IT WAS late at night, the gospel service was over, and the preacher and his companions were walking back to their rooms. On the way they passed a tavern and dance hall. Hearing the music and dancing the bold evangelist said to his friends, "I'm going into the dance hall."
"No," said one, "they won't let you."
"Well, I'll try," said he.
He walked upstairs. A man stood at the door of the hall, and he gave him a quarter to let him in.
One man was playing a fiddle, another was twanging on the banjo, and the dancers were whirling and wheeling around the floor.
The evangelist went to the middle of the floor, and kneeling down he began to pray. The music and dancing ceased, the dancers made for the door and ran helter skelter down the stairs as if the devil was after them.
The fiddler, the banjo player, and the evangelist were left alone. Soon the banjo was laid on the floor; its owner jumped on it smashing it to pieces; then he dropped on his knees beside the preacher and cried to God for mercy.
The fiddler too was weeping. The landlord came to the door with a gun in his hand, swearing he would shoot the preacher. His wife was wrestling with him to get the gun out of his hand. At last she got possession of it. The preacher left the house.
The next evening the dance hall was closed. The evangelist was told that never again was there a dance held in that hall.
Messages of the Love of God 1/12/1975