The true northerner., 1900-03-28


in the face of these facts. which every
business man knowsy
''What would Jesus dor Is not that
what the disciple ought to dol Is he
not commanded To follow in his stepsY
How much is the Christianity of the
age suffering for him 7 Is it denying it.
self at the cost of ease. comfort. luxury.
elegance of liyingy What does the age
need more than personal sacrificeY Does
the church do its duty in following
Jesus when it gives little money to
establish missions or relieve extreme
cases of wantY Is it any sacrifice for
man who is worth $40, 900. 900 simply
to give $4,000 for some benevolent
work2 Is he not giving something that
costs him practically nothing. so far as
any personal pain or suffering goesi Is
it true that the Christian disciples to-
day in most of our churches are living
soft, easy, selfish lives. very far from
any sacrifice that can be called sacriicei
What would Jesus do2
''It is the personal element that
Christian discipleship needs to empha-
size. The gift without the giver is
bare. The Christianity that attempts
to suffer by proxy is not the Christian
ity of Christ. Each individual Chris
tian, business man, citizen. needs to
follow In his steps along the path of
personal sacrifice for him. There is not
a different path today from that of
Jesus own times. 1t is the same path.
The call of this dying century and of
the new one soon to be is called for
new discipleship, new fellowship of
Jesus, more like the early. simple. apos-
tolic Christianity when the disciples
left all and literally followed the Mas
ter. Nothing but n discipleship of this
kind can face the destructive selfishness
of the age with any hope of overcoming
IL. There is a great quantity of nom
inal Christianity today. There is need
of more of the real kind We need
revival Of the Christianity of Christ.
We have, uncCnsciously, lazily. selfish
ly, formally. grown into discipleship
that Jesus himself would net acknowl-
edge. He would say to many of us
when we cry, Lord, Lord, Il never
knew you. Are we ready to take up
the cross? Is it possible for this church
to sing with exact truth
''Jesus. / my cross have taken,
All TO leave and follow theei
"If we can sing that truly. then we
may claim discipleship, but if our def
milton of being Christian is simply to
enjoy the privileges of worship, be gen.
erous at no expense to ourselves. have
o rood tipoa Aa1 hu Y,looc-
ant friends and by comfortable things,
live respectfully and at the same time
avoid the world great stress of sin and
trouble because it is too much pain to
bear it-if this is our definition of
Christianity. surely we are a long way
from following the steps of him who
trod the way with groans and tears and
sobs of anguish for lost humanity ;
who sweat. as it were. great drops of
blood who cried out on the upreared
cross, My God, my God. why hast thou
forsaken me?
"Are we ready to make and live
new discipleship2 Are we ready to re-
consider our definition of Christian
What is it to be Christian? 1t is to
initiate Jesus. 1t is to do as he would
do. 1t is to walk in his steps
When Henry Maxwell finished his
sermon, he paused and looked at the
people with a look they never forgot
and at the moment did not understand.
Crowded into that fashionable church
that day were hundreds of men and
women who had for years lived the
easy, satisfied life Of nominal Chris
tianity. A great silence fell over the
congregation. Through the silence there
came to the consciousness of all the
souls there present knowledge, stran
ger TO them now TO years, of a Divine
power. Every one xpected the preacher
to call for volunteers who would do as
Jesus would do. but Henry Maxwell
had been led by the Spirit to deliver
his message this time and wait for re-
suits to come.
He closed the service with a tender
prayer that kept the Divine presence
lingering very near every hearer. and
the people slowly rose to go out.
Then followed a scene that would
have been impossible if any mere man
had been alone in his striving for re-
suits.
Msn and women in great numbers
crowded around the platform TO see
Henry Maxwell and to bring him the
promise of their conservation to the
pledge to do as Jesus would do. 1t
was a voluntary, spontaneous move
ment that broke upon Maxwell's soul
with result he could not measure. But
had lie not been praying for this very
thing2 1t was an answer that more
than met his desires.
There followed this movement
prayer service that in its impressions
repeated the Raymond experience In
the evening. to Maxwell's intense joy,
the Endeavor society, almost to mem
ber came forward, as so many of the
church members had done in the morn
ing. and seriously. solemnly. tenderly,
took the pledge to do as Jesus would
do A deep wave of spiritual baptism
broke over the meeting near its close
that was understandable in its tender