Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-11-29
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y CHARLES n. snELDol


Copyrighted and published in book fvrm
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''But now. dear friend, come to thu
real cause Of the letter. the real heart
Of the whole question as the First
church Of Raymond has forced it upon
me Before the meeting closed today
steps were taken to secure the cooper
alton Of all other Christian disciples in
this country: I think Henry Maxwell
took this step after long elaboration
He said as much to me one day when
called upon him and we were discuss.
ing the effect Of this movement upon
the church in general
Why, he said, suppose that the
church membership generally in this
country made this pledge and lived up
to it. What arevolution it would cause
IN Christendoml But why mott Is II
any more than the disciple ought to do
Has he followed Jesus unless he is will
ing to do this1 Is tho test Of disciple.
ship any less today than it was in Jesus
timer
II do not know all that preceded OF
followed his thought Of what ought to
be done outside Of Raymond. but the
idea crystallized today in a plan to 20.
cure the fellowship Of all the Christians
in America. The churches through their
pastors will be asked to form disciple
gatherings like the one in the First
church Volunteers will be called for in
the great body of church members in
the United States who will promise to
do as Jesus would do Maxwell spoke
particularly of the result of such gen.
eral action on the saloon question. He
is terribly in earnest over this He told
me that there was no question in his
mind that the saloon would be beaten
in Raymond at the election now near
at hand. IF so. they could go on with
some courage to do the redemptive work
begun by the evangelist apd now taken
up by the disciples in his own church.
If the saloon triumphs again. there will
be terrible and, as he thinks unnec-
essary waste of Christian sacrifice. But,
however we differ on that point. he has
convinced his church that the time has
come for fellowship with other Chris
tians Surely, if the First church could
work such changes in society and its
surroundings, the church in general. if
combining such fellowship, not of creed,
but Of conduct, ought to stir the entire
nation to higher life and new con-
ception of Christian following:
This is grand idea. Caxton. but
right here is where I find myself hest
tating. do not deny that the Christian
disciple ought to follow Christ's steps
as closely as these here in Raymond
have tried to do. but l cannot avoid
asking what the result will be if l ask
my church in Chicago to do it. l am
writing this after feeling the solemn.
profound touch of the Spirits presence,
and confess to you. OLD friend. that l
cannot call up in my church a dozen
prominent business or professional men
who would make this trial at the risk
Of all that they hold dear. Can you do
any better in your church, What are
we to say-that the church would not
respond to the call. Come and suffer-
The actual results Of the pledge as
obeyed here in Raymond are enough to
make any pastor tremble and at the
same time long with yearning that they
might occur in his own parish. Certain
ly. never have seen church so signal
" blessed by the Spirit as this one.
But am I myself ready to take this
pledge1 I ask the question honestly, and
dread to face an honest answer
know well enough that l would have to
change very much in my life if I under
took to follow his steps so closely
have called myself Christian for many
years For the past ten years l have
enjoyed q life that has had compare
lively little suffering in it. am-hon.
estly ! say it-living at a long distance
from municipal problems and the life
Of the poor, the degraded and the aban-
doned. What would the obedience to
this pledge demand of met hesitate to
answer. Ny church is wealthy. full of
well to do, satisfied people The stand
ard Of their discipleship is, am aware,
not Of q nature to respond to the call
to suffering or personal loss I say, Il
am aware. may be mistaken. / may
have erred in not stirring their deeper
life Ca1ton, my friend, l have spoken
my inmost thought to you. Shall I go
back to my people next Sunday and
stand up before them in my large city
church and say, Let us follow Jesus
closer; let us walk in his steps, where
It will cost us something more than it
Is costing us now; let US pledge not to
do anything without first asking,
What would Jesus dor If should go
before them with that message it would
be . strange and startling one to them.
But why7 Are we not really to follow
him all the wayl What is it to be q
follower Of Jesus3 What does it mean
to initiate hint What does it mean to
walk in his steps1''
The Rev. Calvin Bruce, D. D., Of the
Nazareth Avenue church, Chicago, let
his pen fall on the paper. He had come
to the parting of the ways. and his
question. he felt sure. was the question
Of many and many a man in the min
istry and in the church. He went to his
window and opened it. He was op-
pressed with the weight Of his convic-
lions, and he felt almost sudocated with
the air Of the room He wanted to see
the stars and feel the breath Of the
world -
The night was very still The clock
in the First church was striking mid
NIGHT Aa II finished a clear. strono