Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-01-11


by the hell Of drink while just begin
ming to feel the JOY Of deliverauce from
sinl Who could tell what depended on
their environment? Was there one
word 70 be said by the Christian disci-
pie, business man, professional man,
citizen in favor Of continuing 10 license
these crimes and shame producing IN
stitutions2 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
" been on the side Of the enemies Of
Jesus? Would not Jesus do this: What
disciple could imagine him refusing 70
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 Jesus Was Christian
discipleship thing of convenience. OF
custom. Of tradition Where did the
suffering come in? Was il necessary,
in order to follow Jesus steps. TO 90 up
Calvary as well as the Mount of Trans
figuration2
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 its 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 10 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 a man and
woman in the church was saying, as
Rachel had said so passionately to her
mother: Il want to do something that
will cost me something in the way of
sacrifice. | am hungry to suffer some
thing" Truly, Mazzini was right when
he said, mo appeal is quite so power
ful in the end "a the call. Come and
suffer 4"
The service was over, the great audi
ence had gone, and Henry Maxwell
again faced the company gathered in
| 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 be
| included. The after service seemed now
| to be a necessity As he went in and
| faced the people there his heart trcm-
| bled There were at least 200 present
| The Holy Spirit was never so manifest.
| He missed Jasper Chase, but all the
| others were present He asked Milton
Wright to pray. The very air was
charged with divine possibilities. What
could resist such n baptism of pOwerI
How had they lived all these years
without it?
| They counseled together, and there
were many prayers. Henry Maxwell
| dated from that meeting some of the
| serious events that aftcrward became a
part Of the history Of the First church
! of Raymond. When finally they went
home, all Of them were impressed with
the joy Of the Spirits power.
Donald Marsh. president of Lincoln
college walked home with Henry Max
well
81 have reached one consclusion,
Maxwell, " said Marsh. speaking slow
". 81 have found my cross, and ii is a
heavy one, but / shall never be satisfied
until take il up and carry it. -
| Maxwell was silent. and the presi-
dent went on:
"Your sermon today made clear TO
me what l have long been feeling |
ought to do. What would Jesus do in
my placer / haYe asked the question
repeatedly since made my promise. |
| have tried 10 satisfy myself that he
would simply go on, as have done, at
tending TO the duties Of my college,
teaching the classes in ethics and phi
| losophy But j have not been able to
avoid the feeling that he would do
something more. That something Is
what / do not want TO do. 1t will cause
me genuine suffering to do it. ! dread
it with all my soul. You may be able
to guess what it is "
'Yes; / think / know" Henry Max
well replied. 1T il my cross too. |
would almost rather do anything else +"
Donald Marsh looked surprised then
relieved. Then he spoke sadly, but
| with great CONVICTION:
Maxwell, you and / belong TO a
class of professional men who have al
ways avoided the duties of citizenship
We have lived in little world Of schol-
arly scclusion, doing work we have en-
joyed and shrinking from the disagree
able duties that belong 30 the life of
| the citizen / confess with shame that
! have purposely avoided the RESPONSE
bility that / owe TO this city personally.
| understand that our city officials are
u corrupt, unprincipled set Of men,
controlled in large part by the whisky
element. and thoroughly seliish, 50 far
IA the affairs of city government arc
concerned. Yet all these years !. with
nearly every teacher in the college, have
been satisfied to let other men run the
municipality and have lived in little
world Of my own, out of touch and
sympathy with the real world OF the
people. What would Jesus dor | have
tried even TO avoid an honest answer
| can no longer do 80. My plain duty Is
to take II personal part in this coming
election, go TO the primaries, throw the
weight Of my influence, whatever it is,
| FDWdIh lIlc IplllHtlAiOH anu 'i''NA'' -
good men and plunge into the very
depths Of this entire horrible whirlpool
Of deceit, bribery, political trickcry and
saloonism as it exists in Raymond to
day. would sooner walk up TO the
mouth Of q cannon any time than do
this / dread il because hate the touch
Of the whole matter
al would give almost anything TO be
able to say, i do not believe Jesus
would do anything Of the sort, but !
am more and more persuaded that he
would This il where the suffering
comes to me. 10 would not hurt me
half 40 much To lose my position or my
home. | loathe the contact with this
municipal problem. | would much pre-
fer to- remain quietly in my scholastic
life with my classes in ethics and phi
losophy, but the call has come SO plain
" that | cannot escape: Donald Marsh,
follow me Do your duty as citizen OF
Raymond at the point where your citi-
zcnship will cost you something. HclI
to cleanse this great municipal stable,
even If you do have TO soil your aris
tocratic feelings little. Maxwell, this
il my cross. / must take it up or deny
my Lord "
"You have spoken for me also" re
piled Maxwell with n sad smile. "Why
| I al, | NJ "a Clergy