Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-09-29
lCONTlNUED.l

1T comes to this. then. said Clark
finally. You Will bankrupt the paper
in 30 days. We might as well face that
future fact.
Il don't think we shall Will You
stay by The News until it is bank
rupty" asked Edward Norman, with a
strange smile
MIR. Norman, | dent understand
you. You are not the same man this
week that / ever knew.
Il don't know myself either Clark.
Something remarkable has caught me
up and borne me ON, but / was never
more convinced of final success and
power for the paper You have not am
swered my question. Will you stay
with meT'
Clark hesitatcd moment and finally
said Eyes. Norman shook hands with
him and turned To his desk. Clark went
back into his room stirred by number
of conflicting emotions He had never
before known such an exciting and
mentally disturbing week, and he felt
now as if he were connected witk an
enterprise that might at any moment
collapse and ruin him and all connected
with it,
Sunday morning dawned again on
Raymond. and Henry Maxwell's church
was again crowded. Before the service
began Edward Norman attracted gen
eral attention. He sat quietly in his
usual place about three seats from the
pulrit. The Sunday morning issue of I
The News containing the statement OF [
it, discontinuance had been read oyI
nearly every man in the house. The an l.
nouncement had been expressed III suchl
remarkable language that every readerl
was struck by it. No such series OF dist
tinct sensations had ever disturbed theI
usual business custom Of Raymond. |
The events connected with The News
were not all People were eagerly talk
ing about the strange things zone dur
ing the week by Alexander Powers at
the railroad shops and by Milton Wright
in his stores on the avenue. The service
progressed upon a distinct wave of ex-
element in the pews. Henry Maxwell
faced it all with a calmness which in
Dictated strength and purpose more
than usual. His prayers were very
helpful. His sermon was not so easy TO
Z ! scribe How would a minister be apt
to preach to his people if he came before
them after an entire week of eager ask
ing How would Jesus preach? What
would he probably say 1t Is very
certain that Henry Maxwell did not
preach as he had done two Sundays be-
fore. Tuesday Of the past week he had
stood by the grave of the dead stranger
and said the words, Earth TO earth,
ashes to ashes dust To dust, and still
he was moved by the spirit Of a deeper
impulse than he could measure as he
thought Of his people and yei sned for
the Christ message when he should be
in his pulpit again.
Now that Sunday had come and the
people were there to hear, what would
the Master tell them? He agonized over
his preparation for them, and yet he
knew he had not been able TO fit his
message into his ideal of the Christ
Nevertheless no one in the First church
could remember hearing such IA sermon
before There was in ii rebuke for sin,
especially hypocrisy; there was definite
rebuEe of the greed Of wealth and the
selfshness of fashion, two things that
First church never heard rebuked this
way before, and there was a love of his
people that gathered new force as the
sermon went on. When it was finished,
there were those who were saying in
their hearts, 1.-THE Spirit moved that
sermon. And they were right
Then Rachel Winslow rose TO sing,
this time, after the sermon, by Henry
Maxwell request. Rachel singing did
not provoke applause this time. What
deeper feeling carried peoples hearts
into reverent silence and tenderness
of thought? Rachel was beautiful. but
the consciousness of her remarkable
loveliness had always married her sing
ing with those who had the deepest
spiritual feeling 1t had also married
her rendering of certain kinds Of music
with herself. Today this was all gone.
There was no lack Of power in her
grand voice. hut there was an actual
added element Of humility and purity
which the audience strictly felt and
bowed 10.
well asked those who had remained
the week before TO stay again for a few
moments for consultation and any 9TH
ers who were willing to make the
pledge taken at that time. When he
was at liberty, he went into the lecture
room To his establishment, it was al
most filled. This time a large proper
ton of young people had come, but
among them were few business men
and officers of the church.
AS before, Henry Maxwell asked
them to pray with him, and, as before,
distinct answer came in the presence
of the Divine Spirit. There was no
doubt in the minds of any one present
that what they proposed to do was so
clearly in line with the Divine will
that blessing rested on it in a very
special manner.
They remained some time TO ask
ruaofiopo apd copcu1t foOafbor There