The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-10-12
How had they lived ell these years
without ity

OF raymond. Wnen nnally they went
home. all Of them were impressed with
the joy of the Spirits power.
Donald Marsh. president Of Lincoln
college. walked home with Henry Max
we'll
II have reached one consclusion,
Maxwell. :" said Marsh. speaking slow
ly. II have found my cross. and ii is a
heavy one, but shall never be satisfied
until take it up and carry it. "
Maxwell was silent. and the presi-
dent went on:
"Your sermon today made clear to
me what have long been feeling ]
ought to do What would Jesus do in
my placer ! have asked the question
repeatedly since l made my promise. !
have tried to satisfy myself that he
would simply go on, as l have dcne, at
tending to the duties Of my college.
teaching the classes in ethics and phi
losophy. But have not been able to
avoid the feeling that he would do
something more. That something is
what do not want to do. 1t will cause
me genuine suffering to do it. dread
it with all my soul You may be able
to guess what it is.
"Yes; think know" Henry Max
well replied 1T is my cross too. !
would almost rather do anything else.
Donald Marsh looked surprised. then
relieved. Then he spoke saLly. but
with great conviction:
Maxwell, you and / belong to =
class OF professional men who have al
ways avoided the duties CT citizenship.
We have lived in little world of schol-
arly seclusion, doing work we have en-
joyed and shrinking from the disagree
able duties that belong to the life Of
| the citizen. | confess with shame that
have purposely avoided the response
bility that | owe to this city personally.
| understand that our city officials are
n corrupt. unprincipled set of men,
controlled in large part by the whisky
element, and thoroughly selfish. so far
as the affairs of city government are
Concerned. Yet all these years I. with
,eariv every teacher in the college, have
/ oeen satisfied to let other men run the
municipality and have lived in a little
world of my Ow.,, ont of touch and
sympathy with the real world of the
people. What would Jesus dor have
tried even to avoid an honest answer.
can no longer do so. Ny plain duty is
to take personal part in this coming
election, go to the primaries, throw the
weight of my influence, whatever it is,
toward the nomination and election of
good men and plunge into the very
depths of this entire horrible whirlpool
of deceit, bribery, political trickery and
saloonism as it exists in Raymond to-
day. l would sooner walk up to the
mouth of cannon any time than do
this. Idread it because hate the touch
Of the whole matter.
81 would give almost anything to be
able to say, Il do not believe Jesus
would do anything of the sort. but
am more and more persuaded that hs
would This is where the suffering
comes to me. 1t would not hurt me
half so much to lose my position or my
home. loathe the contact with this
municipal problem. would much pre-
fer to remain quietly in my scholastic
life with my classes in ethics and phi.
losophy, but the call has come so plain.
ly that cannot escape: Donald Marsh,
follow me. Do your duty rs citizen OF
Raymond at the point where your citi.
zenship will cost you something. Help
to cleanse this great municipal stable,
even if you do have to soil your aris,
tocratic feelings little. Maxwell. this
is my cross must take it up or deny
my Lord. A"
"You have spoken for me also. re-
piled Maxwell with sad smile "Why
should l, simply because l am a clergy
man, shelter myself behind my refined,
sensitive feelings and, like coward,
refuse to touch, except in u sermon pos.
sibly. the duty of citizenship I am un'
used to the ways of the political life OF
the city. have never taken an active
part in any nomination Of good men.
There are hundreds Of ministers like
me- As class we do not practice in
the municipal life the duties and privi'
leges we preach from the pulpit. What
would Jesus do2 I am now at point
where, like you. am driven to answer
the question one way. My duty is plain.
I must suffer. All my parish work, al
my little trials or self sacrifices. are at
nothing to me compared with the break
ing into my scholarly, intellectual. sell
contained habits Of this open. coarse.
public fight for clean city life.
could go and live at the Rectangle the
rest Of my days and work in the slumt
for bare living, and I could enjoy i,
more than the thought Of plunging into
a fight for the reform Of this whisky
ridden city. Itwould cost me less. But,
like you. have been unable to shake
off my responsibility. The answer to
the question, What would Jesus do ?
in this case leaves me no peace. except
when say, Jesus would have me act
the part of Christian citizen. Marsh,
as you say. we professional men, min.
| ioforS ,,rofaccorc ovticfa lifarorv man