Willmar tribune., 1899-09-20


is more likely that he had no thought
Of all that. His great longing to voice
the needs and wants Of his people made
him unmindful of an occasional mis-
take. It is certain he had never prayed
90 effectively as he did now.
e. There are times when sermon has q
value and power due to conditions in
the audience rather than to anything
new or startling or eloquent in the
words or the arguments presented Such
conditions faced Henry Maxwell this
morning as he preached against the So
loon, according to his purpose deter
mined on the week before. He had no
new statements to make about the evil
influence Of the saloon in Raymond.
What new facts were there? He had no
startling illustrations Of the power Of
the saloon in business or politics. What
could he say that had not been said by
temperance orators great many times?
The effect Of his message this morning
owed it's power to tho unusual fact Of
his preaching about the saloon at all,
together with the events that had stir
red the people. He had never in tho
course Of his ten years passionate men,
toned the saloon as something to be re-
garded in the light of an enemy, not
only to the poor and .the tempted, but
to the business life of the place and the
church itself. He spoke now with
freedom that seemed to measure his
complete sense of the conviction that
Jesus would speak so. At the close he
pleaded with the people to remember
the new life that had begun at the Rec
tangle. The regular election Of city off,
GERS would be an issue in that election
What Of the poor creatures surrounded
by the hell of drink while just begin
ming to feel the joy of deliverance from
sin? Who could tell what depended on
their environment? Was there one
word to be said by the Christian disci-
pie, business man, professional man,
citizen, in favor Of continuing to license
these crimes and shame producing in
stitutions? Was not the most Christian
thing they could do to act as citizens
in the matter, fight the saloon at the
polls, elect good men to the city Offices
and clean the municipality? How much
had prayers helped to make Raymond
better while votes and actions hadreal-
ly been on the side of the enemies Of
Jesus2 Would not Jesus do this? What
disciple could imagine him refusing to
suffer or take up his cross in the mat
teri How much had the members of
the First church ever suffered in an at
tempt to initiate Jesus? Was Christian
discipleship thing Of convenience, Of
custom, of tradition? Where did the
suffering come in? Was it necessary,
in order to. follow Jesus steps, to go up
Calvary as well as the Mount of Trans
figurationf ~-~ -. -. " - !: ~ =
His appeal was stronger at this point
than he knew. It is not too much to
say that the spiritual tension Of the
First church reached it's highest point
right there The imitation of Jesus
which had begun with the volunteers
in the chu1 ch was working like leaven
in the organization, and Henry Max
well would, even thus early In his new
life, have been amazed if he could have
measured the extent of desire on the
part Of his; people to take up the cross.
While he was speaking this morning,
before he closed with loving appeal to
the discipleship of 1900 years knowl-
edge of the Master. many a man and
woman in the church was saying, as
Rachel had said SO passionately to her
mother: II want to do something that
will cost me something in the way Of
sacrifice. am hungry to suffer some
thing Truly, Mazzini was right when
he said, "No appeal is quite so power
full in the end as the call, Come and
suffer.''' - -. ,
The service was over, the great audi
erce had gone. and Henry Maxwell
again faced the company gathered in
the lecture room as on the two previous
Sundays. He had asked all to remain
who had made the pledge of disciple
ship and any others who wished to be
included. The after service seemed now
to be a necessity. As he went in and
faced the people there his heart trem.
bled There were at least 400 present.
Thf, Holy Spirit was never so manifest.
He, missed Jasper Chase, but all the
Others were present He asked Milton
Wright to pray. The very air wat
charged with divine possibi What
could resis such q baptism of power.
How had they lived all these year,
without it2 7. 4 ,}s=. 81. Is
They counseled together, and there
were many prayers. Henry Maxwell
dated from that meeting some Of th,
serious events that aftarward became =.
part4of the history Of the First church
Of Raymond. w hen finally they wen
home, all Of them were impressed will
the Joy of the Spirits power. 4. q ss..s. S5ss
. Donald Marsh, president Of Lincoh
college. walked ho me with Henry Max
well. . =:< IA. /. 5s.,ll.5S lS
81 have reached one consclusion
| Maxwell. " said Marsh, speaking slow
II. ST have found my cross, and. it is
heavy one, but I }sllall never be satisfe,
until take it up and carry it,
Maxwell was silent, and the presi
dent went on
#s 8 7 our sermon today made clear I
me what have long been feeling
ought to do. What would Jesus do ii
my place have asked the question
repeatedly since ! mad my promise
have tried to sattiissfy myself that b
would simply 90 on, as I have done, at
tending to the duties sof my college
teaching the cl,,sses in ethics and phi
losophy But 4 have not been nSablest
avoid the feelit ng that he would d
afI1inQs more - Tl,t,t; 3; snmethinR j