262 KEV. W. R INGE, D.D., ON FREEDOM AND DISCIPLINE. 



Cutting ofi the air meant, of course, death to anyone in the mine, 

 but it had been concluded by the experts that no one could be any 

 longer alive underground. 



The families of the entombed miners would not, however, accept 

 this verdict, and a tumultuous crowd assembled to prevent the 

 blocking up of the shaft. The few police present were unable to 

 restrain the people, and it looked as if a serious riot would take place 

 with probable loss of Hfe. 



Just then an open-air preacher happened to be present, and he 

 began to speak to the excited crowd ; he did not tell them to obey 

 the authorities, but he dwelt on the love of God and on the ofier of 

 salvation through trusting to the Lord Jesus Christ. 



Soon the people were eagerly listening to his message, and all risk 

 of a riot was at an end, and the chief constable heartily thanked 

 the preacher. Other similar instances of the efiect of the proclama- 

 tion of Gospel truths will probably occur to all of us. 



I now conclude as I began, by asking you to accord, by acclamation, 

 our sincere thanks to our Chairman of to-day. He is also the 

 esteemed Chairman of our Council, and the Editor of our annual 

 volume. (Applause.) 



