plain；　simple　words　he　told　of　experiences　through
which　he　had　recently　passed：

〃Like　one　whom　I　feel　it　an　honour　to　call　my　father；〃　he　began；
bowing　toward　Dr。　Templeton；　〃I；　too；　have　made　a　visit　this
morning。　　Not　to　a　home；　but　to　a　place　the　most　unlike　a　home　of
any　spot　in　this　sad　world；　a　jail。　　Seven　of　our　fellow…citizens
are　confined　there；　six　of　them　boys；　mere　boys；　dazed　and
penetrated　with　sorrow　for　their　follythey　meant　no　crimeI　am
not　relieving　them　of　the　blamethe　other；　a　man；　embittered　with
a　long；　hard　fight　against　poverty；　injustice　and　cruel
circumstance　in　another　land；　with　distorted　views　of　life；　crazed
by　drink；　committed　a　crime　which　this　morning　fills　him　with
horror　and　grief。　　Late　last　night　I　was　sent　to　the　home　of　one　of
my　people。　　There　I　found　an　aged　lady；　carrying　with　a　brave　heart
the　sorrows　and　burdens　of　nearly　seventy　years；　waiting　in　anxiety
and　grief　and　fear　for　her　son；　who　was　keeping　vigil　at　what　may
well　be　the　deathbed　of　the　girl　he　loves。　　You　have　just　heard　his
plea　for　peace。　　Some　of　you　are　inclined　to　lay　the　blame　for　the
ills　that　have　fallen　upon　us　upon　certain　classes　and　individuals
in　this　community。　　They　have　their　blame　and　they　must　bear　the
responsibility。　　But；　gentlemen；　a　juster　estimate　of　the　causes　of
these　ills　will　convince　us　that　they　are　the　product　of　our
civilisation　and　for　these　things　we　must　all　accept　our　share　of
responsibility。　　More；　we　must　seek　to　remove　them　from　among　us。
They　are　an　affront　to　our　intelligence；　an　insult　to　our　holy
religion；　an　outrage　upon　the　love　of　our　brother　man　and　our
Father；　God。　　Let　us　humbly；　resolutely　seek　the　better　way；　the
way　we　have　set　before　us　this　morning；　the　way　of　right　doing；　of
brotherly　kindness　and　of　brotherly　love　which　is　the　way　of
peace。〃

It　was　a　subdued　company　of　men　that　listened　to　his　appeal。　　In
silence　they　sat　looking　straight　before　them　with　faces　grave　and
frowning；　as　is　the　way　with　men　of　our　race　when　deeply　stirred。

It　was　a　morning　of　dramatic　surprises；　but　none　were　so　startling；
none　so　dramatic　as　the　speech　of　McGinnis　that　followed。

〃This　is　a　day　for　confessions；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　am　here　to　make
one　for　myself。　　I　have　been　a　fighter；　too　much　of　a　fighter；　all
my　life；　and　I　have　often　suffered　for　it。　　I　suffered　a　heavy　loss
last　night　and　to…day　I　am　sick　of　fighting。　　But　I　have　found
this：　that　you　can't　fight　men　in　this　world　without　fighting　women
and　children；　too。　　God　knows　I　have　no　war　with　the　old；　grey…
haired　lady　the　Padre　has　just　told　us　about。　　I　have　no　war　with
that　broken…hearted　father　and　mother。　　And　I　have　no　war　with
Annette　Perrotte；　dear　girl；　God　preserve　her。〃　　At　this　point；
McGinnis's　command　quite　forsook　him。　　His　voice　utterly　broke
down；　while　the　tears　ran　down　his　rugged　fighting　face。　　〃I　am
done　with　fighting；〃　he　cried。　　〃They　have　named　Captain　Maitland。
We　know　him　for　a　straight　man　and　a　white　man。　　Let　me　talk　with
Captain　Jack　Maitland；　and　let　us　get　together　with　the　Padre
there；〃　pointing　to　the　Reverend　Murdo　Matheson；　〃and　in　a