Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-09-14

persons may be who have been guilty"
Henry Maxwell finished reading and
dropped the paper.
81 must go and see Powers. This is
the result Of his promise"
He rose, and as he was going out his
wife said:
"Do you think, Henry, that Jesus
would have done that2''
Henry Maxwell paused a moment.
Then he answered slowly:
Yes; think he would. At any rate,
Powers has decided SO, and each one of
us who made the promise understands
that he is not deciding Jesus conduct
for any one else, only for himself /"
''How about his family? How will
Mrs. Powers and Celia be likely to take
it2"s
Every hard, 1 have no doubt. That
will be Powers cross in this matter.
They will not understand his motive. .
Henry Maxwell went ont and walked
pver to the next block, where the SUI
perintendent lived. To his relief. Pow
ers himself came to the door.
The two men shook bands silently.
They instantly understood each other
without words There had never been
such bond of union between the min
lister and his parishioner.
stWhat are you going to do?" Henry
Maxwell asked after they had talked
over the facts in the case and considered
them we'll
"You mean another position? have
no plans yet. l can go back to my old
work as telegraph operator. My fam
lily will not suffer except in social
way"
Alexander Powers spoke calmly, If
sadly. Henry Maxwell did not need to
ask him how his wife and daughter
felt. He knew well enough that the su-
perintendent had suffered deepest at
that point.
There is one matter I wish you
would see to, said. Powers after
awhile, 'and that is the work begun at
the shops. So far as l know, the COM
pany will not object to that going right
on. 1t is one of the contradictions of
the railroad world that the Y. NJ C. A..
and other Christian influences are en-
couraged by the roads, while all the
time the most un-Christian and lawless
acts are being committed in the official
management Of the roads themselves.
OF course it is understood that it pays
q railroad to have in its employ men
who are temperate and honest and
Christian. So have no doubt the mas
ter mechanic will have the same cour-
| tesy extended to him that Ishad in the
matter of the room and Its uses. But
what / want you to do Mr.. Maxwell,
is to see that my plan is carried ont.
Viii yous You understand what the
idea was in general You made very
favorable impression on the men. Go
down there as often as you Gun. Get
Milton Wright interested to provide
something for the furnishing and ex-
pense of the coffee plant and reading
tables. Will you do it?'
eyes. replied Henry Maxwell He
staid little longer Before he went
away he and the superintendent had a
prayer together. and they parted with
that silent hand grasp that seemed to
them like new token of their Chris
tian discipleship and fellowship.
The pastor of the First church went
home stirred deeply by the. events of
the week Gradually the truth was
growing upon him that the pledge to
do as Jesus would was working out a
revolution in his parish and throughout
the city. Every day added to the serious
results of obedience to that pledge.
Henry Maxwell did not pretend to see
the end. He was, in fact, only now at
the very beginning of events that were
destined to change the history of hun
dreds of families, not only in Raymond,
but throughout the entire country. AS
| he thought of Edward Norman and
Rachel and Mr.. Powers and of the re-
suits that had already come from Their
actions he could not help a feeling o:
intense interest in the probable effect ii
all the persons in the First church who
had made the pledge faithfully kept it.
Would they all keep it. or would some
of them turn back when the cross be-
came too heavy?
He was asking this question the mex,
morning as he sat in his. study when
the president of the Endeavor society
called to see him.
VI suppose ought not to trouble you
with my case, said young Morris,
coming ut once to his errand, 'sbut
| thought, Mr.. Maxwell. that you might
advise me . little.
I'm glad you came Go on, Fred .
Henry Maxwell had known the young
man ever since his first year in the pas
torate and loved and honored him fol
his consistent. faithful service in the
| church
well. the fact is Pm out of job
You know. I've been doing reporte,
work on The Morning Sentinel since
| graduated last year. Well. last Satur.
day Mr.. Burr asked me to go down the
road Sunday morning and get the de-
\ tails of that train robbery at the juno
tion and write the thing up for the ex.
| ira edition that came out Monday
morning, just to get the start of The
News. | refused to go. and Burr gave
me my dismissal. He was in bad TEN.