Kenneth Hastings, caught in this great spiritual tide, was swept from his moorings, out, out, on and away from self, Godward. He rose and spoke with deep feeling. Then some one sang the first stanza of "Where are the Nine?" The singing ceased. The Spirit of God seemed brooding over all. The pregnant silence was followed by a succession of marvels. A Scotch miner rose and said:
"I am a sinner. Jesus, Maister, hae mercy on me."
Then voice after voice was heard confessing sin and praying for mercy.
At the close of the service, there were many touching scenes as men and women long hardened and burdened, came to this young girl for words of hope and encouragement.
If ever human being was an instrument in the hands of God, Esther Bright was that day.
The attendance at the meetings increased so that the schoolhouse could no longer accommodate the people. It was still too cool to hold out-of-door meetings. In the midst of Esther's perplexity, she received a call from one of the saloon keepers.
"I 'ave been attending the meetings," he said, "and see that you need a larger room. I 'ave come to offer you my saloon."
"Your saloon, Mr. Keith?" she said, aghast.
"Yes," he replied, "my saloon! I'm one of the lepers ye told about the other day. I 'ave decided to give up the saloon business."
This was beyond Esther's wildest dreams.