On Monday evening we invited the people to assemble in the large schoolroom, which was filled to excess.  Here I thought that the schoolmaster’s desk would have been demolished under the tremendous energy and force, both mental and physical, of this preacher.  At the first sign of a breakdown among the people, the great, tall man, in his long coat or cassock, came majestically striding out from behind the desk.  That was enough.  A hard rough-looking sailor, who was sitting by, with his eyes fixed on Mr. Aitken for a long time, fell on his knees and began to roar aloud for mercy, and very many others followed his example.

I asked this man afterwards what it was that had had such an effect upon him?  “Oh,” he replied, drawing his breath, as if he had scarcely yet recovered from the shock, “that big man was bad enough the other side of the desk, but when he came forth to the front, I didn’t know what would happen to me.  I was obliged to cry out for mercy; I couldn’t help it.”

The “big man,” like the “Stormy Petrel,” was just in his element in such a scene.  In the gladness and joy of his heart he rejoiced and shouted, “Glory—­glory be to God!” in a way which no one else could imitate or follow.

In the midst of this scene of confusion (as it must have appeared to an outside observer, if such an one was there), sat a woman, looking on at the people praying and praising God, when all at once Mr. Aitken turned suddenly upon her and said, “And you, my sister!” Immediately she gave a scream, and was down on her knees in a moment, crying for mercy as loud as the loudest.

If Cornish people like a noise, they certainly had it that evening to their hearts’ content.  As I have said before, when there is a real power of the Spirit present, the outpouring of the heart with noisy demonstration is joyous to those who go with the stream, and are in sympathy with it; but if those present stop to doubt the propriety of such an outcry, and begin to rebuke those who make it, then I think the answer that the Lord gave the Pharisees would still be applicable:  “I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:40).

It was a great triumph, and the rams’ horns did more execution in these two days than the silver trumpets had done in as many yearn.

The next day, as soon as Mr. Aitken had gone, the rector came to see me.  He appeared to be somewhat embarrassed at first, but after a little time said (looking on the ground), “You know I am no revivalist.  I do not like all this uproar.  I cannot have it.”  He then went on to say that he wished me to leave, for though he had given a guarantee that if I succeeded, he would build me a church and endow it, he could not do anything of the kind now, for he did not consider my work any success whatever—­quite the contrary.  “These converted people (as you call them) are no churchmen!”

I replied, that I had taken his voice as from God in inviting me, and I supposed that I must take the same for my dismissal, if he really intended it; but I urged upon him to consider the matter well before he broke up the work which was going on there, for whatever he thought about it, it was undoubtedly a work of God, though one certainly not very common in churches.