Busy with work till late at his office John realizes his stenographer is tired and sends her home determined to finish the work himself. He telephones his wife he will not be home to dinner, not alone on account of the work, but he does not care to meet the clergymen she has invited. The wife is bitterly disappointed, and is compelled to make excuses for her husband's absence. John has a stroke of paralysis and falls helpless over his desk. The guests having gone, and unable to get any answer from her husband over the phone, the wife sends the butler to the office. There he finds John unconscious, telephones for a doctor and together they take the stricken man home. He recovers but is not able to walk, is compelled to spend his time in a rolling chair unable even to move that about. Still he scoffs at all sacred subjects and refuses to see the minister when he calls.

At last we see him seated in his chair reading. The baby has been put to bed and his wife and maid go to a prayer meeting. He dismisses the butler and reads. In the bedroom a newspaper on a table near the crib blows and flutters, finally catches fire in the candle. The paper finally blows onto the crib, and soon the bed is on fire. The smoke wakes John, he rings, calls, endeavors to move his chair — all in vain. In desperation he prays for power, for help, to reach his child. Slowly he makes the chair move. Finally the frantic man gets his chair to the door, it sticks and he cannot move it. Sitting helpless In sight of the flames crawling towards his baby, he once more prays for help, and with a tremendous effort of will, staggers out of the chair to the bed, gets the baby, but his power is gone, he sinks helpless Into a chair amid smoke and flame. Meantime the wife has left the prayer-meeting, the butler opens the door. The minister is with her. The men get a blanket and wrap the now fiercely burning bedclothes in it, throwing all out of the window. The picture closes with the husband repentant.

Source: The Moving Picture World, May 17, 1913