Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1900-10-28


 the slum district known as the Rec tangle. and Miss Winslow, whose repu- tation as a singer is now national, but who. in obedience to what she has de cided to be Jesus probable action. has devoted her talent to volunteer work among the girls and women who make up large part of the cityas worst and most abandoned population
 In addition to these well known people has been gradually increasing number of Christians from the First church and Lately from other churches in Raymond 4 large proportion of these volunteers who pledge themselves to do as Jesus would comes from the Endeavor societies The young people say that they have already embodied in their society pledge the same principle in the words, I promise him that will strive to do whatever he would have me do This is not exactly what is in- cluded in Maxwell's s proposition, which is that the disciples shall try to do what Jesus would probably do in the disci- ples place. hat the result of an honest obedience 10 either pledge. ne claims, will be practically the same. and he is not surprised that the largest numbers have joined she new discipleship from . tie 4zi4C.efsYor society
 t'l am sure the first question you will asl, is " hat has been the result of this attempt. what has it accomplished, er haw has # changed in any way the regular course of the church or the com mHnity
 4ou already know something from reports of Raymond that have gone over the country what the results have been. but ane needs 10 come here and learn something of the changes in individual lives. and especially the change in the church life to realize all that is meant by this following of Jesus steps so lit. eraliy To tell all that would be to write long story or series of stories. ] am not in G position to do that but l can give you some idea perhaps Of what has happened here from what has been told me by my friends and Henry Max well himself
 eThe result of the pledge rpen the First church has been twofold-==it has brought about q spirit of Christian fel- lowship which Maxwell tells me never before existed and which now inpresses him as being very nearly what the Christian fellowship of the apostolic churches must have been and it has divided the church into two distinct groups of members Those who have not taken the pledge regard the others ae foolishly literal in their attempts to initiate the ~xample of Jesus
 Some oS them have drawn ont c fhe church and no longer attend, O.
 hey have r5moved their membership entirely to ether churches Some are aB iEtefaal clement of strife and l heard raiaoEs Of an attempt on their paff to force Maxwell's s resignation l do net know that this element is very strong IH the church Ii has been held in check by a wonderful continuance of spiritual power which dates from the first sunday tfe pledge WIS taken e veal ago and also 68 the fact that SO ulauy of the most prominent members hafe been identified with the move raeat
 The etsset on Henry Maxwell is very marked. s5ard him preach at oaf state= ass0eiatr7H four yeafs ago. He impressed me ar tfe time as having considerable power in dramatic deli9, cry, of which he himself was somewhat conscious. His sermon vas well wrjt- tea and abounaed in what the seminary students used to call fine passagea. The effect of 1t was wh4t the average congregation would eall pleasing This morning l heard Maxwell preach again for the first time since then 1 shall speak of that further on He is not the same man. He gives me the impression of one Nha has passed throueh crisis 1 of revolution lie tells me this reyolu tion is siapiya new definition of Chris tian discipleship. Ile certainly hs9 changed many of his old views His ut i titude on the saloon question is radical ly opposite to the one he entertained . year ago. and in his entire thought of his ministry, his pulpit and parish 1 work find he has made complete change So fur as can understand. the idea that is moving him OF now is the idea that the Christianity of or times must represent a more literal i'm itation of Jesus, and especially in the element of suffering He quoted to me in the course of our conyersa tion sev- eral times the verse from Peter Tor hereunte were ye called, because Christ also suffered for you. leaving you an example. that ye should follow his steps and he seems filled with the con vicfion that what our churches need today more than anything else is this factor of suffering for Jesus in some form
 .I do not know that agree with him altogether; but, ny dear Caxton i it is certainly astonishing to note the results of this idea as they have inn pressed themselves upon tais city and upon this church