The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-03-14
: with exact truth
..les,,s. ! my cross have taien.
.ii.o leave aad follow thee?

..1ss,js my cross have taken.
.ii . leave aad follow thee:
III vezcan sin2 that truly .l3ea We
r,l::. clla:l:l Giscirleship bat ii car (,eti-
ni4se,s cfs l3eirg a Christian is s;1:i2iy TO
e,!5ay the ls.iyileees oi worship. be gen
eros 1T no ezrense 10 ourselves. have
q coai. oasy. tine. surrounded by pleas
a.1r ftr::e,.sis and By comfortable things.
i've resrectabiy and al Sic same time
avoid tile world : :c1'e;a: stress OF sin a.id
fro15,ie because it IS too 1l1cl pain TO
!5ear ii-if this is cur definition Of
Christianity. ss1e;5y we ;:re g long way
ssro,.l following tie steps OF him WHO
t..e..i tie way with e,soal.s and tears ;s;sd
sos OF anguish fer /. lost humanity:
Vie sweat. as il We're. great drops Of
blood: vlc cried ozt or the uio.a;.,.c(!!
cross My God. my Sod. why hast thou
forsale2 E.e:,
Are We ready TO make and live g
new 5,iscipleship: Are we ready to re-
! consider our definition Of a Christian !?
What is it TO be Christian. 1t is TO
initiate Jesus. 1t is to Go as he would
Co 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 a knowledge, stran-
ger to them now fo years, of Divine
power. Every one Spected 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 scene that would
have been impossible if any mere man
had been alone in his striving for re-
suits
Men and women IL great numbers
crowded a.ound the platform TO see
Henry Maxwell and 70 ling him tie
promise OF their consecratian to tie
+, pledge 10 co as Jesus world CO. Il
was a voluntary. spontaneous move
ment that broke 1l3o.l Maxwell. $ SOIL
with q result he co2ld rot Z. l.:.e:a.s,7se. But
! had he Tot been praying Ger tais very
thing? 1t was an answer that more
than met his desires
There followed this movement a
prayer service that in It's impressions
repeated the Raymond experience IN
the evening. to alaxweil's intense joy.
the Endeavor society. ..lmost 20 q mem
Der. came forward, as SO many os the
church members had done II the iaorn-
ing. and seriously, solemnly, tenderly
took the pledge to do as Jesus wo71ld
DO. a deep wave Of spiritual baptism
I broke over the meeting near It's close
that was inaescribable in It's tender
joyful, sympathetic results.
That was a remarkable Gay II thc
history oe church. but even more
so in the .sroryoff Henry Maxwell ile
left the ea1Gii.2a, very late. lie went TO
his room AT the settlement. Eise.'e be
was still stopping, and ;lfSe1 ;2:a haar
with tee b:shoi5a:11 Or. Bruce. s9e39t IN
a joyfei rs:.e;:i.s:.! Of teiiae wonderful
events Of tie day. he t!o0.i to 1}:i1l2;
ovcr again b. himself al 1lseezi2
he was having ;.S a Christian disciple.
Ee Eaeele<l 70 i1,;;:.y-. Is re always did
now. before sc;:...;, to s:e52 =, and il was
while be was OF bis i...,::ees this ni.sta1
that be had 4 w::.i..iia.e,, vision Of what
might be IL the VOID ui.en oace tae
new discip!eship had niece Is way illeo
the conscience a,d conscioT1s,le:;s ci
ChriscenGom. lie Was isl!.- conscious Tei
being awake. bat no less certainly Old
it seem to him that he saw certain re-
suits with great distinct:iess. partly as
realities of the fao1re, partly as great
longinss that they might be realities.
and this is what Henry Maxwell saw in
this waking vision
He saw himself first going back to the
First church in Raymond. living there
in a simpler more self denying fashion
than he had yet been willing tooDserve
because be saw ways in which he could
help others who We're really dependent
on him for help. He also saw more dim
" tha: the time woald come when his
position Us pastor Of tie churc!l wcald
cause him to suffer more. on account OF
growing opposition to his Interpretation
of Jesus ana hi; conduct. bat ti!ssiis VS.
vaguely oatl;@ed. Through il I'll he
heard ehc words. NY grace is s1..!!li-
/ cient To-, thee.
he saiv Rachel y.ins!oy and
! Page aoing on with Iac:1, vai. OF Ss!,,-
/, ice at the Rectan23e and reach;:!e4; cJ2r
loving hands Of hclpfy!1ess tes: hsy9:.d
the limits OF Raymond Raeh i be Saw
married to Roilin Page both fully CON
secrated 10 the tlasser's use. both iol-