Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-09-15

MHill Htt ~ llluilN III lNlluiS
in luxury and singing, Jesus. / my
cross have taken all 10 leave and fol-
low thee, and remember how my wife
died in a tenement in New York city,
gasping for air and asking God 10 take
the little girl too. OF course | don't ex-
pect you people can prevent every one
from dying of starvation, lack of proper
nourishment and tenement air. But
what does following Jesus meant
understand that Christian people own
a good many OF the tonements. A mem
Der OF church was the owner of the
one whore my wife died. and | have
wondered if following Jesus all the
way was tr1o il his case | heard some
rcoPlr SINGING II Il charch prayer meet
ing tn other NIGHT.
"'' f,f Jesus. all for Jesus,
g.. ms hciae'. rau,umrd powers.
s ue thoughts and al ny doinSs,
Al my days and all my hours
land | kept wondering. as | sat on
the steps outside just what they meant
10y il II seems 10 me there ! an awful
lot Of trouble in the world that some
how wouldn't e-ist if all the people
who sing such songs went and lived
them cat. suppose | don under
stand But what would jesus dor Is
that what you mean by following his
steps? 1t seems 10 me sometimes as if
the people in the city churches had good
clothes and nice houses 10 live in, and
money to sD,ud FOR luXurics, and could
90 away on summer vacations and all
that, while the people outside of the
churches. thousands of them, | mean.
die in tenemcnts. and walk the streets
for jobs. and never have piano or "a
picture in the house. and grow up IN
misery and drunkenness and sin. The
man gave queer lurch over in the di-
rection of the communion table and laid
one erimy hand ON II. His hat fell upon
the carpet at his feet. y stir went
through the congregation. DR. West
half rose from his seat. but as yet the
silence was unhrokon by any voice or
movement worth mentioning in the
audience The man passed his other
hand across his eyes and then. without
any warning. f,A heavily forward on
his face, full length. mp the aisle.
Henry Maxwell spoke, I'VE Will con
slider the service dismissed. He was
down the pulpit stairs and kneeling by
the PROSTATE form before any one else
The aCalcEcc instantly rose and the
aisle WIS crowded DR. West pro
nounccd the man alive Ec had tainted
away
"Some ho"rt ttoahle the doctor
also nrttercd a. he helped TO carry him
into the pastor 81 study
Henry Maxwell and group Of his
church m"mbcr- remained some time
III the study The man lay on the couch
there and broathcd heavily When the
question Of what 90 do with him came
up, the minister insisted upon taking
him 10 III LDlsc. ZEE lived near by and
had an c-tra rcoa. Rachel Winslow
said "Moth0r has no company at pres
emit am sure we would be- clad TO
give hlm place with us She looked
STRANGELY 8@itatcd No one noticed 1t
particularly. They were all excited over
the strange event, the strongest that
First church people could remember
But the minister lnsl ted on taking
charge e the man, and when carriage
came tine unconscious but living form
was carried TO his house. and with the
entrance Of that humanity into the
ministers spare room new chapter III
Henry Maxwell's life began, and yet no
one. himself least of all, dreamed OF the
remarkable change II was destined 10
make III all his after definition OF Chris
tian disciploslip
The event created a 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 III
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