The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-25

(F'rom the Chicago Times Herald.)
st. Louis, Dec. 23.-James Eads How,
who spurns his inheritance of 1000, 900
in order that he may obey the com
mand of Jesus and follow his example
of living among the lowly, is perhaps
the most remarkable example in Amer
lea of the practical application of the
doctrines of the Savior He holds that
Jesus either meant what he said or
he did not. If the Savior was in earn
est, there is only one road open to the
rich man. If he was not in earnest,
then the words are mere empty sounds
In fact, says Mr.. How, no ingenuity
however stimulated by desire to blind
ones eyes to the truth for the sake of
gold, can extract from the verses in
Mark any meaning but the one mean
ing which was clearly in the mind of
the Redeemer.
Mr.. How is the grandson of James
B. Eads, who built the great Mississip-
pi bridge that bears his name, and
the ietties near New Orleans, which
opened the big river to the deep bot
toms Of the worlds commerce. His
father was the late ]. F. How, vice
president of the Wabash Railroad. The
young mans share of the family estate
is $1000,000. By one word, he could
command the luxuries of the worlds
work and live in all the delights of the
flesh. But the verses in Mark, are
burned into his brain, and he follows
in the footsteps of Jesus as closely as it
is possible for mere man to do.
He refuses to touch penny of his
immense inheritance. 1T is not mine .
he says Il did not earn it, One
day not long ago, he walked into the
| office of Mayor Ziegenheim and ten
dered that official 100000 which he
wished should be given to the poor. Mr..
| Ziegenheim nearly fell off his chair.
| He questioned Mr. How and found out
| that his visitor meant business. Then
the mayor rang his bell for Sergt Nc
Grew, the Cerberus of the executive
office. When that giant came in, the
mayor, who is not pigmy himself,
| felt easier. The upshot of the inter
view was that Mr. How was escorted
to DR.. Starkloff, the health commits
sioner, with the request that he exam
| inc the millionaire for his sanity. DR..
Starkloff pronounced the man perfect
| ly sane. Then Mr.. How renewed his
! offer. But the mayor couldn't get over
his first fright and wouldn't touch
the money.
The passage that caused Mr.. How
to give up $1,000,000
| 'And he answered and said unto him,
Master, all these things have I OBJ
served from my youth.
Then Jesus, beholding him, loved
| him, and said unto him, One thing thou
lackest; go thy way, sell whatsoever
| thou hast, and give to the poor, and
thou shalt have treasure in heaven;
! and come, take up the cross and fol-
| low me.
And he was sad at that saying, and
went away grieved, for he had great
| possessions.
"And Jesus looked around about and
saith unto his disciples, How hardly
shall they that have riches enter into
the kingdom of God. Mark, x:21.
Baked at the very threshold of his
noble purpose, Mr.. How determined to
live up to the second part of the Sa-
| vior's injunction. He would take up
his cross and follow Christ. He went
to live among the poorest people he
could find, to teach them, to minister
to them, to lead them toward the light
which he himself saw or fancied he
saw. He founded mission at Wash
| ington avenue and Ninth street and
| here expounded the gospels after his
own fashion. His dress is that of the
| lowliest, his fare as simple as that of
the apostles and his life is ordered in