Middletown transcript., 1900-02-17

went away, but IL was long time aft
erward that he learned all the truth
about the struggle that Clayton had
known. It was only . part Of the his
| tory that belonged to Nazareth Avenue
church since that memorable morning
when the Holy Spirit sanctioned the
Christlike pledge. Not even the bishop
and DR.. Bruce, moving as they now did
| in the very presence itself of divine inn
| pulses, knew yet that over the whole
sinful city the Spirit was brooding with
mighty eagerness, waiting for the dis
ciples TO arise to the call of sacrifice and
suffering, touching hearts long dull and
cold, making business men and money
makers uneasy in their absorption by
the one great struggle for more wealth
and stirring through the church as
never in all the city 8 history the church
had been moved. The bishop and DR..
Bruce had already seen some wonderful
things in their brief life at the settle
ment. They were to see far greater
soon, more astonishing revelations OF
the Divine power than they had sup
posed possible in this age of the world.
Within month the saloon next the
settlement was closed. The saloon keep
| er's lease had expired, and Clayton nOs
only closed the property to the whisky
men, but offered the use Of the building
| to the bishop and DR.. Bruce for the set
tlement work, which had now grown so
large that the building was not suffi-
cient for the different industries that
were planned. One Of the most impor-
| tant Of these was the pure food depart
ment suggested by Felicia. It was not
a month after Clayton turned the saloon
property over to the settlement that
Felicia found herself installed in the
very room where souls had been lost as
head Of department not only of cook
ing, but of a course of housekeeping for
girls who wished to go out to service.
She was now q resident Of the settle
ment and found home with Mrs.
Bruce and the other young women from
the city who were residents. Martha,
the violinist, remained at the place
where the bishop had first discovered
the two girls and came over to the set
tlement certain evenings to give lessons
in music.
"Felicia, tell us your plan in full
now," said the bishop one evening
when, in a rare interval of rest from
the great pressure of work, he, with DR..
Bruce and Felicia, had come in from
the other building.
''Well, I have long thought Of the
hired girl problem, =" said Felicia, with
an air of wisdom that made Mrs. Bruce
smile as she looked at the enthusiastic,
vital beauty Of this young girl trans
formed into a new creature by the
promise she had made to live the Christ
like life, stand have reached certain
conclusions in regard to it that you
men are not yet able to fathom, but
Mrs. Bruce here will understand me-"
1--WE acknowledge our infancy, Fe-
hcia. Go on, said the bishop humbly.
''Then this is what propose to do:
The old saloon building is large enough
to arrange into a suit of rooms that
will represent an ordinary house. My
plan is to have 1t so arranged and then
teach housekeeping and cooking to girls
who will afterward go out TO service
The course will be six months long. In
that time I will teach plain cooking,
neatness, quickness and love Of good
work :"
"Hold on, Feliciar' the bishop inter-
rupted "This is not an age of mira
cles."
tThen / will make it one, = replied
Felicia 81 know this seems like an i'm
possibility, but want to try it. 1 know
a score of girls already who will take
the course, and if we can once establish
something like an esprit de corps among
the girls themselves I am sure it will
be of great value to them. know al
leady that the pure food is working Q
revolution in many families
'Felicia, il you can accomplish half
Of what you propose to do, it will bless
this whole community" said Mrs.
Bruce. II don't see how you can do it,
but | say God bless your as you try"
$50 say we ALI" cried DR.. Bruce and
the bishop, and Felicia plunged into the
working out Of her plan with the en-
thusiasm Of her discipleship, which ev-
cry day grew more and more practical
and serviceable.
1t must be said here that Felicia's
plan succeeded beyond all expectations.
She developed wonderful powers of per-
suasion and taught her girls with aston.
ishing rapidity to do all sorts Of house
work. In time the graduates of Felicia's
cooking school came to be priced by
housekeepers all over the city. But that
is anticipating our story. The history
OF the settlement has never yet been
written When it is, Felicia's part will
be found Of very great Importance.
The depth Of winter found Chicago
presenting, as every great city Of the
world presents, to the eyes of Christen-
dom that marked contrast between
riches and poverty, between culture,
refinement, luxury, ease and ignorance,
depravity, destitution and the bitter |
struggle for bread. It was hard win
ter, but a gay winter. Never had there |
been such a succession Of parties, recep-
tions, balls, dinners, banquets, fetes,
gayeties; never had the opera and the |
theater been SO crowded with fashion
able audiences; never had there beer
such lavish display Of jewels and fine |
dresses and equipages, and, on the 9TH
er hand, never had the deep want and |
suffering been so cruel, 30 sharp, SO |
murderous; never had the winds blown |
50 chilling over the lake and through |
the thin shells Of tenements in the |
neighborhood of the settlement; neNsr
had the pressure for food and fuel and |
clothes been so urgently thrust up
against the people Of the city in their
most importunate and ghastly form.
Night after night the bishop and DR..
Bruce, with their helpers, went out and
helped to save men and women and
children from the torture of physical
privation. Vast quantities of food and
clothing and large sums Of money were
donated by the churches, the charitable
societies, the civic authorities and the
benevolent associations, but the personal
touch OF the Christian disciple was very
hard to secure for personal work.
Where was the discipleship that was
obeying the Masters command to 20 it.
self to the suffering and give itself with