The true northerner., 1900-03-28

the Advance Publishing 90. OF Chicago.1
(Continued from last week.
The bishop said to himself that night
while Rachel was singing that if the
world of sinful. diseased, depraved. lost
humanity could only have the gospel
preached to it by consecrated prima
donnas and professional tenors and altos
and bassos he believed it would hasten
the coming of the kingdom quicker
than any other one force. "Why, oh.
why" he cried in his heart as he lis
tened, 'has the worlds great treasure in
song been so often held far from the
poor because the personal possessor OF
voice or fingers capable of stirring di-
vinest melody has so often regarded the
gift as something with which TO make
money! Shall there be no martyrs
among the gifted ones of the earthY
Shall there be no giving OF this great
gift as well as of othersT'
And Henry Maxwell again, as before,
called up that other audience at the
Rectangle, with increasing longing for
larger spread of the new discipleship.
What he had seen and heard at the set
tlement burned into him deeper the be-
lief that the problem of the city would
be solved if the Christians in it should
once follow Jesus as he gave command
ment. But what of this great mass of
humanity, neglected and sinful, the
very kind of humanity the Saviour
came to save, with all its mistakes and
narrowness, its wretchedness and loss
Of hope-above all, its unqualified Bit
terness toward the church? That was
what smote Henry Maxwell deepest.
Was the church, then, so far from the
Master that the people no longer found
him in the church? Was it true that
the church had lost its power over the
very kind of humanity which in the
early ayes of Christianity it reached in
the gre st numbers? How much was
true in hat the socialist leader said
about the uselessness of looking to the
church for reform or redemption be-
cause of the selfshness and seclusion
and aristocracy OF its members?
He was more and more impressed
with the appalling fact that the COM
paratively few men in the hail. now
being held quiet for awhile by Rachel's
voice. represented thousands OF others
just like them, to whom church and
a minister stood for less than saloon
or a beer garden as a source of comfort
or happiness. Ought it to be soG If the
church members were all doing as Jesus
would do. could it remain true that
armies of men would walk the streets
for jobs and hundreds of them curse
1,o oh nd. e frH
in the saloon their best friend? How
far were the Christians responsible for
this human problem that was personally
illustrated right in this hall tonight
Was it true that the great city churches
would, as a rule. refuse TO walk in Je-
sus' steps so closely as to suffer. actual
ly suffer. for his sake?
Henry Maxwell kept asking this ques-
6ion even after Rachel had finished sing
ing and the meeting had come TO an
end, after a social gathering which was
very informal He asked it while the
little company Of residents, with the
Raymond visitors, were having devo-
tional service. as the custom in the set
tlement was. He asked it during a con-
ference with the bishop and DR.. Bruce
which lasted until O'Clock. He asked
it as he kneeled again before sleeping
and poured out his soul in his petition
for spiritual baptism on the church in
America such as it had never known.
He asked it the first thing in the morn
ing and all through the day as he went
over the settlement district and saw the
life Of the people SO far removed from
the life abundantly. Would the church
members. would the Christians not
only in the churches of Chicago. but
throughout the country, refuse to walk
In his steps if, in order to do so. they
must actually take up a cross and fol-
low himf
This was the one question that con-
tinually demanded answer He had
planned, when he came to the city, to
return TO Raymond and be in his own
pulpit on Sunday, but Friday morning
he had received at the settlement a call
from the pastor of one Of the largest
churches in Chicago and had been in
vited TO FIJI the pulpit for both morning
and evening services.
At first he hesitated, but finally ac-
cepted, seeing in it the hand of the
Spirits guiding power. He would test
his own question. He would prove the
truth or falsity OF the charge made
against the church at the settlement
meeting. How far would it go in its
self denial for Jesus sakeG How close
would it walk in his steps? Was the
church willing TO suffer for its Master
Saturday night he spent in prayer
nearly the whole night. There had new
er been so great wrestling in his soul,
even during his strongest experiences
in Raymond. He had. in fact entered
upon a new experience. The definition
of his own discipleship was receiving
an added test at this time, and he was
being led into a larger truth of his
Lord.
The great church was filled to its ut
most. Henry Maxwell. coming into the
pulpit from that all night vigil. felt the
rressure of n great curiosity on the mart