The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-10-26
IN HIS STEPS, /: !
- mhat mnutn
5ezulz nnF"
COPYRIGHTED and published in book form by the
4drdnce Publishing Co. Of Chicago.

call very Ortable-yes, q very
luxurious-life. I have q beautiful
house to live in, the most expensive
food, clothing and physical pleasures.
have been able to go abroad at least a
dozen times and have enjoyed for years
the beautiful companionship of art and
letters and music and all the rest of the
very best I have never known what it
meant to be without money or it's
equivalent, and have been unable to
silence the question Of late, What have
suffered for the sake of Christi Paul
was told what great things he must
suffer for the sake of his Lord. Max
wells position at Raymond is we'll TAX
en- when he insists that to walk in the
steps Of Christ means to suffer. Where
has my suffering come in? The petty
trials and annoyances Of my clerical life
are not worth mentioning as sorrows or
suffering. Compared with Paul or any
Of the Christian martyrs or early disci-
pies, have lived a luxurious, sinful
life, full of ease and pleasure cannot
endure this any longer. I have that
within me which of late rises in over
whelming condemnation Of such fol-
lowing of Jesus. I have not been walk
ing in his steps. Under the present sys-
tenn of church and social life see no
escape from this condemnation except
to give the rest of my life personally to
the actual physical and soul needs of
the wretched people in the worst part
Of this city,
The bishop had risen now and walked
over to the window. The street in front
Of the house was as light as day, and
he looked out at the crowds passing,
then turned, and, with a passionate ut
terance that showed how deep the vol
canic fire in him burned, he exclaimed:
"Calvin, this is terrible city in
which we live. Its misery, its sin, it's
selfshness, appan my heart, and have
struggled for years with the sickening
dread of the time when should be
forced to leave the pleasant luxury Of
my official position to put my life into
contact with the modern paganism of
this century. The awful condition of
the girls in the great department stores,
the brutal selfshness of the insolent So
ciety, fashion and wealth that ignores
all the sorrows of the city, the fearful
curse of the drink and gambling hell,
the wall Of the unemployed, the hatred
of the church by countless men who see
in the church only great piles of costly
stone and upholstered furniture and the
minister as a luxurious idler, all the
vast tumult of this vast torrent of hu-
mainly with it's false and it's true ideas,
it's exaggeration Of evils in the church
and it's bitterness and shame that are
the result OF many complex causes-all
this as a total fact, in it's contrast with
the easy, comfortable life I have lived,
fills me more and more with a sense of
mingled terror and self accusation. !
have heard the words of Jesus many
times lately, Inasmuch as ye did it not
unto one of these least, my brethren,
ye did it not to me-. And when have !
personally visited the prisoner or the
desperate or the sinful in any way that
has actually caused me suffering
Rather I have followed the conven-
tional, soft habits Of my position and
have lived in the society of the rich,
refined, aristocratic members of my con
gregations. Where has the suffering
come in? What have I suffered fo1
Jesus sake? Do you know, Calvin
the bishop turned abruptly toward hi
friend 81 have been tempted Of latt
to lash myself with scourge. If hat
lived in Martin Luther's time, would
have barred my back to self inflicted
torture"
DIR. Bruce was very pale. Never hat
he seen the bishop or heard him whe1
under the influence Of such a passion
There was a sudden silence in the room
The bishop had sat down again AM
bowed his head. DR.. Bruce spoke at last
Edward, do not need to say tina
you have expressed my feelings also.
have been in a similar position 70
years. My life has been one of compa1
alive luxury. do not, of course, mea
to say that have not hard trials an
discouragements and burdens in M
church ministry, but cannot say tina
I have suffered any for Jesus Tha
verse in Peter haunts me, Christ ais
suffered for you, leaving you an exam
pie that ye should follow his steps,
; have lived in luxury. do not kno,
what it means to want. also have ha
my leisure for travel and beautiful con
: partnership. have been surrounded b
soft, easy comforts of civilization. I'll
sin and misery Of this great city hay
beat like waves against the stone wal
. Of my church. and of this house i
which live, and have hardly heede
them, the walls have been SO thick.
have reached a point where I cannt
endure this any longer. I am not col
demning the church. I love her. 7 al
, not forsaking the church. I believe
her mission and have no desire to d.
stroy. Least of all, in the step I al
| about to take, do I desire to be charge
with abandoning the Christian fellow
ship, but feel must resign my pla,
as pastor of Nazareth Avenue chure
in order to satisfy myself that q
walking as I ought to walk in his step
In this action I judge no other mini
tiers and pass no criticism on other
discipleship, but I feel "a Won do AZ m