Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1900-10-28
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was in roe sa sha Asf ag *t.. Christian { -sios Saer 5... ,.f ,,o,.1<sss., property H1afy hsaxe ell tells me flat so far no one has interpreted tl,a ss,irit of Jesus in such way as tf. a},anaa,. hls earthly possessions. give away all bis wealth or ia any literal way iInitaf1 tho Christians of the order. for exam pie, of St. Francis of Assist It was tIa unanimous consent however. that if l any disciple should feel that .1eaua ;n his own particular case woulfl do thar l there could be only one answ 1T to Ina question Iaxwell frankly admitted fhat he was still. to certain deeraa 1 uncertain as to Jesus probable action when 1t came to the details of house. hold living, the possession of wealth the holding of certain luxuries It ia however, evident that very many of these disciples have repeatedly carried their obedience te Jesus to the extrema limit, regardless of financial loss Thera Is no lack Of courage or consistency at this point It is also true that some of the business men who took the pledge have l1st great sums of money in this imitation of Jesus, and very many have like Alexander Powers. lost valu. able positions owing to tie i11nossibility of doing what they had been accns- l toned to do and at the same time doing what they felt Jesus would do in tho same place In connection with these eases # is pleasant to record the fact that many who have suffered in this i Vrnv bavS n f arana 54Sn.. T9,l,S.,s1 I,x...a:t 1 F by those who still have means. In this respect think it Is true that theso disciples have all things in common. l Certainly such scenes as 1 witnessed at the First church at that after service this morning never saw in my church CT any other 1 never dreamed that such Christian fellowship conld exist in this age of tie world l am almost in ereaulous as to the witness of my own senses I stiL seem to be aslzing myself If this is thecloseof the nineteenth cen tuay in America.
 But now, dear friend. l cosas to tie real cause of the letter. the real heart of the whole question as the First church of Rs ymond has forced 1t upon me Before the meeting closed today steps were taken to secure the cooper atian of all eSher Christian disciples in this country 1 think Henry Maxwell took this st p after long deliberation. He said as m4ch 10 me one day when called upon 5im and we were discuss ing the effees of this movement upon inc church in general
 z. 1Nh hy he said suppose that tlle church membership generally in fhis fcorntfy made this pledge and lived ID l to 1t hts9 a revolution t would eagse l in ehristanacRi But why notg Ia it any more tilal Che disciple ought to dol Has Ile fqiIaS nd Jesus nnIess he is Will- ing fo do fhis Is the test of disciple ship any less today than it WAS in Jesus timer
 - do uot know all that preceded or be done outside of Raymond but [
 idea cIystallized toiay in plan to $
 cure ths Fellowship Of Ill the Ghrisaias III Aneriea. ~hs churches through their pastors will be asked to form disciple gatherings ilge the one in the First church Volunteers will be called for irf tba gHest bedy ef church members in the United States who will promise to i do as Jesus woHld do Maxwell spoke particularly of the result of such gem l eTal action en the saloon question He is terribly in earnest over this. He told nle that there was no question in his mind that the saloon would be beaten in Raymond at the election now near 1 at hand If so. they could go on with some courage to d8 the redelnptive work begun by the evangelist and now taken mp by the disciples in his own church If the saloon triai1phs again there will ebe terrible and. as he thinks. nnnec- essary waste of Christian sacrifice. But however We differ OH that point, he has convinced lis church that the time has come for q fellowship with other Chris- tians. Surely if tho First church could work such changes in society and it's surroundings. tie church in general, if combining such fellowship, not of creed. 1 but Of conduct. ought 10 stir the entire nation to . higher life and new con ception of Christian following
 ssrhis is q grand idea Caxfon, but right here is where find myself hesi- tating I do not denS that the Ghristian disciple ought to follow Christ E steps as closely as these here in Raymond have tried to do but ] cannot avoid asking what the result win be if l ask my church ii Chicago to do 1t am writing this after feeling the solemn, profound toach of the Spirit E presence, and confess to 5ou. old friend that l cannot call up in my church dozen prominent business or profess enal men who would make this trial at the risk of all that tley hold dear Gan you co any better in your chnrch7 What arc we 10 say that the church world not respond to the call. Come and suffer The actual results of the pleage as obeyea here in Raymond are enough so
 make any pastor trelnble and af the sa,nrstirn long with yeazning that they