St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-11-15

"You already know something from
reports of Raymond that have gone over
the country what the results have been,
but one needs to come here and learn
something of the changes in individual
lives. and especially the change in the
church life, to realize all that is meant
by this following Of Jesus steps so lit
orally To tell all that would be to
write long story or series of stories.
am not in position to do that, but /
can give you some idea perhaps Of what
has happened here from what has been
told me by my friends and Henry Max
well himself
THE result of the pledge upon the
First church has been twofold-it has
brought about spirit of Christian fell
lowship which Maxwell tells me never
before existed and which now impresses
him as being very nearly what the
Christian fellowship of the apostolic
churches must have been, and it has
divided the church into two distinct
groups of members Those who have
not taken the pledge regard the others
as foolishly literal in their attempts to
initiate the example of Jesus
Some of them have drawn out of
the church and no longer attend, or
they have removed their membership
entirely to other churches Some are
an internal element of strife, and !
heard rumors of an attempt on their
part to force Maxwell's resignation !
do not know that this element is very
strong in the church 1t has been held
in check by wonderful continuance Of
spiritual power. which dates from the
first Sunday the pledge was taken a
year ago, and also by the fact that so
many of the most prominent members
, have been identified with the move
ment
THE effect on Henry Maxwell is
very marked l heard him preach at
our state association four years ago. He
impressed me at the time as having
considerable power in dramatic deliv-
cry, of which he himself was somewhat
conscious. His sermon was well writ
ten and abounded in what the seminary
students used to call fine passages.
The effect of it was what the average
congregation would call pleasing. This
morning l heard Maxwell preach again
for the first time since then. shall
speak of that further on He is not the
same man. He gives me the impression
of one who has passed through crisis
of revolution. He tells me this revolu-
ton is simply new definition of Chris
tian discipleship. He certainly has
changed many of his old views His at
titude on the saloon question is radical
ly opposite to the one he entertained 6
year ago. and in his entire thought Of
his ministry, his pulpit and parish
work find he has made a complete
change So far as l can understand
the idea that is moving him on now il
the idea that the Christianity Of oul
times must represent more literal i'm
itation of Jesus, and especially in thu
element of suffering. He quoted to mi
in the course of our conversation sew
eral times the verse from Peter, 'Fo
hereunto were ye called, because Chris
also suffered for you, leaving you al
example, that ye should follow hi
steps, and he seems filled with the con
viction that what our churches nee
today more than anything else is thi
, factor of suffering for Jesus in som
form.
~ do not know that l agree wit
him altogether; but, my dear Caxton
, it is certainly astonishing to note tn
results of this idea as they have i'm
pressed themselves upon this city an
: upon this church.
"You ask how about the results O.
the individuals who have made tn
3 pledge and honestly tried to be true t
it. Those results are, as l have said,
. part of individual history and cannc
8 be told in detail Some of them ca
Q give you, so that you may see that thi
! form of discipleship is not merely ser
timent or fine posing for effect
For instance, take the case of Alex
4 ander Powers, who was superintendent
of the machine shops of the L. and I
e R. R. here When he acted upon tn
e evidence that incriminated the road, b
t lost his position, and, more than that
g learn from my friends here his famil
and social relations have become S
, changed that the family no longer az
b pear in public They have dropped OF
+ of the social circle where once the
f were so prominent BY the way, Ca2
d.; ton, understand in this connectio
g that the commission, for one reaso
= and another, postponed action on tn
a case, and it is now rumored that til
Q l.. and T. r. r. will pass into receiV
!. er's hands very soon, The president {
= the road, who, according to the ev
n dence submitted by Powers, was II
n principal offender, has resigned, an
: complications which have arisen sine
= point to the receivership Meanwhi
t the superintendent has gone back to h
y old work as telegraph operator m,