Yes! it was a triumph for New Zion too.  This modest and hitherto obscure corner of the town suddenly found itself, comparatively, in a blaze of publicity, for a column headed “Work at New Zion,” evidently meant to be weekly, left no doubt from what quarter of the town the dawn was to be looked for.  This was perhaps the most delightful thing about the paper,—­its calm assumption that the real aristocracy of the town was to be found in that little back street, and that, if Coalchester was to have any spiritual or intellectual life, it must seek it there.  In Zion Street, and nowhere else in Coalchester, were the angels descending into the waters.  And the best part of the joke was that the assumption was literally true.

CHAPTER X

HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS OF A MORRIS WALL-PAPER TO COALCHESTER

Coalchester was too much taken by surprise by “The Dawn” to pretend to ignore it, and its first recognition was appropriately made in a ludicrously abusive article in “The Argus,”—­“the one-eyed Argus,” as it was mockingly nicknamed in the next week’s issue of the new paper.  The joke was one that was lost on Coalchester, which had never dreamed of expecting a hundred eyes in its “Argus,” which to it was but the usual name for a sleeping newspaper.  It was, however, to do them justice, seen and chuckled over by one or two members of the Literary and Philosophical Society.  “The young beggars know their—­classical dictionary, at all events,” said one of them maliciously, which was quite bright for a Lit-and-Phil.

One tangible result of the little paper was the almost immediate doubling of the attendance at New Zion.  Curiosity had been aroused in this militant young minister with the strange ideas, and Theophilus Londonderry wished for nothing better than to gratify it.  In the oxygen of success even the dullest metals will scintillate, and it needed but such small beginnings of his future to make Theophilus as nearly irresistible as natural gifts and success together can make a man.

Some people go to chapel to worship, a few to learn, but most, odd as it may sound, to be entertained.  A vivid and magnetic preacher is as near as many will allow themselves to approach the theatre.  Theophilus was a born actor—­of himself; a part so few can or dare play.  He gave you good stimulating truth; but it was not so much in the newness of the ideas which he passed on from his books to his hearers, as in the newness of himself, that of course the charm lay.  A few people, not many or important, disliked him; but all had to listen, and a good many came to New Zion again.  Above all, the women heard him gladly; and to this sure sign of a future Theophilus was far from blind.  “He has women at his back, he cannot fail,” was a phrase he sometimes recalled out of his favourite Brand.  Yes, and had he not one little angel-woman at his side?