The singing was beautiful!  John thought that the songs were sweeter than any he had ever heard.  When prayer was being offered, he listened carefully to every word; and when he heard the ministers address God as their Father, asking Him to direct them in all that they did and said, and to prepare the hearts of the people to receive the truths that they were about to speak, he was instantly filled with wonder and awe.

After they rose from prayer, another song was sung; and then the elderly lady began to address the people.  As she read in a clear, sweet voice a chapter from the Scriptures, John listened carefully.  The account of the woes pronounced upon the people who would not do right and the promises made to those who would live right and were prepared to die, were truly wonderful.  Especially was he impressed with one verse she read, though he realized very little of what it meant:  “Therefore be ye also ready:  for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh.”

When this speaker took her seat, the other lady, a young, sweet-faced girl, arose, and said a few words.  After telling of how she had been converted, and of how the Savior had ever since supplied all the longings of her heart and had enabled her by his grace to live a life that was pure and spotless, she spoke of her home in heaven; and then she told the people that God would do the same for others as He had for her—­for everyone who would give up evil habits and forsake sin, and who would love His Son, whom He had sent to the earth to suffer and die that all people might be saved.  John listened to every word; and as the girl sat down, he thought, “Why, I would give everything that I have in the world to be able to say such things about myself!”

When making the announcements, the elderly lady said:  “This meeting will be continued for three weeks or more, and we want as many of you as can to attend regularly; for there will be many portions of the Bible explained, and we want everyone to learn what is the road to success and to find out how to be truly happy.”  John at once decided that he would attend every service; but since at the same time he felt an interest similar to that which had inspired him to become a showman, he remembered that bitter experience and ground his teeth.  He was about to change his decision to attend the meetings regularly, when he remembered the words, “Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh!”

Instantly he beheld a great panoramic view of his past life, and many of the evils that had never before appeared to him as sin were painted with the blackest dyes.  He had not meant to be wicked, but he suddenly realized that his life had been wasted; and he concluded that he was not ready to meet Christ.  But John believed that Christ would come to the earth, and he felt that he would give anything to be ready to meet Him.