Middletown transcript., 1899-12-16

he first entered the ministry, but for {
long time he had carefully written out
every word of his morning sermon an(
nearly always his evening discourse o!
we'll It cannot be said that his sermon
this morning was very striking or i'm
pressive. He talked with considerable
hesitation. It was evident that soms
great idea struggled in his thought fol
utterance, but it was not expressed il
the theme he had chosen for his preach
ing. It 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 out 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 r''-somehow the words
sounded little strange coming from
Henry Maxwell's ps-'passed away
this morning. have not yet had time
to learn all his history. He 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
which he was even now moving, but
something Of his feeling passed from
him to them, and it did not seem to
him that he was acting Under careless
impulse at all to go on and break to
them this morning something of the
message he bore in his heart. So be
went on:
tThe appearance and words of this
stranger in the church last Sunday
made very powerful impression on
/ me. am not able to conceal from you
or myself the fact that what he said,
followed, as it has been, by his death
in my house, has compelled me to ask
as I never asked before, What does fol-
lowing Jesus meanf' am not in po-
sition yet to utter any condemnation
Of this people or, to certain extent, of
myself, either in our Christlike rela-
tions to this man or the number he rep
resents in the world But all that does
not prevent me from feeling that much
that the man said was SO vitally true
that we must face it in an attempt to
answer it or else stand condemned as
Christian disciples. A good deal that
was said here last Sunday was in the
nature of challenge to Christianity as
it is seen and felt in our churches. /
have felt this with increasing emphasis
every day since, and I do not know
that any time is more appropriate than
the present for me to propose plan or
a purpose which has been forming in
my mind as satisfactory reply to
much that was said here last Sunday"
Again Henry Maxwell paused and
looked into the faces of his people
There were some strong, earnest men
and women in the First church. The
minister could see Edward Norman,
editor of the Raymond Daily News. He
had been member of First church for
ten years. No man was more honored
in the community. There was Alexan-
der Powers, superintendent of the rail
road shops. There was Donald Marsh,
president of Lincoln college, situated in
the suburbs of Raymond There was
Milton Wright, one Of the great mer-
chants of Raymond, having in his en-
ploy at least 100 men in various shops
There was DR.. West, who, although
still comparatively young, was quoted
as authority in special surgical cases.
There, was young Jasper Chase, the
author, who had written one successful |
book and was said to be at work on a |
new novel There was Miss Virginia |
Page, the heiress, who through the re-
cent death of her father had inherited |
a million at least and was gifted with |
unusual attractions Of person and in |
tellect. And, not least of all, Rachel |
Winslow from her seat In the choir |
glowed with her peculiar beauty of |
light this morning because she was so |
intensely interested in the whole scene
There was some reason perhaps, in
view of such material in the First
church, for Henry Maxwell's feeling Of
satisfaction whenever he considered his
parish as he had the previous Sunday.
There was large number of strong in
dividual characters who claimed mem
bership there. But as he noted their
faces this morning Henry Maxwell was
simply wondering how many of them
would respond to the strange PROPOSE
tion he was about to make. He con-
tinued slowly, taking time to choose
his words carefully and giving the peo-
pie an impression they had never felt
before, even when he was at his best.
with his most dramatic delivery.
"What am going to propose now is
which ought not to appear
unusual or at all impossible Of execu-
ton. yet I am aware that it will be so
regarded by large number perhaps Of
the members of the church. But, in
order that we may have a thorough
understanding of what we are consid-
ering, I will put my proposition very
plainly, perhaps bluntly. I want volun-
teers from the First church who win
pledge themselves earnestly and honest
y for an entire year not to do anything
without first asking the question,
What would Jesus dor And after ask
ng that question each one will follow
Jesus as exactly as he knows how, no
matter what the results may be. will,
If course, include myself in this COM
,any of volunteers and shall take for
granted that my church here will not
10 surprised at my future conduct as
,ased upon this standard of action and
will not oppose whatever is done IL they
hink Christ would do 1t. Have I made
ny meaning clearf At the close of the
ervice here want all those members
f the church who are willing to join
uch company to remain, and we
viii talk over the details of the plan.
)ur motto will be. What would Jesus
OF Our aim win be to act just as he I
would If he were in our places, regard
sss of immediate results. In other I
words, we propose to follow Jesus steps
8 closely and as literally as we believe
o NAANNNNNNNNNW,NN"
: One Dose 81.