Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-10-05

Rather | have followed the conven-
tional, soft habits of my position and
have lived in the society of tho rich,
refined, aristocratic members of my con-
gregations. Where has the suffering
come in2 What have / suffered for
Jesus sake2 Do you know, Calvin
the bishop turned abruptly toward his
! friend-"I have been tempted of late
to lash myself with scourge. If had
lived in Martin Luther's time, | would
have barred my back to self inflicted
torture
Dr. Bruce was very pale. Never had
he seen the bishop or heard him when
under the influence of such passion
| There was a sudden silence in the room.
The bishop had sat down again and
bowed his head DR.. Bruce spoke at last ;
Edward, l do not need to say that
you have expressed my feelings also. l
have been in similar position for
| years My life has been one of compar-
alive luxury, / do not, of course, mean
to say that | have not hard trials and
discouragemen and burdens in my
church ministry but l cannot say that
l have suffered any for Jesus. That
verse in Peter haunts me, Christ also
suffered for you, leaving you an exam
pie that ye should follow his steps l
have lived in luxury. / do not know
what it means to want. | also have had
my leisure for travel and beautiful COM
panionship. | ht,e been surrounded by
soft easy comforts of civilization. The
sin and mi.ery of this great city have
beat like waves against the stone walls
of my church and of this house in
which live, and | have hardly needed
them, the walls have been so thick. |
have reached a point where l cannot
endure this any longer | am not con-
demning the church love her am
not forsaking the church. l believe in
her mission and have no desire to de-
stroy. Least of all, in the step l am
about to take, do desire to be charged
with abandoning the Christian fellow
ship, but | feel | must resign my place
as pastor of Nazareth Avenue church
III order to satisfy myself that l am
walking as | ought to walk in his steps.
In this action I judge no other minis
tiers and pass no criticism on others
discipleship, but | feel as you do. Into
a closer contact with tba sin and sboroo
and degradation of this great city |
must come personally, and | know that
TO do that l must sever my immediate
connection with Nazareth Avenue
church | do not see any other way for
myself to suffer for his sake as l feel
that / ought to suffer. y
Again that sudden silence fell over
these two men 1t was no ordinary ac-
ton they were deciding They had both
reached the same conclusion by the
same reasoning. and thev were TOO
thoughtful, tc1 well accustomed to the
measuring of conduct, to underestimate
the seriousness Of their position.
"What is your plan?' The bishop at
last spoke gently looking up with his
smile that always heautified his face
The bishops face grew in glory now
every day.
"My PLAN" replied DR.. Bruce slowly.
"is, in brief. the putting of myself into
the center of the greatest human need
/ can find in this city and living there
My wife is fully in accord with me.
We have already decided to find a resi-
dence in that part of the CITY where we
can make our personal lives count for
the most
"Let me suggest a nlace " The b;sbon
was on fire nov, His fina faro actr,lly
glowed with the enthusiasm Of tho
movement in which he and his friend
were inevitably embarked He went on
and unfo]ded n nlan of srch farraacbip,
power and possibility that DIR Prince
capable and exnerience1 as he was fo1+
amazed at the vision of greater sonl
than his own.
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an6 avon s,lod os ;f +hn,, ,,,o,o 1870;
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nnovnIorod trovol Jndaad tho 49,
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+ba 1fe of ,orso,o, soor;eaa ~ H.
chosen ba euddorl,, fol+ a., ,,,,1;ft;uo w.
if a great burden ,,aa +ai,or fra,,, r.
Ha vas oxrltan+ C. u,aa n. D.
from tho so,no carso
TLo;r Nov 90 - e,o,,,.
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inc, forn,orI,, ,,aod a- - -
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