El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-25

Until UaEc II Up anu garry IT,
Maxwell was silent, and the presi-
dent went on:
Your sermon today made clear to
me what 1 have long been feeling I
ought to do. What would Jesus do in
my placer | have asked the question
repeatedly since l made my promise. I
have tried to satisfy myself that he
would simply so on, as 1 have done, at
tending to the duties of my college,
teaching the classes in ethics and phi
| losophy. But 1 have not been able to
avoid the feeling that he would do
something more. That something is
what do not want to do. 1t will cause
me genuine suffering to do it. 1 dread
it with all my soul. You may be able
to guess what it is"
eyes; I think know Henry Max
well replied. 1T is my cross too
would almost rather do anything else -
Donald Marsh looked surprised, then
relieved Then he spoke sadly, but
with great conviction:
maxwell, you and I belong to
class of professional men who have al
ways avoided the duties of citizenship
We have lived in a little world of schol
arly seclusion, doing work we have en-
able duties that belong to the life of
the citizen. 1 confess with shame that
have purposely avoided the response
bility that I owe to this city personally.
I understand that our city officials are
a corrupt, unprincipled set of men
controlled in large part by the whisky
element, and thoroughly selfish, so far
as the affairs of city government are
Cd VT, oil T
nearly every teacher in the college, have
been satisfied to let other men run the
municipality and have lived in little
world OF my own, out of touch and
sympathy with the real world of the
people. What would Jesus dor have
tried even to avoid an honest answer.
I can no longer do so. Ny plain duty is
to take a personal part in this coming
election, go to the primaries, throw the
weight of my influence, whatever it is,
toward the nomination and election of
good men and plunge into the very
depths of this entire horrible whirlpool
of deceit, bribery, political trickery and
saloonism as it exists in Raymond to-
day. 1 would sooner walk up to the
mouth of a cannon any time than do
this dread it because 1 hate the touch
or the Whole matter.
81 would give almost anything to be
able to say, L do not believe Jesus
would do anything of the sort, but L
am more and more persuaded that he
would. This is where the suffering
comes TO me. 1t would not hurt me
half SO much to lose my position or my
home. 1 loathe the contact with this
problem. 1 would much pre-
fer to remain quietly in my scholastic
life with my classes in ethics and phi
losophy, but the call has come so plain
ly that cannot escape: Donald Marsh, |
follow me- Do your duty as citizen of
Raymond at the point where your citi- |
zenship will cost you something Help |
to cleanse this great municipal stable |
even if you do have to soil your arts
tocratic feelings little. Maxwell, this
is my cross. must take it up or deny
my Lord -
''You have spoken for me also. - re
piled Maxwell, with sad smile. why
should l. simply because am clergy
man. shelter myself behind my refined.
sensitive feelings and, like a coward.
refuse to touch. except in a sermon pos
'iOly, the duty of citizenship? l am IN
1sed to the ways of the political life of
ihe city. l have never taken an active
part in any nomination OF good men
There are hundreds of ministers like
ne. AS a class we do not practice in
'he municipal life the duties and priv
eyes we preach from the pulpit. What
would Jesus dor l am now at Il point
where, like you. l am driven to answer
he question one way. Ny duty is plain
must suffer. All my parish work, all
ny little trials or self sacrifices, are as
lothing to me compared with the break
ng into my scholarly, intellectual. self
obtained habits of this open. coarse.
ublic fight for a clean city life. l
ould go and live at the Rectangle the
est of my days and work in the slums
or bare living, and could enjoy it
1ore than the thought of plunging into
fight for the reform of this whisky !
ldden city. 1t would cost me less But,
Ike you. have been unable to shake &
# my responsibility. The answer to s
ne question. What would Jesus do?' l
1 this case leaves me no peace, except 1
hen l say, Jesus would have me act q
ne part of a Christian citizen Marsh, {
3 you say. we professional men, min I
tiers. professors, artists, literary men, {
,holars, have almost invariably been {
olitical towards We have avoided the c
lcred duties of citizenship either ig-
orantly or selfishly. Certainly Jesus a
| our age would not do that. We can 4
, no less than take up this cross and e
1ow him. - n
These two men walked on in silence n
r awhile. Finally President Marsh o
i'd: b
1--WE do not need to act alone in this n
after. With all the men who have g
ade the promise, we certainly can W
we companionship and strength even W
numbers Let us organize the Chris K