"Come, Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove."
When I had finished the reading, the chorister arose with superlative dignity, and gave the key. Unfortunately, the choir dropped a tone or two too low, and the first verse was sung at that disadvantage. Discovering the blunder, the key was again given, but the singers were now getting nervous, and instead of rising, they went still lower, as they sang,
"Look how we grovel here below."
Certainly the chariot wheels of Pharaoh did not roll more heavily than the numbers from that orchestra. I remembered old Balerma, and felt deeply for them. But our young knight of the tuning-fork was not to be vanquished. With a dash he brought the fork down upon the desk, and gave the key again. But alas! for all human expectations! The choir dropped down to a dead monotone, as they went on with the next verse:
"In vain we tune our formal songs,
In vain we strive to rise;
Hosannas languish on our tongues,
And our devotion dies."
Both the choir and congregation felt a relief when the Minister said, "Let us pray."
Having completed the first round of the District, I returned to Fond du Lac to begin the second. But it is not my purpose to give the details of each round or year, as the labors of a Presiding Elder are too monotonous to furnish a record that would be entertaining to the general reader.
CHAPTER XV.
Fond du Lac District Continued.--Baraboo Conference.--Lodi Camp Meeting.--Fall River.--Revival at Appleton.--Rev. Elmore Yocum.--Revival at Sheboygan Falls.--Revival at Fond du Lac.--Rev. E.S. Grumley.--Revival at Sheboygan.--Rev. N.J. Aplin.--Camp-Meeting at Greenbush.--Rev. A.M. Hulce.--Results of the Year.--Janesville Conference.--Omro. Rev. Dr. Golden.--The Cowhams.--Quarterly Meeting.--My Father's Death.--Close of the Term.