El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-04
CHAPTER III.

| CHAPTER III.
| II any man cometh unto me and hateth not his
own father and mother and wife and children and
brethren and sisters-yea and his own life also
he cannot be my disciple. - And whatsoever
forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my
disciple.
! When Rachel Winslow and Virginia
Page separated after the meeting at the
First church on Sunday, they agreed to
continue their conversation the next
day Virginia asked Rachel to come
and lunch with her at noon, and Rachel
accordingly rang the bell at the Page
mansion about half past II. Virginia
talking earnestly.
'The fact isl Rachel was saying
after they had been talking few min
utes, 81 cannot reconcile it with my
Judgment of what he would do. I can
not tell another person what to do, but
1 feel that / ought not to accept this
effer.''
''What will you do, then2'' asked
Virginia, with great interest.
81 don't know yet, but have decid-
ed to refuse this offer.
Rachel picked up a letter that had
been lying in her lap and ran over its
contents again. It was a letter from
the manager of comic opera offering
her place with a large travelling COM
pany for the season. The salary was a
very large figure, and the prospect held
out by the manager was f1attering. He
had heard Rachel sing that Sunday
morning when the stranger had inter-
rupted the service. He had been much
impressed. There was money in that
voice, and it ought to be used in comic
opera, so said the letter, and the man
ager wanted reply as soon as possible.
There's no virtue in saying No to
this offer when 1 have the other one, -
Rachel went on thoughtfully. Chats
harder to decide, but I've made up my
mind. To tell the truth, Virginia, I m
completely convinced in the first case
that Jesus would never use any talent
like good voice just to make money.
But. now, take this concert offer. Here
is a reputable company to travel with
an lmpersonator and a violinist and
male quartet, all people of good repu-
tation. I'm asked to go as one of the
company and sing leading soprano The
salary Il mentioned it, didn 10 is to
be guaranteed-$20 month for the
season. But 1 don t feel satisfied that
Jesus would go What DO you thin
''You mustn't ask me to decide for
you. replied Virginia. with sad
smile. Il believe Mr.. Maxwell was
right when he said we must each one
of us decide according to the Judgment
we felt for ourselves to be Christlil1e
1 am having harder time than yOu
are, dear. to decide what he would do"
care you?' Rachel asked. She rose
and walked over to the window and
looked out. Virginia came and stood
by her The street was crowded with
life, and the two young women looked
at it silently for moment. Suddenly
Virginia broke out as Rachel had never
heard her before.
Rachel, what does all this contrast |
in conditions mean to you as you ask |
this question of what Jesus would do p! |
1t maddens me to think that the society |
in which 1 have been brought up, the |
same to which we are both said to be |
long, is satisfied, year after year, to go |
on dressing and eating and having a
good time, giving and receiving enter
tainments, spending its money on
houses and luxuries and occasionally, |
TO ease its conscience, donating, with
put any personal sacrifice. a little
money to charity. I have been edu-
Gated, as you have, in one Of the most
schools of America, launched
INTO society as an heiress, supposed to
De in a very enviable position. I'm per
,ectly well, 1 can travel or stay at
home, 1 can do as 1 please, 1 can crafty
almost any want or desire, and yet
when l honestly try to imagine Jesus
living the life 1 have lived and am ex-
oected to live and doing for the rest of
ny life what thousands of other rich
people do l am under condemnation for
,eing one of the most wicked. selfish,
Useless creatures in the world. 1 have
lot looked out of this window for weeks
without feeling OF horror toward my
elf as l see the humanity that pours by
his house.
Virginia turned away and walked up
nd down the room. Rachel watched
Ter and could not repress the rising tide
f her own growing definition of disci-
leship. OF what Christian use was her
wn talent of song? Was the best she !
ould do to sell her talent for so much
month, go on concert company's
our. dress beautifully, enjoy the ex-
itement of public applause and gain !
equation as a great sinRerP Was that