Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-10-12

moved slavery, replied the bASnOp
gravely. meanwhile think we have
a right to know who controls this saloon
so near the settlement. "
"Ill find ont" said DR.. Bruce.
Two days later he walked into the
business Office of one of the members of
Nazareth Avenue church and asked to
soc him a few moments. He was cor
daily received by his old parishioner,
who welcomed him into his room and
urged him to take all the time he
wanted
81 called to sec you about that prop
erty next to the settlement, where the
bishop and myself now are, you know.
| am going to speak plainly, because
life is too short and too serious for MS
both to have any foolish hesitation
about this matter Clayton, do you
think it is right to rent that property
for saloon p
DR.. Bruce's question was as direct
and uucompromising as he had meant
it to be The effect of il on his old pa
rishioner was instantaneous.
The hot blood mounted to the face of
the man who sat there picture Of
business activity in great city. Then
he grew pale, dropped his head on his
hands, and when he raised it again DR..
Bruce was amazed to see a tear roll
over his parishioner face.
doctor, did Won know that | took
the pledge that morning with the 9th
ers?"
eyes, | remember.
"But You never knew how I have
been tormcnted over my failure to keep
it in this instance That saloon prop
erty has been the temptation of the
devil to me. 1t is the best paying in
vestment at present that l have, and
yet it was only n minute before you
came in here that was in an agony of
remorse to think how | was letting a
little earthly gain tempt me into denial
of the very Christ ] had promised to
follow. | know well enough that he
would never rent property for such a
purpose. There is no need, dear doctor,
for you to say a word more. " Clayton
held out his hand, and DR. Bruce grasped
it and shook il hard After little he
erward that he learned all the truth
about the struggle that Clayton had
known. 1t was only part of the his
tory that belonged to Nazareth Avenue
church since that memorable morning
when the Holy Spirit sanctioned the
Christlike pledge. Not even the bishop
and DR.. Bruce, moving as they now did
in, bo e Il ;,.;,,
pulses, knew yet that over the whole
sinful city the Spirit was brooding with
mighty eagcrness waiting for the dis
ciplcs to arise to the call of sacrifice and
suffering, touching hearts long dull and
cold, making business men and money
makers uneasy in their absorption by
the one great struggle for more wealth
and stirring through the church rs
never in all the city S history the church
had been moved. The bishop and Dr.
! Bruce had already seen some wonderful
things in their brief life at the settle
ment They Were to see far greater
soon, more astonishing revelations Of
the Divine power than they had sup
| posed possible in this age of the world.
Within month the saloon next the
| settlement was closed. The saloon keep
| er's lease had expired, and Clayton not
only closed the property to the whisky
| men, but offered the use of tho building
to the bishop and DIR. Bruce for the set
| Element work, which had now grown so
| large that the building was not sufii-
! Gent for the different industries that
We're planned. One of the most impor-
| tant of these was the pure food depart
ment suggested by Felicia. 1t WAS not
a month after Clayton turned the saloon
| property over to the settlement that
| Felicia found herself installed in the
very room where souls had been lost as
| head of a department not only Of cook
| ing, but of a course of housekeeping for
| girls who wished to go ont to service.
She was now n resident of the settle
ment and found home with Mrs
Bruce and the other young women from
| the city who We're residents. Martha,
| the viOlinist, remained at the place
where the bishop had first discovered
| the two girls and came over to the set
Element certain evenings to give lessons
in music.
Felicia, tell us your plan in full
now, said the bishop one evening
when, in n rare interval of rest from
the great pressure of work, he, with DR..
| Bruce and Felicia, had come in from
the other building.
"Well, | have long thought of the
hired girl problem, " said Felicia, with
an air of wisdom that made Mrs Bruce
smile as she looked at the enthusiastic,
vital beauty of this young girl, trans
formed into a new creature by the
promise she had made to live the Christ
like life land | have reached certain
conclusions in regard to it that you
men are not yet able to fathom, but
Mrs, Bruce here will understand me "
1--WE acknowledge our infancy, Fee
licia. Go on =" said the bishop humbly.
Then this is what | propose to do;
The old saloon building is large enough
to arrange into suit of rooms that
will represent an ordinary house, My
plan is to have it SO arranged and then
teach housekeeping and cooking to girls
who will afterward go ont to service.
The course will be six months long. In
that time | will teach plain cooking,
neatness, quiclkness and a love of good
work.
Hold on, Felicia" the bishop inter
! ruOtp0. '''ThiS il NOT AN app If m ira