The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-02-28
BY Charles M. Sheldon.
Copuio1ted and published in book form By the
1drdnce Publishing Co. of Chicago.

Felicia. 81 know this seems ike an I'M
possibility, but l want to try it. | know
u score of girls already who will take
the course, and if we can once establish
something like an esprit de corps among
the girls themselves I am sure it VIII
be of great value to them know al
ready that the pure food is working
revolution in many families.
1sFelicia, if you can accomplish half
of what you propose to do, it will bless
this whole community, said Mrs
Bruce. 81 don't see how you can do 1t,
but say God bless you. as you try. >
$50 say we ALL" cried DR., Bruce and
the bishop, and Felicia plunged into the
working out of her plan with the en-
thusiasm of her discipleship, which ev-
cry day grew more and more practical
and serviceable.
It must be said here that Felicia, S
plan succeeded beyond all expectations
She developed wonderful powers of per-
suasion and taught her girls with aston
ishing rapidity to do all sorts Of house
work. In time the graduates Of Felicia s
cooking school came to be priced by
kousekeepers all over the city. But that
is anticipating our story The history
of the settlement has never yet been
written When it is, Felicia's part will
be found of very great Importance
The depth Of winter found Chicago
presenting, as every great city of the
world presents. to the eyes of Christen-
dom that marked contrast between
riches and poverty. between culture,
refinement. luxury. ease and ignorance
depravity. destitution and the bitter
struggle for bread It was hard win
ter, but a gay winter Never had there
been such succession Of parties. recep-
tions, balls. dinners, banquets, fetes.
gayeties; never had the opera and the
theater been so crowded with fashion
able audiences; never had there been
such lavish display of jewels and fine
dresses and equipages, and. on the 9th
er hand. never had the deep want and
suffering been so cruel, so sharp. so
murderous: never had the winds blown
so chilling over the lake and through
the thin shells of tenements in the
neighborhoed of the settlement; never
had the pressure for food and fuel and
clothes been so urgently thrust up
against the people of the city in their
most importunate and ghastly form.
Night after night the bishop and Dr..
Rruce with their helpers, went out and
helped to save men and women and
children from the torture of physical
privation. Vast quantities of food and
clothing and large sums of money were
donated by the churches. the charitable
societies, the civic authorities md the
benevolent associations, but the personal
touch of the Christian disciple was very
hard to secure for personal work
Where was the discipleship that was
obeying the Masters command to go It
self to the suffering and give itself with
its gift. In order to make the gift Of
value in time to Gomez The bishop
found his heart sink within him as he
faced this fact more than any other.
Men would give money who would not
think of giving themselves and the
money they gave did not represent any
real sacrifice because they did not miss
it They gave what was the easiest to
give. what hurt them the least. Where
did the sacrifice come in? Was this fol
lowing Jesus! Was this going with
him all the way7 He had been to many
members of his own wealthy and aris-
tocratic congregation and was appalled,
to find how few men and women OF that
luxurious class in the churches would
really suffer any genuine inconvenience
for the sake of suffering Humanity
Is charity the giving Of wornout gar
ments! Is it ten dollar bill given to
paid visitor or secretary of some be-
nevolent organization in the church?
Shall the man never go and give his
gift himselfy Shall. the woman never
deny herself her reception or her party
or her musical and go and actually
touch the foul. sinful sore of diseased
humanity as it testers in the great me-
uopolis? Shall charity be conveniently
and easily done through some organiza-
ton. Is it possible to organize the at
fections so that love shall work dis
agreeable things by proxy?
All this the bishop asked as he plunged
deeper into the sin and sorrow Of that
bitter winter He was bearing his cross
with JOY but he burned and fought
within over the shifting of personal
love by the many upon the hearts OF the
few And still, silently. powerfully. re-
sistlessly the Holy Spirit was moving
through the church upon even the aris
tocrat;c, wealthy. ease loving members
who Stunned the terrors OF the social
problem as they would shun a con-
tagious d;sease
This fact was impressed upon the
bishop and the settlement workers in q
starting way one morning Perhaps no
one incident That winter shows more
plainly how mach Of a momentum had
already grown out Of the movement OF
Nazareth Avenue church and the action
of Dr.. Bruce and the bishop that fol-
lowed the pledge to do as Jesus would do