Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-09-07

hand across his eyes and then, without
any warning, fell heavily forward on
his face, full length, mp the aisle.
Henry Maxwell spoke, 1--WE will CON
slider the service dismissed He was
down the pulpit stairs and kneeling by
the PROSTATE form before any one else.
The audience instantly rose, and tho
aisle was crowded DR. West pro-
nounced the man alive. He had tainted
away.
"Some heart trouble" the doctor
also muttered as he helped to carry him
into the pastors study.
Henry Maxwell and group of his
church members remained some time
i'll the study The man lay on the couch
there and breathcd heavily. When the
question of what TO do with him came
MP, the minister insisted upon taking
him to his house. He lived near by and
had An extra room Rachel Winslo''
said Mother has no company at pres
ent. am sure we would be glad to
give him place with us. She looked
strangely agitated. No one noticed il
particularly. They We're ali excited over
the strange event, the strangest that
First church people could remember.
But the minister insisted on taking
charge Of the man, and when a carriage
came the unconscious bat living form
was carried - his house, and with the
entrance Of that humanity into the
minister's spare room a new chapter in
Henry Maxwell life began, and yet no
one, himself least of all, dree med of the
remarkable change il was destined to
make in all his after definition of Chris
tian discipleship.
The event created great sensation
in the FIRST church parish. People
talked of nothing else for a week. 1t
was the general impression that the
man had wandered into the church in a
condition of mental disturbance caused
by his troubles and that all the time he
was talking he was in strange de-
lirium of fever and really ignorant of
his surroundings. That was the most
charitable construction to put upon his
action. 1t was the general agreement
also that there was singular absence
of anything bitter or complaining in
what the man had said. He had through
out spoken in mild. apologize tone.
almost as if he were one of the congre-
cation seeking for light on very diff
cult subject.
The third day after his removal to
the minister house there was a marked
change in his condition. The doctor
spoke of it and offered no hope Satur-
day morning he still fingered, although
he had rapidly failed as the week drew
near to its close. Sunday morning Just
before the clock struck he rallied and
asked if his child had come. The min
lister had sent for her as soon as he had
been able to secure her address from
some letters found in the mans pocket.
He had been conscious and able to talk
coherently only few moments since
his attack. The child is coming. She
will be here " Henry Maxwell said as
he sat there, his face showing marks of
the strain of the week S vigil, for he
had insisted on sitting up nearly every
night
Il shall never see her in this world"
the man whispered. Then he uttered
with great difficulty the words: "You
have been good to me. Somehow feel
as if it Yves what Jesus would do. "
After few moments he turned his
head slightly and before Henry Max
we'll could realize the fact the doctor
said, He is gone. -
The Sunday morning that dawned on
the city Of Raymond was exactly like
the Sunday of the week before Henry
Maxwell entered his pulpit TO face one
of tho largest congregations that had
ever crowded First church. He was
haggard and looked as if he had lust
risen from long illness. His wife was
at home with the little girl who had
come on the morning train an hour aft
er her father died. He lay in that spare
room, his troubles over, and Henry
Maxwell could sec the face as he opened
the Bible and arranged his different
been in the habit of doing for ten years.
The service that morning contained
new element. No one could remember
when the minister had preached in the
without notes. As matter Of
fact, he had done so occasionally when
he first entered the ministry, but for
long time he had carefully written ont
every word of his morning sermon and
nearly always his evening discourse as
well. 1t cannot be said that his sermon
this morning was very striking or inn
pressive. He talked with considerable
hesitation. 1t was evident that some
great idea struggled in his thought for
utterance, but it was not expressed in
the theme he had chosen for his preach
ing. 1t was near the close of his sermon
that he began to gather certain
strength that had been painfully lack
ing at the beginning. He closed the
Bible, and. stepping ont at the side of
the desk, he faced his people and began
to talk to them about the remarkable
scene of the week before.
Our brother" somehow the words
sounded a little strange coming from
Henry MaXwells lips-"passed away
this morning. have not yet had time
to learn all his history. lie had one sis
ter living in Chicago. ] have written
her and have not yet received an an
swer His little girl is with us and will
remain for the time
He paused and looked over the house.
He thought he had never seen so many
earnest faces during the entire pastor
ate. He was not able yet TO tell his peo-
pie his experiences the crisis through