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


Nevertheless when one Sunday morn.
ing in early summer DR.. Bruce came
into his pulpit and announced his resig-
nation the sensation deepened all over
the city, although DR.. Bruce had ad-
vised with his board Of trustees, and the
NOV ement he intended was not mat
ter of surprise to them
But when it became publicly known
that the bishop also had announced his
retirement from the position he had
held so long in order to 20 and live
himself in the center Of the worst part
Of Chicago the public establishment
reached its height.
But why" the bishop replied to
one valued friend who had almost with
tears tried to dissuade him from his
purpose-"why should what DR.. Bruce
and propose to do seem 80 remarkable
a thing, as if it were unheard of that
a doctor of divinity and bishop
should want to save souls in this par
ticular manner. If we were to resign
our charges for the purpose of going to
Bombay or Hongkong or any place in
Africa, the churches and the people
would exclaim at the heroism of mis-
sions. Why should it seem so great a
thing If we have been led to give our
lives to help rescue the heather and the
lost of our own city in the way we are
/ going to try2 Is it, then, such ire
mendous event that two Christian min
listers should be not only willing but
eager to live close to the misery of the
world in order to know it and realize
it2 Is it such rare thing that love of
humanity should find this particular
form of expression in the rescue Of
| souls p
However the bishop may have salts
fled himself that there ought to be moth
ing so remarkable about it all, the pub
lie continued to talk and the churches
to record their establishment that two
such men, so prominent in the ministry
should leave their comfortable homes
voluntarily resign their pleasant social
positions and enter upon a life of hard
ship, of self denial and actual suffering
Christian Aluaica Is it reproach
upon the form of our discipleship that
the exhibition of actual suffering for
Jesus on the part of those who walk in
his steps always provokes establishment,
as at the sight of something very I'M
usual?
Nazareth Avenue church parted from
its pastor with regret for the most part,
although the regret was modified by
some relief on the part of those who had
refused to take the pledge. Dr. Bruce
carried with him the respect of men
who, entangled in business in such a
way that obedience to the pledge would
have ruined them, still held in their
deeper, better natures genuine admira-
ton for courage and consistency They
had known DIR. Bruce many years as "a
kindly, safe man, but the thought of
him in the light of sacrifice of this sort
was not familiar to them AS fast as
they understood it they gave their pas
tor the credit of being absolutely true
to his recent convictions as to what fol
lowing Jesus meant. Nazareth Avenue
church has never lost the impulse of
that movement started by DR.. Bruce
Those who went with him in making
the promise breathed into the church
the very breath of divine life and are
continuing that life giving work at the
present time.
1t was fall again, and the CITY faced
another hard winter. The bishop one
afternoon came out of the settlement
and walked around the block, intending
to go on visit to one of his new friends
in the district He had walked about
four blocks when he was attracted by
shop that looked different from the 9th
ers. The neighborhood was still quite
new to the bishop, and every day he
discovered some strange spot or stun
bled upon soms unexpected humanity.
The place that attracted his notice
was small house close by Chinese
laundry. There were two windows in
the front, very clean, and that was re-
markable, to begin with. Then inside
the window was tempting display of
cookery, with prices attached to the
various articles, that made the bishop
wonder somewhat, for he was familiar
by this time with many facts in the
life of the people once unknown to him.
AS he stood looking at the windows
the door between them opened, and Fe-
licia Sterling came out
"Felicia!" said the bishop "When
did You move into my parish without
my knowledge?"
How did you find me so soon?'
asked Felicia.
"Why, don't you know? These are
the only clean windows in the block"
81 believe they are, replied Felicia
with laugh that did the bishop good
to hear.
but why have you dared to come to
Chicago without telling me, and how
have You entered my diocese without
my knowledge?" asked the bishop, and
Felicia looked 30 like that beautiful, |
clean, educated, refined world he once
knew that he might be pardoned for
seeing in her something of the old para
disc, although, to speak truth for the
bishop, he had no desire to go back to |
it again.
"Well, dear bishop" said Felicia,
who had always called him so when
ever they had met, II know how over
whelmed you were with your work.
did not want to burden you with my
plans and besides, am going to offer
you my services Indeed l was Just on
my way to see you and ask your advice.
l am settled here for the present with
Mrs Bascom a saleswoman who rents
thraa n,,1 II