People's voice., 1900-01-11

80 - NS''- - A@-AN ~etN A-AN--NA NSN--N ~ WA
spent in the establishment Of a paper
such as we have in mind, " he answered,
and his voice trembled a little. The
keen look on Edward Norman s grizzled
face flashed out with stern but thor
Oughly Christian anticipation of great
achievements in the world of newspaper
life as it had opened up to him within
the last few seconds.
'"Then. said Virginia, speaking as
if the thought were fully considered,
Il am ready to put that amount Of
money into the paper on the one condi-
ton, of course, that it be carried on as
it has been begun.
"Thank Godr' exclaimed Henry
Maxwell softly Edward Norman was
pale. The rest were looking at Virginia.
She had more to say.
Dear friends, she went on, and
there was a sadness in her voice that
made an impression on the rest that
deepened when they thought it over
afterward, Il do not want any of you
to credit me with an act of great gen
erosity or philanthropy. | have come
to know lately that the money which |
have called my own is not my own,
but Gods. If |. as a steward of his see
some wise way to invest his money, it
is not an occasion of vainglory or
thanks from any one simply because !
have proved honest in my administra-
ton of the funds he has asked me to
use for his glory have been thinking
of this very plan for some time The
fact is, dear friends, that in our COM
ing fight with the whisky power in
Raymond, and it has only just begun,
we shall need The News to champion
the Christian side You all know that
all the other papers are for the saloon.
As long as the saloon exists the work
of rescuing dying souls at the Rectangle
is carried on at a terrible disadvantage.
What can Mr.. Gray do with his gospel
meetings when half his converts are
drinking people, daily tempted and en-
ticed by the saloon on every corners
The Christian daily we must have, 1t
would be giving up to the enemy to
have The News fail | have great con-
fidence in Mr.. Norman ability. | have
not seen his plans but | have the con-
fdence that he has in making the paper
succeed if it is carried forward on a
large enough scale.
81 cannot believe that Christian in
teligence in journalism will be inferior
to un-Christian intelligence, even when
it comes to making the paper pay fnan-
Cially. So that is my reason for putting
this money-God's, not mine-into this
powerful agent for doing as Jesus
would. If we can keep such a paper
going for one year, l shall be willing to
see that amount of money used in the
experiment. Do not thank me. Do not
consider my promise a wonderful thing.
What have done with Gods money
all these years but crafty my own
selfish, physical, personal desires2 What
can l do with the rest of it but try to
make some reparation for what | have
stolen from GodH That is the way
look at it now. believe it is what
Jesus would do. "
Over the lecture room swept that I'M
seen yet distinctly felt wave of Divine
presence. No one spoke for awhile.
Henry Maxwell, standing there where
the faces lifted their intense gaze into
his, felt what he had already felt be-
fore, strange setting back out Of the
nineteenth century into the first. when
the disciples had all things in common.
and a spirit Of fellowship must have
flowed freely between them such as the
First church of Raymond had never
known How much had his church
membership known Of this fellowship
in daily interests before this little COM
pany had begun to do as Jesus would
dos 1t was with difficulty that he
thought OF his present age and its sur
roundings The same thought was pres
ent with all the rest also There was an
unspoken comradeship such as they had
never known II was present with them
while Virginia was speaking and dur
ing the silence that followed. If it had
been defined by any one Of them. it
would perhaps have taken some such
shape as this:
"H shall in the course Of my obedi-
ence to my promise meet with loss or
trouble in the world. | can depend upon
the genuine practical sympathy and
fellowship Of any other Christian In this
room who has with me made the pledge
to do all things by the rule, What
would Jesus dof'"
All this the distinct wave of spiritual
power expressed II had the effect that
a physical miracle may have had on
the early disciples in giving them a
feeling Of confidence in their Lord that
helped them to face loss and martyrdom
with courage and even Joy.
Before they went away this time
there were several condolences like those
of Edward Norman Some Of the young
men told Of the loss Of places owing to
their honest obedience to their promise
Alexander Powers spoke briefly Of the
fact that the commission had promised
to take action at the earliest date pos
sible
He was already at his old work of
telegraphy. 1t was a significant fact
that since his action inS Sresigning his
position neither his wfAnor daughter
had aDpeared in public No ore hut