[From Arthur Selwyn'S Note-Book.] [More Ways Than One.] I Was Present, One Day Where Both Layman And Priest Worshipped God In A Way That Was Startling, At Least: Over Thirty In Place On The Stage, In A Row, As Is Often The Case At A Minstrelsy Show; In A Uniform Clad Was Each One Of Them Seen, And A Banjo They Had, And A Loud Tambourine. And They Sung And They Shouted Their Spasmodic Joys, Just As If They Ne'er Doubted That God Loved A Noise. And Their Phrases, Though All Not Deficient In Points, A Grammarian Would Call Rather Weak In The Joints; And The Aspirate Sound Was Adroitly Misused, And The Language All Round, Was Assaulted And Bruised; While The Tunes That They Sung In Bewildering Throngs, Had Been Married, When Young, To Hilarious Songs; And The Folks In That Place, Who This Loud Racket Made, Were Not Bounded By Race Or Condition Or Shade. * * * * * Now I Love My Own Meeting, My Own Cosy Pew, While Mentally Greeting Friends Quietly True; And The Gospel Dispensed With A Dignified Grace, Born Of Reason Clear-Sensed And A Faith Firm Of Place. I Love The Trained Voices That Float Down The Aisles, Till The Whole Church Rejoices With God'S Sweetest Smiles. Have No Sneer Understood For The Rest, When I Say I Had Rather Get Good In A Civilized Way. So This Meeting Had Grated Somewhat On My Heart, And Ere Long I Had Waited, I Thought To Depart. But A Young Man Arose, Looking Sin-Drenched And Grim, As If Rain-Storms Of Woes Had Descended On Him; No Such Face You'd Discern In A Leisurely Search, If You Took A Chance Turn Through A Civilized Church; But His Words, Though Not Choice, To My Feelings Came Nigh; There Was Growth In His Voice, There Was Hope In His Eye. And He Said, "I'm A Lad With A Life Full Of Blame; Every Step Has Been Bad, Every Hour Was A Shame. And For Drink I Would Pawn All Within My Control, From The Clothes I Had On, To My Heart And My Soul. I Have Drank The Foul Stuff In My Parents' Hot Tears; I Have Done Crime Enough For A Hundred Black Years; But I Came To This Place For The Help That I Craved; I Have Seen Jesus'S Face, And I Know I Am Saved." Then A Man Rose To View, When This Youngster Was Done, And He Said, "This Is True; That Young Man Is My Son. He Was Drunk Every Day, And Such Terror Would Make, That I Spurned Him Away From My House, Like A Snake. We Have Suffered The Worst That Can Come From Heart-Fears; He Is Sober The First I Have Seen Him For Years. I Am Full Of Such Joy As I Never Yet Knew; And Now, Robert, My Boy, Home Is Open To You! "You May Go Home With Me - Or May Run On Before; You've A Glittering Key That Will Open The Door! Your Mother Is There, Praying For You E'En Now; There Is Snow In Her Hair, There Is Pain On Her Brow. And When You Have Kissed Her The Old-Fashioned Way, There'S A Brother And Sister Who've Longed For This Day; And Whatever Can Befriend You On Earth, Shall Be Done; May God'S Blessing Attend You, My Son - Oh, My Son!" Then The Banjo Struck In, And The Tambourine Jingled; There Rose Such A Din That My Blood Fairly Tingled. The Vocalists Screamed Till Quite Red In The Face; But Somehow It All Seemed Not At All Out Of Place! Now Denouements Immense Do Riot Somehow Take Hold, Or Dramatic Events Reach My Heart, As Of Old; But My Smiles Could Not Hide The Fast-Gathering Tears, And I Cheered, Laughed, And Cried, As I Had Not For Years! And I Thought, "Not Amiss Are This Tumult And Shout: Folks Who Save Men Like This Know What They Are About. You Who Fight With God'S Sword For The Good Of Your Kind - You Can Never Afford To Leave These Men Behind. If These Women I've Seen, Should Be Pelted Or Cursed, I Would Step In Between - I Would Take The Blow First. They Who Draw Souls Above From The Depths Lowest Down, Will Not Fail Of God'S Love Or To Shine In His Crown."