He prayed that the Holy Spirit, who had shown Himself with growing power in the company of First Church disciples, might abide long with them all.

And with that prayer on his lips and in his heart he began the preparation of a sermon in which he was going to present to his people on Sunday the subject of the saloon in Raymond, as he now believed Jesus would do.
He had never preached against the saloon in this way before.

He knew that the things he should say would lead to serious results.
Nevertheless, he went on with his work, and every sentence he wrote or shaped was preceded with the question, "Would Jesus say that ?" Once in the course of his study, he went down on his knees.

No one except himself could know what that meant to him.

When had he done that in his preparation of sermons, before the change that had come into his thought of discipleship?
As he viewed his ministry now, he did not dare preach without praying long for wisdom.