The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1900-02-23

''Tell DR.. Bruce and the bishop
want to sec them. Penroso is the name
Clarence Pcnrosc. DR.. Brucc knows
me.
The family ut tho breakfast table
heard every word. The bishop exchanged
a significant look with Dr. Bruce, and
the two men instantly left the table
and went out into the hall
Come in here, Penrose," said Dr.
Bruce. and he and the bishop ushered
the visitor into the reception room
They closed the door and were alone
Clarence Penrose was one of the most
elegant looking men in Chicago He
came from an aristocratic family Of
great wealth and social distinction. He
was exceedingly wealthy and had large
property holdings in different parts of
the city. He had been member Of Dr.
Bruce's church all his life
This man faced the bishop and his
former pastor with Il look of agitation
on his countenance that showed plainly
the mark of some unusual experience
lie was very pale. and his lip trembled
as he spoke. When had Clarence Pen
rose ever before yielded to such strange
emotion of feeling3
This affair of the shooting-you un-
derstand. You have read it. The family
nved In one of my houses. 1t is q terri
bic event. But that is not the primary
cause of my visit. He stammered and
looked anyiously into the faces Of the
other two men, The bishop still looked
stern he could not help feeling that
this elegant man of leisure could have
done great deal to alleviate the hor-
rors in his tenements. possibly have pre-
vented this tragedy, if he had sacrificed
some of his personal ease and luxury to
better the condition Of tho people in his
district
Penrcse turned to Dr. Bruce.
Doctor. he exclaimed. and there
was almost a child's terror in his voice.
II came to say that l have had an OK
perlence so unusual that nothing but
the supernatural can explain it, You
remember | was one of those who took
the pledge to do as Jesus would do. L
thought at the time, poor fool that l
was. that had all along been doing the
Christian thing. | gave literally out of
my abundance to the church and char
ity never gave myself to cost me any
suffering. have been living in n per-
feet hell Of contradictions ever since (,
took the pledge My little girl. Diana.
you remember. also took the pledge
with me. She has been asking me q
great many questions lately about the
poor people and where they lived | was
oDllSed to answer her. Two Of her oues-
lions last night touched my sore Did I
own any houses where those people
hVedf Were they nice and warm like
oursF You know how child will ask
questions like these. | went to bed tor
nlented with what now know to bo,
the divine arrows of conscience / could
not sleep. ! seemed to see the Judgment
day was placed before the Judge.
was asked 90 give account Of my deeds.
done in tho body. How many sinful
souls had Visited in prison? What had
done with my stcwardship2 How
about those tenemcnts where people.
froze in winter and stifed in summer ?
Did give any thought to them. except
70 receive the rentals from them?
W mere did my suffering come in Z?
Would Jesus have done rs had done,
and was doing2 Had | broken my
pledgeY How had used the money and
tho culture and the social influence i
possessodY Had / used them to bless
humanity, to relieve the suffering, to
bring JOY to the distressed and hone to
the desponding? l had received much.
How much had | given2
"All this came to me i'm n waking
vision as distinctly as ] SEQ you two
men and myself now. waa unable to !