Thurston got up then and read a lesson from the Bible.He read from the Revelations:
"After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.""And immediately I was in the Spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.""And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone:
and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.And round about the throne were four and twenty seats:
and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold."Thurston had worked hard during these last years, he had immensely improved his accent, and his h's were all in their right places.He read very dramatically, dropping his voice to a whisper, then pausing and staring in front of him as though he saw God only a few yards away.The people of Skeaton had had few opportunities of any first-class dramatic entertainment.When Thurston finished there passed through the building a wave of excitement, a stir, a faint murmur.An old woman next to Maggie wiped her eyes."Lovely!" Maggie heard her whisper."Lovely!"They sang, then, another hymn, accompanied by the orchestra.This was a dramatic hymn with a fiery martial tune:
The Lord of War He cometh down With Sword and Shield and Armour Bright, His armies all behind him Frown, Who can withstand His Light?
Chorus.Trumpets Blare, The drum-taps Roll, Prepare to meet Thy God, Oh Soul! Prepare! Prepare! Prepare to meet Thy God, oh Soul!
Never before had the men and women of Skeaton heard such hymns.The Revival of ten years ago, lacking the vibrant spirit of Mr.John Thurston, had been a very different affair.This was something quite new in all Skeaton experience.Red-hot expectation flamed now in every eye.Maggie could feel that the old woman next to her was trembling all over.