Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-08-24


Dia you nnlsh your sermon. Hen
~ MS VIE asked atter pause
res an aoie. IL mas peen a very
ouss week WIN me Inc TWO sermons
cos NJ, me good oeai OF .apor.
lucy VIII oe appreclagea py u large
auuio.ice so.llorro"..l nope replled
.is wAie' sltiiins. nat are you go
Jug 10 preach apouI IN the morning
'oilowing Shrist' take up the
atonement under the heads of sacrifice
and example and then show the steps
needed to follow his sacrifice and ex-
ample.
am sure 1t is good sermon. l
nope 1t Won rain Sunday. We have
had 50 many rainy days lately.
Yes; the audiences have been quito
small for some time. People will not
come out to church in storm" The
Rev. Henry Maxwell sighed as he said
it. He was thinking of the careful la
borious efforts he had made in prepar-
ing sermons for large audiences that
tailed to appear.
But Sunday morning dawned on the
town of Raymond one of those perfect
days that sometimes come after long
periods of wind and rain and mud The
air was clear and bracing, the, sky was
free from all threatening signs, and ev-
cry one in Henry Maxwell's parish pre-
pared to go to church. When the service
opened at II O'Clock, the large building
was filled with an audience of the best
dressed. most comfortable looking peo-
pie in Raymond.
The First church of Raymond be
lieved in having the best music that
money could buy, and its quartet choir
this morning was great source Of
pleasure to the congregation. The an
them was inspiring. All the music was
in keeping with the subject Of the SER
mon. And the anthem was an elaborate
adaptation to the most modern music.
OF the hymn: FL
Jesus. my eross have taken,
An 10 leave apo to OHIO thee.
Just before the sermon the, soprano
sang q solo the we'll known hymn:
Where he leads me will follow.
" go with him. with him all the way
hachel Winslow looked very beauti-
fui that morning as, she stood up be-
hlnd the screen OF carved oak which
was significantly marked with the en-
blems of the cross and the crown. Her
voice was even more beautiful than
her face, and that meannt great deal.
There was general rustic of expecta-
ton over the audience as she arose.
Henry Maxwell settled himself content
ediy behind the pulpit Rachel Wins
lows singing always helped him. He
generally arranged for song before
tine sermon 1t made possible certain
inspiration OF feeling that he, knew
made MS delivery more impressive.
People said to themselves they had
never heard such singing even in the
FIRST church. 1t is certain that if it
mad not been church service her solo
would have been vigorously applauded.
II even seemed to Henry Maxwell when
sne sat down that something like an at
tempted clapplng OF hands or striking
OF rect on the foor swept through the
church. He was startled by it. As he
rose however, and laid his sermon on
the open Bible ne SAID to himself he
mad been deceived OF course it could
not occur. In few moments he was
ABSORBED IN hrs sermon, and everything
else was forgotten in the pleasure Of
t me, dellvery.
NO one mad ever accused Henry Hem Max
well OF being dull preacher On the
contrary, he mad OFTEN been charged
with being sensational, not IN what he
SAID SO much as IN his way OF saying
IL. BUT the FIRST church people liked
that. 1t gave their preacher and their
parish pleasant distinction that was
agreeable.
1t was also true that the pastor OF
the First church loved to preach. He
seldom exchanged. He was eager to be
IN his own pulpit when Sunday came.
ihere was an e1hllaratlng half hour
Tor MN as he stood facing church full
OF people and knew that he had hear
ing. He was peculiarly sensitive to
variations IN the attendance. He never