“The whole investigating bunch stopped, as if smitten dead, right there among the men within ten feet of the platform which is near the door, and I hadn’t time to tell Jesus who they were. It would not have made any difference if I had.

“Well, fellows, you never heard such a tremendous sermon against war in all your life. It was simply unlike anything I ever heard. Jesus condemned the whole sentiment of war armament and made some astounding charges against the firms that supply contract material for the navy, proving that they are directly in touch with the naval powers and are regularly influencing public sentiment for war scares with other nations.

“The whole thing was simply—well, it was just awful. I thought, of course, he was going to give the men a simple gospel talk. Instead of that, he—”

“Wasn’t that a gospel talk, if he spoke against war?” another secretary asked.

“Oh, well, I suppose it was, but out there of all places it will put us at odds with the management. I doubt if we shall be allowed to hold meetings there again. All the time, Admiral Short and his crowd were ghastly with rage and fear. The recent disclosures in Germany and Great Britain over the scandals in navy supply circles have made our Department nervous, and once I saw the Admiral start forward as if to interrupt Jesus.”

“He did begin to speak,” said another secretary who had been present. “He said, ‘Stop! You traitor!’ like that. I heard it plainly.”

“Yes, but Jesus turned and simply held up his hand, and Admiral Short stepped back and put up his own hand suddenly, as if to ward off a blow. There was something awful about it. But Jesus went calmly on. He talked so quietly that the men kept crowding closer to hear, and when Jesus’s prayer was over, they didn’t move for a full minute. It was the most effective meeting we ever had out there. Nearly all the people were in tears, and as Jesus shook hands with them, I heard many ask him to come again.”

“When the papers come out there will be a sensation,” the second secretary said. “Admiral Short and the rest were furious. We have not heard the last of it.”

Carter asked about Jesus’s whereabouts. One of the secretaries told him he was to be the guest of one of the ministers, but was not certain which one, as Jesus himself did not know exactly where his work would take him that night.

So Carter went back to his hotel, brooding deeply over the events of the day, his own course undecided. But one thing was positive: he would stay in Washington until he saw Jesus alone.