"I am so glad—for Chester's and Lucy's sake—so glad!"
In good time they arrived at the meeting house. The Bishop busied himself with the business before him. The good people of the ward came in, exchanged the usual greetings, then found seats. There were flowers on the sacrament table as usual, and the meeting house looked sweet and clean—a fit place in which to worship the Lord.
The opening hymn in which the congregation joined was:
"God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm."
At the close of the song, Thomas Strong nodded his head and whispered, "Amen."
Then after prayer and the sacrament, the Bishop announced, "All mothers who have babies to be blessed will please bring them forward, and all who were baptized yesterday will kindly take their places on the front seat."
Julia, with rosy face, bore her baby to the front, followed by another mother with less timidity. A little girl tip-toed along the aisle, and a boy, "just turned eight" trod heavily forward. Then Thomas Strong also arose, and silently took his place on the front seat alongside the mothers with the babies and the children.
The sun shone through the uncurtained window and lay as a broad strip of light along the front seat. The little boy was nervously twitching his feet, the little girl's hands were folded serenely, the babies cooed. The white-haired man sat with the children, now one with them and of them in very deed. His face was as a child's, as was indeed his heart. The meeting was still, silenced by the strange, solemn occasion. Then the Bishop, assisted by his counselors and Patriarch Hugh Elston laid their hands on the three who had been baptized in water for the remission of sins and now bestowed on them the Holy Ghost. Then the officiating Elders came to the mothers.
"Brother Elston," said the Bishop, "bless the baby."