The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-23
SERMON IN A STORY
REV. f. b. COWGrLL's INNOVA-
TION AT THE FIRST Nj. E.
CHURCH
STEPHEN R0DNEYS PUZZLE
How Could He Live without His
Mothers Faith Amid the Menac-
Ing Presence of Inhdelity-Were
Some Other Burning Questions
Discussed.

Last evening Rev. F. B. Cowgirl, at
the First M. e. church, presented to
his congregation the second chapter of
the serial story. 1t gave a graphic
description of Stephen Rodney's intel
lectual development and of the relig-
lous perpleXities into which he fell in
consequence of his science studies. In
his childhood he had heard his infidel
grandfather advocating Darwins
theory of the universe. His own pastor
mad vigorously combated this theory
ard convinced him that it was hostile
to Christianity, but now he began to
suspect the evolution theory true and
was plunged into the deepest Distress
His horror at the infidelity which he
seemed to be approaching was wildly
described. How could he live without
his mothers faith and his mothers
God?
Dr. Sherman. the pastor of Trinity
church, which Rodney attended, was
wrestling with the problem CT a revival.
Two prayer meeting scenes are deScrib-
cd, in one of which certain brethren,
more Jealous than wise. ripped the
meeting UP the back" to use the Ian
guage of Brother Mcintyre in the
other of which a pertinent discussion
had very practical and important re-
suits On the night of this latter
prayer meeting a socialist meeting was.
in progress down town, at which John
Conrad, a laboring man, made a red
not speech against the railroad cor
poratlonS and against the churches.
ms speech was a regular scOrcher and
would have been an eye-opener to DR..
sherman and his church if they could
have heard it. Extracts from the
speech are given. John Conrad prom
lSeS to be an interesting character.
The next scene is HpValODa6 in ,,Op.
cert saloon, where a very interesting
and somewhat mysterious character is
found. This scene and this chapter of
the story concluded as follows:
Finally the singers came no more.
The men took their leave by ones and
tWos, until the hall was deserted, and
only one or two customers loitered at
the door 1t was midnight, and the
bartender rinsed the last beer glass,
stepped into the street. locked the door
behind him and strobe his way home
ward. 1t was midnight, and the ques-
ton that burned in the throbbing brain
of John Conrad and beat back the
shadows of slumber, was: How long
snail the poor man cry in vain for JUS
tice, and the wages of honest toll fail
to satisfy the reasonable needs of the
tCller?' 1t was midnight, and the uues-
ton that DR.. Sherman asked, over and
over again, as he turned his head on
MS pillow, was: When will the church.
under the spell of that mighty love
which broke the heart of her Master
go forth with her sweet and blessed
ministries to win and to save the still
unbelieving multitudes? It was mid
night, and Stephen Rodney, weary with
walking the floor and with thinking,
put his hot brow on the cold Window.
pane, and gazed at the north star and
wondered whether the star of his faith
and his hope were fading forever. 1t
was midnight, and Lottie lowering
shook her bed with her sobs, and pour
Ell her hot tears on the pillow, as
through gathering shadows she sight
ed ever more .dimly the stainless years
other childhood retreating into the dis,
lance. Would God be good to her vet,
and break the letters that bound her {?
1t was midnight, and the moon flung
her beams into the columns of smoke
that danced on the chimneys, and reel
ed as they mounted and melted into4the
ocean of air. The stars flung their fire
on hill and valley and river. But over
the palace and howell, over the sleep
and the vigil. over the moan and the
laughter, over the curse and the bless,
ing, over the good and the evil brooded
the spirit divine. And what was the
silence of midnight but the vast trum-
pet that gathered into the ear of the
Father the manifold cry of his chill
dren? And STOPPING thus over the city.
a broodtng spirit of sweetness, the
question that burned in His heart was:
When will my children be brothers?'"