The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-10-26
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II should say a half million dollars
in q town like Raymond could be well
spent in the establishment Of q paper
such as We have in mind. he answered.
and his voice trembled little. The
keen look on Edward Norman s grizzled
face flashed out with a stern but thor
oughly Christian anticipation of great
achievements in the world of newspaper
life as it had opened mp to him within
the last few seconds
"Then." said Virginia. speaking as
if the thought were fully considered,
II am ready to put that amount Of
money into the paper on the one condi-
tion. of course. that it be carried on rs
it has been begun" ...
"Thank Godv' exclaimed Henry
Maxwell softly. Edward Norman was
pale. The rest were looking at Virginia
She had more to say.
"Dear friends" she went on. and
there was sadness in her voice that
made an impression on the rest that
deepened when they thought it over
afterward. II do not want any Of you
TO credit me with an act Of great gen.
erosity or philanthropy. l have come
to know lately that the money which
have called my own is not my own.
but Gods. If l. as steward Of his, see
some wise way to invest his money, it
is not an occasion of vainglory or
thanks from any one simply because /
have proved honest in my administra.
tion Of the funds he has asked me to
use for his glory. have been thinking
Of this very plan for some time. The
fact is. dear friends that in our COM
ing fight with the whisky power in
Raymond. and it has only just begun,
we shall need The News to champion
the Christian side. You all know that
all the other papers are for the saloon.
As long as the saloon exists the work
of rescuing dying souls at the Rectangle
is carried on at terrible disadvantage.
What can Mr.. Gray do with his gospel
meetings when half his converts are
drinking people. daily tempted and en-
ticed by the saloon on every corner
The Christian daily we must have. It
would be giving up to the enemy to
have The News fail. have great con-
lidence in Mr.. Norman ability. / have
not seen his plans. but have the con-
fdence that he has in making the paper
succeed If it is carried forward on q
large enough scale.
II cannot believe that Christian in
telligence in journalism will be inferior
to un-Christian intelligence, even when
it comes to making the paper pay finan-
cially. So that is my reason for putting
this money-God's, not mine-into this
powerful agent for doing as Jesus
would. If we can keep such paper
going for one year, I shall be willing to
see that amount of money used in the
experiment. Do not thank me. Do not
consider my promise wonderful thing.
What have I done with Gods money
all these years but crafty my own
selfish. physical. personal desires? What
can do with the rest of it but try to
make some reparation for what l have
stolen from Godf That is the way /
look at it now. / believe it is what
Jesus would do.
Over the lecture room swept that I'M
seen yet distinctly felt wave Of Divine
Ipresence. No one spoke for awhile.
Henry Maxwell. standing there where
lhe faces lifted their intense gaze into
his, felt what he had already felt be-
fore. a strange setting back out Of the
nineteenth century into the first, when
the disciples had all things in common,
bnd a spirit of fellowship must have
flowed freely between them such as the
First church Of Raymond had never
known. How much had his church
membership known Of this fellowship
in daily interests before this little COM
bany had begun to do as Jesus would
fo3 1t was with difficulty that he
Thought Of his present age and its sur
koundinga The same thought was pres
knt with all the rest also. There was an
hnspoken comradeship such as they had
fever known. 1t was present with them
Ehile Virginia was speaking and dur
Ihg the silence that followed. If it had
been defined by any one Of them. it
fould perhaps have taken some such
Ihape as this:
If I shall in tho course Of my obedi-
Ince to my promise meet with loss or
ouble in the world. I can depend upon
be genuine. practical sympathy and
fllowship of any other Christian in this
pom who has with me made the pledge
do all things by the rule. What
ould Jesus DOR"
All this the distinct wave Of spiritual
bwer expressed II had the effect that
physical miracle may have had on
early disciples in giving them
eling Of confidence In their Lord that
lped them to face loss and martyrdom
th courage and even Joy.
Before they went away this time
ere were several condolences like those
Edward Norman. Some Of the young
en- told Of the loss Of places owing to
cir honest obedience to their promise.
exander Powers spoke briefly Of the
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