Willmar tribune., 1899-12-27
[CONTINUED1 |

oO, as KNOW you Will, 1T requires NO
prophet to predict some remarkable
changes in your parish" The bishop
looked wistfully at Bruce and then con
dnued: I'm fact, do not see how a
perfect upheaval Of Christianity as We
now know it can be prevented if the
ministry and churches generally take
the Raymond pledge and live it out, -
He paused as If he were waiting for his
friend to say something, TO ask some
question, but Bruce did not know of
the fire thatwas burning in the bishops
heart over the very question that Max
we'll and himself had fought out
"Now. in my church. for instance"
continued the bishop, lit would be
rather difficult matter, fear, to find
very many people who would take
pledge like that and live up to it Mar
tyrdom Is lost art with ~. Our Chris
tianity loves its case ahd comfort too
we'll to take up anything SO rough and
heavy as cross, and yet what does fol-
lowing Jesus mean? What is it to walk
in his steps?''
The bishop was soliloquizing now
and it is doubtful if he thought for the
moment of his friends presence. For
the first time there tlashc;i into Bruce's
mind suspicion of the truth. What il
the bishop should throw the weight Of
his great influence on the side of the
Raymond movement! He had the fol-
lowing of the most aristocratic, wealthy,
fashionable people not only in Chicago
but in several large cities. What If the
bishop should join this new discipleship!
The thought was about to be followed
by the word. Dr.. Bruce had reached
out his hand and, with the familiarity
Of lifelong friendship, had placed it on
the bishops shoulder and was about to
ask him a very important question
when they were both startled by the
violent ringing Of the bell Mrs. Bruce
had gone to the door and was talking
with some one in the hall. There was a
bishop rose and DR.. Bruce was stepping
toward the curtain that hung before
the entrance to the parlor, Mrs. Bruce
pushed it aside. Her face was white
and she was trembling.
"Oh, Calvin Such terrible newsl
Mr.. Sterling-oh, l cannot tell it! What
fearful blow to those two girls"
"What is it DR.. Bruce advanced
with the bishop into the hall and con-
fronted the messenger, a servant from
the Sterlings The man was without
his hat and had evidently run over with
the news, as the doctor lived nearest of
any friends Of the family.
"Mr. Sterling shot himself, sir. 4
few minutes ago! He killed himself
in his bedroom Mrs stcrling'-
'Iw will go right over. Edward DIR.
Bruce turned to the bishop-"w will you
go with me? The Sterlings are old
friends Of yours. -
The bishop was Very pale but calm
as always. He looked his friend in the
face and answered: "Aye Calvin |
will 60 with you. not only to this house
of death, bct also the whole way of hu-
man sin and sorrow, please God.
And even in that moment of horror
at the unexpected news Calvin Brace
understood what tho bishop had prom.
ised to do
CHAPTER x.
These are they which follow the Lamb whittier
eoever he goeth
When DR.. Bruce and the bishop en-
tered the Sterling mansion, everything
in the usually we'll appointed household
was in the greatest confusion and ter
ror. Thu great rooms down stairs were
empty, but overhead we're hurried foot
steps and confused noises One of the
servants ran down the grand staircase
with look Of horror on her face Just
as the bishop and DR.. Bruce were start
ing to go up.
miss Felicia is with Mrs. Sterling' -
the servant stammered in answer to
question and then burst into hyster-
ical cry and ran through the drawing
room and out of doors
At the top Of the staircase the two
men were met by Felicia
She walked up to DR.. Bruce at once
and put both hands in his. The bishop
laid his hand on her head, and the three
stood there moment in perfect silence.
The bishop had known Felicia since
she was a. child. He was the first to
break silence.
1.-THE God of all mercy be with you.
Felicia. in this dark hour Your moth
err
The bishop hesitated. Out of the
buried past he had during his hurried
passage from his friend house to this
house Of death irresistibly drawn the
one tender romance Of his young man
hood Not even Bruce knew that But
there had been time when the bishop
had offered the incense of singularly
undivided affection upon the altar of
his youth to the beautiful Camilla
Rolfe, and she had chosen between him
and the millionaire. The bishop carried
no bitterness with his memory, but it
was still memory.
For answer to the bishops unfinished
query Felicia turned and went back
into her mothers room. She had not
said word yet, but both men were
struck with her wonderful calm. She
returned to the hall door and beckoned
to them, and the two ministers, with
feeling that they were about to behold
something very unusual, entered. Il
Rose lay with her arms outstretched
on the bed; Clara, the nurse, sat with
her head covered. sobbing in spasms Of
terror. and Mrs. Sterling, with 1.-THE
light that never was on sea or land"
luminous on her face, lay there so still
that even the bishop was deceived at
first. Then as the great truth broke