“You see, the people will not go until he appears, and he will not disappoint them. Later in the day, the committee from the Ministerial Union and the YMCA secretaries will go with him to various points of interest. He has expressed a desire to see the city. I would like to stay and hear him speak to the crowd out here, and I may have to—it looks as if I couldn’t get out—but I have a funeral service to attend to.”

“There he is!”

A cry had gone up from those nearest the Association doors, and Carter and the minister and everyone turned to look.

He had come out on the steps, and even at that distance, Carter could detect the expression on his face of compassion for the multitudes.

Carter found himself wondering what he himself would say if he were called on suddenly to talk to a crowd made up of all kinds of humanity—black, white, rich, poor, senators, representatives, congressmen, day laborers, tramps, professional men, baseball players, actors, newspaper reporters, and tourists.

And as he listened, the marvel of it stole in upon him like a tide, irresistible, again convincing him that this was none other than Jesus; his every look and word proclaimed it. He “spoke as never man spoke.” He caught the multitude up in the sweep of compassion, and for the time being it listened as if it was in the very presence of the Deity.

When he at last went back into the building, one of the secretaries asked the crowd not to follow him, as he was greatly in need of rest before going out again. The crowd dispersed.

Carter returned to his hotel and brooded there. Later in the day he went to the Association building, again impelled by his vacillating impulse to find Jesus even while he had no definite purpose regarding his meeting with him, should he have an opportunity to see him alone.

He found, as he stepped into the lobby, an excited group of secretaries and Association members. One of the secretaries was talking. He was one of the committee who had gone with Jesus to see the city that afternoon, and he was relating what had happened at the naval steel shell works.

“It was the regular day for our meeting and I had asked Jesus to talk to the men at the shops. When we went in, the men were just through with their meal. They gathered as they always do in the storeroom where the finished shells are ready for shipment.

“Just as Jesus began to speak, a group of men came into the room, composed of Admiral Short and his staff and a number of expert naval engineers and gunners who are making a special investigation, following the action of Congress to increase naval supplies and add the new type of Ralend shell.