But this man chanced to open a certain Bible one night to a page with a wash of blood across it.

From this page there seemed to come such cries and screams of fear in the high voices of women and children, such sounds of blows on flesh, and the warm, salt smell of blood, that he shut the book and hastily began to pray.

He actually prayed for the preservation of that ancient first enemy of his Church, the government of the United States.

Individually and collectively, as a nation, as States, and as people, he forgave them and prayed the Lord to hold them undivided.
Then he knew that an astounding miracle of grace had been wrought within him.

For this prayer for the hostile government was thus far his greatest spiritual triumph..