Again he spoke: "Dear Rose, forgive me, forgive me."
Dr. Gordon laid his hand on the shoulder of the stricken man and said: "Ask your God to forgive you, your wife knows not what you say."
He looked at the doctor a moment, then said in a low voice, "I did that before I started home. God has forgiven me and saved me. But tell me what I can do for my poor wife."
It was indeed true, Ralph Williams was a changed man. The God who had heard the prayers of the father and son at the dying woman's bedside, and restored her to them, vouchsafed his mercy to the starving wife who prayed for her drink-sodden husband, and in answer to it the dulled conscience of the husband was aroused.
Slowly Mrs. Williams improved, until one morning she said: "Is this Heaven, and are Ralph and my children here?"
"Yes, Rose," her husband replied, "Ralph and the children are here, and henceforth I will do all I can to make this home Heaven on earth."
* * * * *
The years rolling by saw John still fighting the fight for his Maker. Out of the gratitude Ralph Williams had felt for the Divine mercy shown him, had sprung a determination to do all in his power towards uplifting others. John eagerly accepted his services, and thus the nucleus of a rapidly growing power for good was formed.
As more and more came to know the meaning of "Christ Crucified," they entered heart and soul into the work of spreading the truth to others and soon a mightly cohort of Christian workers spread over the city. Individually and with them John labored night and day sustained by his faith and enthusiasm.
The work of directing the efforts of so many, the nightly vigil at the bedside of sick and dying, the continual breathing of the vitiated air of the lower quarters of the city, gradually sapped the strength of John, who did not know the meaning of fatigue when a call on the service of his Christ sounded.