Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-09-14
weeks ago to imagine Jesus joining Q

NbIS. w llNlOW IOS' illlNt tli'I Sdu iON IL
again. With a great effort she com
posed herself
"What do You intend to do. then ?
You have not answered my question. "
II shall continue to sing for the time
being in the church. am pledged to
sing there through spring. During the
week am going to sing at the White
Cross meetings down in the Rectangle. -
What Rachel Winslowl Do you
know what you are saying9 Do You
know what sort of people those are
down there?"
Rachel almost quailcd before her
mother. For moment she shrank back
and was silent
II know very we'll. That is the rea-
son am going Mr. and Mrs Gray
have been working there several weeks.
learned only this morning that they
wanted singers from the churches to
help them in their meetings. They use
a tent 1t is in part of the city where
Christian work is most needed. shall
offer them my help. Mother, Rachel
cried ont with the first passionate ut
terance she had yet used, 81 want to do
something that will cost me something
in the way of sacrifice. | know You will
not understand me. But | am hungry
to suffer something. What have we
done all our lives for the suffering, sim
ming side of Raymond? How much
have we denied ourselves or given of
our personal ease and pleasure to bless
the place in which we live or initiate
the life of the Saviour of the world
Are we always to go on doing as So
ciety selhshly dictates, moving on its
narrow little round of pleasures and
entertainments and never knowing the
pain of things that cost?'
Are you preaching at mop asked
Mrs. Winslow slowly. Rachel under
stood her mother's words.
mo; / am preaching at myself, " she
replied gently. She paused a moment
as if she thought her mother would say
something more and then went out of
the room When she reached her own
room. she felt that, 50 far as her moth
er was concerned, she could expect no
sympathy or even fair understanding
from her
She kneeled down. 1t is safe to say
that within the two weeks since Henry
Maxwell's church had faced that shah
by figure with the faded hat more mem
bers Of his parish had been driven to
their knees in prayer than during all
the previous term Of his pastorate.
When she rose. her beautiful face
was wet with tears She sat thought
fully a little while and then wrote a
note to Virginia Page. She sent it to
her by a messenger and then went down
stairs again and told her mother that
she and Virginia were going down to
| the Rectanglc that evening to see Mr.
and Mrs. Gray, the evangclists
''Virginia's uncle, DR.. West, will go
with us if she goes | have asked her to
call him up by telephone and go with
us The doctor is a friend of the Grays
and attended some of the meetings last
winter "
Mrs Winslow did not say anything
Her manner showed her complete dis
approval of Rachel course, and Rachel
felt her unspoken bitterness.
About clock the doctor and Vir-
GINA appeared. and together the three
started for the scene of the White Cross
meetings.
The Rectangle was the most notori-
ous district in all Raymond. 1t was in
the territory close by the great railroad
shops and the packing houses. The Stun
and tenement district of Raymond con-
gested its most wretched elements about
the Rectangle This was barren field
used in the summer by circus COM
panies and wandering showmen. IT
was shut in by rows Of saloons, gam
bling bells and cheap. dirty boarding
and lodging houses.
The First church of Raymond had
never touched the Rectangle problem.
1t was too dirty. too coarse, too sinful
too awful, for close contact. Let us be
honest There had been an attempt tC
cleanse this sore spot by sending dowr
an occasional committee of singers. OF
Sunday school teachers or gospel Wis
itors from various churches, but the
church of Raymond as an institution
had never really done anything to make
the Rectangle any less stronghold OF
the devil as the years went by
Into this heart of the coarse part o.
the sin of Raymond the travelling evan
gelist and his brave little wife hat
pitched a good sized tent and begun
meetings. 1t was the spring of the year
and the evenings were beginning to b
pleasant The evangelists had asked fo
the help of Christian people and ha'
received more than the usual amour
of encouragement but they felt a grea
need of more and better music During
the meetings on the Sunday inst gon
the assistant at the organ had bcel
taken i'll The volunteers from the cit,
were few and the voices of ordinar,
quality
There will be small meeting to
night, John. said his wife as they en-
tered the tent little after o'cloc
and began to arrange the chairs an
light up
Yes | think so Mr. Gray was
small. energetic man. with pleasan
voice and the courage of highbor1
fighter He had already made friend
in the neighborhood, and one of hi
converts. heavy faced man. who ha
just come in, began to help in the ar
rangement of the seats.
1t was after 8 o'clock when Alexan
der Powers opened the door of his offic
and started to go home He was goin