The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-11-22

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SO as to satisfy my soul that / am doing
something better than pleasing fashion
able audiences or making money or even
gratifying my own love of singing. am
going to do something that will satisfy
me when l ask What would Jesus
dor and L am not satisfied and cannot
be when l think of myself as singing
myself into the career of concert com
pany performer.
Rachel spoke with a vigor and ear.
nestness that surprised her mother Mrs.
| Wlnslow was angry now and she never
tried to conceal her feelings
''It is simply absurd Rachel, you
are fanatic! What can you do?"
''The world has been served by men
and women who have given it other
things that were gifts. Why should l,
because l am blessed with natural
gift, at once proceed to put market
price on it and make 81 the money 1
can out of it? You KIM =, mother, that
you have taugE me to think of a mu-
slcal career always in the light of O.
financial and social success. have been
unable since l made my promise two
weeks ago to imagine Jesus joining a
concert company to DO what 1 would
do and live the life would have to live
if joined it,
Mrs. Winslow rose and then sat down
again. With great effort she com.
posed herself
"What do you intend to do then?
You have not answered my question.
II shall continue to sing for the time
being in the church. l am pledged to
sing there through spring During the
week am going to sing at the White
Cross meetings down in the Rectangle" 4"
What Rachel Winslowl Do you
know what you are saying9 Do YOU
know what sort Of people those are
down there?'
Rachel almost quailed before her
mother. For moment she shrank back
and was silent
II know very we'll That is the rea-
son / am going Mr. and Mrs. Gray
have been working there several weeks.
! learned only this morning that they
wanted singers from the churches to
help them in their meetings. They use
a tent 1t is in part of the city where
Christian work is most needed shall
offer them my holp Mother" Rachel
cried out with che first passionate ut
terance she had yet used II want to do
something that will cost me something
in the way of sacrifice. know you will
not understand me. But 1 am hungry
to suffer something What have we
done all our lives for the suffering sim
ming side Of Raymondf How much
have we denied ourselves or given of
our personal ease and pleasure to bless
the place in which we live or initiate
the life of the Saviour of the worldP
Are we always to go on doing as 60
ciety selfishly dictates, moving on it's
narrow little round of pleasures and
entertainments and never knowing the
pain of things that cost2"
Are you preaching at me3" asked
Mrs Winslow slowly Rachel under
stood her mothers words
mo; | am preaching at myself. " she
replied gently. She paused a moment
as If she thought her mother would say
something more and then went out of
the room When she reached her own
room. she felt that, so far as her moth
er was concerned. she could expect no
sympathy or even fal. understanding
from her
She kneeled down. 1t is safe to say
that within the two weeks since Henry
MaXwell.s church had faced that shah
by figure with the faded hat more mem
bers Of his parish had been driven to
their knees in prayer than during all
the previous term of his pastorate
When she rose. her beautiful face
was wet with tears. She sat thought
fully a little while and then wrote a
note to Virginia Page. She sent it to
her by a messenger and then went down
stairs again and told her mother that
she and Virginia were going down to
the Rectangle that evening to see Mr.
and Mrs Gray. the evangelists
'Virginias uncle. DR.. West. will 20
with Us If she goes have asked her to
call him up by telephone and 90 with
US Tho doctor is friend Of the Grays
and attended some of the meetings last
winter
Mrs. Winslow did not say anything
Her manner showed her complete dis
approval of Rachel's course. and Rachel
felt her unspoken bitterness
About o'clock the doctor and Vir-
ginia appeared and together the three
started for the scene of the White Cross
meetings.
The Rectangle was the most notori-
ous district in all Raymond IT was in
the territory close by the great abroad
shops and the packing houses. The slum
and tenement district of Raymond con-
gested its most wretched elements about
the Rectangle. This was a barren field
used in the summer by circus COM
panies and wandering showmen 1t
was shut in by rows of saloons, gam
h1i,,~ ho11o