The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-01-24
THE wAroHMAN AND soUTHRoN JANUARY "a. 1900.

took to follow his steps SO closely l
have called myself {, Christian for many
years. For the past ten years l have
enjoyed q life that has had compara-
lively little Suffering in it. | am-hon-
estly say it-liying AZ a long distance
from municipal problems and the life
of the poor, the degraded and the aban-
doned. What would the obedience to
this pledge demand @: ne? hesitate TO
answer Ny church is wealthy, full OF
we'll to Go satisfied people. The stand
ard of their discipleship is. I am aware,
not Of q nature to respond TO the call
to suffering CT personal loss. say. 1
am aware I may be mistaken. l may
have erred IN not stirring their deeper
life. Caxton, my friend. / have spoken
my inmost thought TO You. Shall | go
back to my people next Sunday and
stand up before them in my large city
church and say. Let Us follow Jesus
closer; let us walk in his steps, where
it will cost Us something more than it
is costing us now; let US pledge not to
do anything without first asking,
What would Jesus do?' If l should go
before them with that message, it would
be strange and startling one to them.
But why? Are we not really to follow
him all the way? What is it to be
follower Of Jesus? What does it mean
to initiate him? What does it mean to
walk in his steps,
The Rev. Calvin Bruce, D. D., Of the
Nazareth Avenue church, Chicago, let
his pen fall on the paper. He had come
to the parting Of the ways. and his
question. he felt sure, was the question
of many and many man IN the min
istry and in the church. He went to his
window and opened it. He was op-
pressed with the weight of his convic-
tions, and he felt almost suffocated with
the air of the room. He wanted to see
the stars and feel the breath of the
world.
The night was very still The clock
in the First church was stri' ~g mid
night AS it finished a cle4 strong
voice down in the direction of the Rec
tangle came floating up to him as if
borne on radiant pinions:
Must Jesus bear the cross alone
And all the world go free?
No. There's cross for every one,
And there's cross for me"
It was the voice Of one Of Gray's old
converts. night watchman at the
packing houses. who sometimes solaced
his lonesome hours by verse or two
from some familiar hymn.
The Rev. Calvin Bruce turned away
from the window. and after a little
hesitation he kneeled down. What
would Jesus do? What would Jesus
do?" Never had he yielded himself so
completely to the Spirits searching re-
vealing of Jesus. He was on his knees a
long time He retired and slept ftfully,
with many awakenings. He rose before
it was clear dawn and threw open his
window again. AS the light in the east
grew stronger ne repeated to himself:
s.What would Jesus do? What would
he do? Shall I follow his steps,
The sun rose and flooded the city
with it's power. When shall the dawn
of new discipleship usher in the con-
quering triumph of closer walk with
Jesus? When shall Christendom tread
more closely the path he made?
1t is the way the Master trod.
Shall rot the servant tread it Silly
With this question throbbins through
his whole being the Rev. Calvin Bruce
went back to Chicago, and the great
crisis of his Christian life in the min
istry suddenly broke irresistibly upon
him.