Legacy of Limga

Gold not always metal A chill wind blew off the river and the night, filled with stars, shared the soft velvet darkness of early winter. Nika sat beside the beds of her sleeping sons and comforted them with her hand. She softly sang a lullaby. Tom paused at the door and smiled. He tiptoed in making hardly a sound then whispered as his arms enfolded her. ‘Darling, I think I’ll pop down to the Salvos this evening. They have a great well-attended mid-week service. Their hall, positioned as it is, midway down the street is easily accessible. I’ll enjoy the walk as the extra gaslight at the end of the street will make their entrance easier to find. I don’t expect to be late home.’ ‘I look forward to coming with you when the babies are a bit older.’ She blew him a farewell kiss. Mary Street was crowded. The three hotels and two brothels attracted a constant crowd of people. The night was surprisingly noisy. Tom slipped quietly into a seat. The small hall vibrated with sound as a brass band played from the back. Hymn sheets were passed and folks began to sing enthusiastically. Sounds of drunken revelry from outside increased considerably in volume. The band played on undeterred. Belligerent curses, with thuds and groaning indications of fighting and other assorted noises, came closer. Suddenly, a section of the crowd burst through the door. Jeering and laughing they chanted obscenities and drowned out the singing with discordant raucous songs of their own. The Major turned to his Lieutenant. ‘We’ll need to sort this out’ he said quietly. ‘I stayed inside with the rest of the congregation and tried to keep the flow of the meeting going’, Tom later shared with Nika. ‘Noises outside were violent and very loud. We heard vile language and lots of threshing about and knew fists were finding targets. Then, words of prayer began to ebb and flow. There was rhythm and harmony. A strange unnatural silence came over everything. The band stopped playing. Inside the hall, we sat very still. I saw a faint golden glow through the open door. Then the Major followed by the Lieutenant returned to the meeting. He wiped a smear of blood from his face and commented. “It was as if the devil raged outside this place tonight. All hell broke loose in the street. The men were filled with spirits (not Holy Spirit) and then in the middle of mayhem, at the height of the battle, suddenly it was as if the Holy Ghost turned up. Thirteen souls repented of their sins and gave their lives to Christ. A brawl turned into a prayer meeting. Hallelujah! Let’s all sing. ‘Amazing Grace”. People kept streaming through the door. The hall was packed. It was a truly wonderful meeting!’ ‘What actually happened outside?’ Nika’s animated face was alight with interest. ‘Did you see anything at all?’ No. I couldn’t see outside. I was aware of the incredible stillness and the soft glow that suddenly was on the ceiling and walls inside. I know that a riot turned into stillness and inside we were swamped by a feeling of God’s Presence and Peace.’ True stories become legends in small towns. Nika and Tom would share the story through the years with their expanding family. Their lives are destined to contain many significant events and among them will be more golden memories.