Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-10-19


here, and maybe it II be the last. Fact
is, I'm about at the end of my string
I've tramped this city for work until
I'm sick. I'm in plenty of company
Say, I'd like to ask question of the
minister if it's fair May II"
That's for Mr.. Maxwell to say"
said the bishop.
"By all means" replied Mr.. Max
well quickly. "Of course l will not
promise to answer it to the gentleman S
satisfaction.
"This is my question. The man
leaned forward and stretched ont a long
arm. with a certain dramatic force that
grew naturally enough out of his con-
dition as a human being. II want to
know what Jesus would do in my case?
/ haven t had stroke of work for two
months I've got wife and three chill
dren, and love them as much as if
was worth a million dollars. I've been
living off a little earnings | saved up
during the Worlds fair jobs | got. I'm
carpenter by trade. and I've tried ev-
cry way know to get u job. Nou say
we ought to take for our motto, What
would Jesus do? What would he do if
he was ont of work like me? | cant be
somebody else and ask the question. l
want to work. I'd give anything to
grow tired of working ten hours a day
the way | used to. Am | to blame be-
cause ! can t manufacture job for my
self? I've got to live and my wife and
my children. But how! What would
Jesus do? You say that the question
we all ought to ask "
Henry Maxwell sat there staring at
the great sea Of faces all intent on his
and no answer to this man : question
seemed, for the time being, to be posi-
BILE. 80 God!' his heart prayed. "This
is a question that brings up the entire
social problem in all its perplexing en-
tanglement of human wrongs and its
present condition, contrary to every de
sire of God for human beings vel
fare. Is there any condition more awful
than for man III good health, able and
eager to work, with no means of honest
livelihood unless he does work, actually
unable to get anything to do and driven
to one of three things-begging for
charity at the hands of friends or
strangers or suicide or starvation
What would Jesus do? 1t was a fair
question for the man to ask. 1t was the
only question he could ask, supposing
him to be disciple of Christ but what
a question for any man to be obliged to
ask under such conditionsv'
All this and more did Henry Maxwell
ponder. All the others We're thinking in
the same way The bishop sat there
with look so etern and sad that il was
not hard to tell how the question moved
him. DR.. Bruce had his head bowed
The human problem had never seemed
to him so tragic as since he had taken
the pledge and left his church to enter
the settlement. What would Jesus do?
1t was terrible question, and still the
man stood there, tall and gaunt and al
most terrible, with his arm stretched
ont in an appeal which grew every sec
ond in meaning.
At length Mr.. Maxwell spoke:
''Is there any man in the room who
is Christian disciple who has been in
this condition and has tried to do as
Jesus would do? If so, such man can
answer his question better than l can &"
There was a moments hush over the
room and then man near the front of
the hall slowly rose He was an old
man, and the hand he laid on the back
| of the bench i'll front of him trembled
as he spoke
II think l can safely say that have
many times been in Just such a condi-
| ton and have always tried to be a
! Christian under all conditions. don t
know that | have always asked this
question, What would Jesus do?' when
l have been ont of work, but do know
/ have tried to be his disciple at all
| times Yes, the man went on with a
sad smile that was more pathetic to the
bishop and Mr.. Maxwell than the young
mans grim despair-''yes, l have beg
| ged, and | have been to the charity or
CARNATIONS, and l have done every
thing when ont of job, except steal
and lie, in order to get food and fuel.
! don't know that Jesus would have done
some of the things l have been obliged
to do for a living hut / know l have
never knowingly done wrong when out
of work. Sometimes think maybe he
would have starved sooner than beg
dom know"
The old man s voice trembled and he
looked around the room timidly. A 81
lence followed, broken by fierce voice
from large, black haired, heavily
bearded man who sat three seats from
the bishop. The minute he spoke nearly
every man in the hall leaned forward
eagerly The man who had asked the
question, "What would Jesus do in my
case2" slowly sat down and asked the
man next to him, "Who's THAR"
'"That's Carlson, the socialistic lead
er. Now You II hear something.
''This is all bosh, to my mind, be-
gan Carlson, while his great, bristlinp
beard shook with the deep, inward
anger Of the man. 1.-The whole of oul
system is at fault. What we call civil
lization is rotten to the core. There j,
no use trying to hide it or cover it up
We live in an age Of trusts and com
bines and capitalistic greed that meani
simply death to thousands of innocent
men, women and children. | thanl
God, if there is God, which | very
much doubt, that |, for one, have never
dared to marry and try to have home
Homat Tall IF hall Jc tbara apy hi o.