Before the executions, Robert Hopkins, who was, at that time, the leader in all that pertained to worship, handed to Dr. Williamson the names of thirty men who had then led in public prayer. And not very long after, sixty more names were added to the list of praying ones. This was regarded by themselves very much in the light of making a profession of religion. In a few weeks a deep and abiding concern for themselves was manifest. Here were hundreds of men who had all their life refused to listen to the Gospel. They now wanted to hear it. There was a like number of men who had refused to learn to read. Now almost all were eager to learn. And along with this wonderful awakening on the subject of education sprang up the more marvelous one of their seeking after God--some god. Their own gods had failed them signally, as was manifest by their present condition. Their conjurers, their medicine-men, their makers of _wakan_, were nonplussed. Even the women taunted them by saying, "You boasted great power as _wakan_ men; where is it now?" These barriers, which had been impregnable and impenetrable in the past, were suddenly broken down. Their ancestral religion had departed. They were unwilling now, in their distresses, to be without God--without hope, without faith in something or some one. Their hearts were aching after some spiritual revelation. Then, if human judgment resulted in what they had seen and realized, what would be the results of God's judgment? If sin against _white men_ brought _such death_, what death might come to them by reason of sin, from the Great Wakan? There was such a thing as sin, and there was such a person as Christ, God's Son, who is a Saviour from sin. These impressions were made by the preaching of the Word. These impressions became convictions. The work of God's Spirit had now commenced among them, and it was continued all winter, "deep and powerful, but very quiet," as one wrote. Some of these men, in their younger days, had heard the Messrs. Pond talk of the white man's religion. They were desirous now, in their trouble, to hear from their old friends, whose counsel they had so long rejected. To this request, Mr. G. H. Pond responded, and spent some days in the prison, assisting Dr. Williamson. Rev. Mr. Hicks, pastor of the Presbyterian church in Mankato, was also taken into their counsels and gave them aid. For several weeks previous, many men had been wishing to be baptized, and thus recognized as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. This number increased from day to day, until about three hundred--just how many could not afterward be ascertained--stood up and were baptized into the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The circumstances were peculiar, the whole movement was marvelous, it was like a "nation born in a day." The brethren desired to be divinely guided; and, after many years of testing have elapsed, we all say that was a genuine work of God's Holy Spirit.