St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-10-11

value and power due to conditions in
the audience rather than to anything
new or startling or eloquent in the
words or the arguments presented. Such
conditions faced Henry Maxwell this
morning as he preached against the sa-
loon, according to his purpose deter
mined on the week before. He had no
new statements to make about the evil
influence Of the saloon in Raymond.
What new facts were there? He had no
startling illustrations Of the power Of
the saloon in business or politics. What
could he say that had not been said by
temperance orators great many times ?
The effect Of his message this morning
owed its power to the unusual fact Of
his preaching about the saloon at all,
together with the events that had stir
red the people. He had never in the
course Of his ten years pastorate men
toned the saloon as something to be re-
garded in the light of an enemy, not
only to the poor and the tempted, but
to the business life of the place and the
church itself. He spoke now with a
freedom that seemed to measure his
complete sense Of the conviction that
Jesus would speak 80. At the close he
pleaded with the people to remember
the new life that had begun at the Rec
tangle. The regular election of city Off
GERS would be an issue in that election.
What of the poor creatures surrounded
by the hell of drink while just begin
ming to feel the joy Of deliverance from
SIM Who could tell what depended on
their environment? Was there one
word to be said by the Christian disci-
pie, business man, professional man,
citizen, in favor of continuing to license
these crimes and shame producing in
situations? Was not the most Christian
thing they could do to act as citizens
in the matter, fight the saloon at the
polls, elect good men to the city offices
and clean the municipality How much
had prayers helped to make Raymond
better while votes and actions had real
ly been on the side of the enemies Of
Jesus? Would not Jesus do this2 What
disciple could imagine him refusing to
suffer or take up his cross in the mat
teri How much had the members Of
the First church ever suffered in an at
tempt to initiate Jesus2 Was Christian
discipleship thing of convenience, Of
custom, of tradition2 Where did the
suffering come in2 Was it necessary,
in order to follow Jesus steps, to go up
Calvary as well as the Mount of Trans
fguration2
His appeal was stronger at this point
than he knew 1t is not too much to
say that the spiritual tension of the
First church reached it's highest point
right there The imitation Of Jesus
which had begun with the volunteers
in the church was working like leaven
in the organization, and Henry Max
well would, even thus early in his new
life have been amazed if he could have
measured the extent of desire on the
part of his people to take up the cross
While he was speaking this morning,
before he closed with loving appeal to
the discipleship. of 1000 years knowl-
edge of the Master, many man and
woman in the church was saying as
Rachel had said so passionately to her
mother: 81 want to do something that
will cost me something in the way of
sacrifice. l am hungry to suffer some
thing. " Truly, Mazzini was right when
he said, "No appeal is quite SO power
full in the end as the call. Come and
suffer. a"
The service was over, the great audi
ence had gone, and Henry Maxwell
again faced the company gathered il
the lecture room as on the two previous
Sundays. He had asked all to remain
who had made the pledge Of disciple
ship and any others who wished to bt
included. The after service seemed now
to be q necessity. AS he went in ant
faced the people there his heart trem
bled. There were at least 200 present
The Holy Spirit was never so manifest
He missed Jasper Chase, but all tn,
others were present. He asked Milton
Wright to pray. The very air wal
charged with divine possibilities Wha
could resist such baptism of power
How had they lived all these year.
without it2
They counseled together, and Their,
were many prayers. Henry Maxwell
dated from that meeting some of tn,
serious events that afterward became
part of the history of the First churcl
of Raymond. When finally they wen
home, all Of them were impressed will
the joy Of the Spirits power.
Donald Marsh, president of Lincoll
college, walked home with Henry Max
we'll
II have reached one consclusion
Maxwell, said Marsh, speaking slow
ly. II have found my cross and it is
heavy one, but shall never be satisfied
until take it up and carry it. Z"
Maxwell was silent, and the presi
dent went on:
Your sermon today made clear t,
me what | have long been feeling
ought to do. What would Jesus do il
my placer have asked the question
repeatedly since l made my promise
have tried to satisfy myself that h
would simply go on, as have DONE at
tending to the duties Of my college
! teaching the classes in ethics and phi
losophy But ! have not been able Il
avoid the feeling that he would d.
something more That something i
what do NOT want TO do Il will cnns