Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-01-04

"Put him outl" Give the Fust church
a chancel' "Song songl Give US an
other songp'
Henry Maxwell stood up, and great
wave of actual terror went over him.
This was not like preaching to the well
dressed, respectable, good hammered
people ON the boulevard He began to
speak, but the confusion increased.
Gray went down into the crowd, but
did not seem able to quiet 1t. Henry
Maxwell raised his arm and his voice.
The crowd in the tent began to pay
some attention, but the noise on the
outside increased. In few minutes the
audience was beyond Maxwell S control
He turned to Rachel with sad smile.
"Sing something, Miss Winslow.
They will listen to you. he said and
then sat down and put his face in his
hands.
1t was Rachel's opportunity, and she
was fully equal TO it. Virginia was at
the organ and Rachel asked her to play
a few notes of the hymn;
Saviour, follow on,
Guided by thee,
Seeing not yet the hand
That leadeth me.
flushed be my heart and still;
Fear | no further i'll;
Only TO meet thy will
My will shall be.
Rachel had not sung the first line be-
fore the people in the tent were all
turned toward her, hushed and rever-
ent. Before she had finished the verse
u i I'd, f,,N, ,.1
1t lay like some wild beast at her feet,
and she sang it into harmlessness Ali
What were the fiippant, perfumed,
critical audiences in concert halls com
pared with this dirty, drunken, impure.
degraded, besotted humanity that trem-
bled and wept and grew strangely, sad
" thoughtful under the touch Of the
divine ministry of this beautiful young
womanY Henry Maxwell as he raised
his head and saw the transformed mob
had glimpse of something that Jesus
would probably do with voice like
Rachel Winslow's. Jasper Chase sat
with his eyes on the singer, and his
greatest longing rs an ambitious author
was swallowed up in the thought of
some time mean to him. And over in
the shadow outside stood the last person
any one might have expected to see at
a gospel tent service, Rollin Page, who,
jostled ON every side by rough men and
women, who stared at the swell in the
fine clothes. seemed careless of his sur
roundings and at the same time evil
4 ,,l lr.@ hut ha1
possessed. He had just come over from
the club. Neither Rachel nor Virginia
saw him that night.
The song was over. Henry Maxwell
rose again. This time he felt calm.
What would Jesus dof He spoke as he
thought once he never could. Who were
these people? They were immortal
souls What was Christianity A call
ing of sinners, not the righteous, to re-
pentance. How would Jesus speak 2
What would he say3 he could not tell
all that his message would include. but
he felt sure of part Of 1T, and in that
certainty he spoke on. Never before
had he felt compassion for the multi
tude." What had the multitude been
to him during his ten years in the First
church but a vague, dangerous, dirty,
troublesome factor in society outside
of the church and his reach; an element
that caused him occasionally an un-
pleasant feeling of conscience; a factor
In Raymond that was talked about at
associations as the masses in papers
written by tho brethren in attempts to
l., ~ hat
reached But tonight as he faced the
"masses" he asked himself whether,
after all, this was not just about such
q multitude as Jesus faced oftenest. and
he felt the genuine emotion of love for
a crowd which is one of the best indi-
cations preacher ever has that he Is
living close to the heart Of the world S
eternal life 1t is easy to love an indi-
vidual sinner. especially if he is person
any picturesque or interesting To love
a multitude of sinners is distinctly a
Christlike quality.
When the meeting closed, there was
no special interest shown. The people
rapidly melted away from the tent, and
the saloons, which had been experience
Ing a dull season while the meetings
progressed, again drove q thriving
trade. The Rectangle, as if to make up
for lost time, started in with vigor on
Its usual night life Of debauch. Henry
Maxwell and his little party, including
Virginia, Rachel and Jasper Chase,
walked down past the row Of saloons
and dens until they reached the corner
where the cars DaSSed
This is terrible spot" said Henry
Maxwell as they stood waiting for their
car. II never realized that Raymond
had such a fostering sore. 1t does not
seem possible that this Is n city full Of
Christian disciples.
He paused and then continued:
"Do you think any one can ever re-
move this great curse of the saloon
Why don't we all act together against
the trafficY What would Jesus dor
Would he keep silent? Would he vote
to license these causes of crime and
deathT'
Henry Maxwell was talking to him
self more than to the others. He re
membered that he had always voted for
license, and SO had nearly all of his
church members. What would Jesus
dof Could he answer that question
Would Jesus preach and act against the
saloon il he lived today? How would
he preach and actP Suppose it was not
popular to preach against license. Sup
pose the Christian people thought it