Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1900-10-07


 dent went on:
 Your sermon today made clear to me what I have long been feeling I ought to do What would Jesus do in my place? I have asked the question repeatedly since l made my promise. have tried to satisfy myself that he would simply go on, as have done. at tending to the duties of my college, teaching the classes in ethics and phi losophy. But have not been able to avoid the feeling that he would do something more. That something, is what I do not want to do. It will cause me genuine suffering to do it. I dread it with all my soul You may be able to guess what it is "
 "Yes; think know" Henry Max well replied. ssIt is my cross too I would almost rather do anything else. ]" Donald Marsh looked surprised. then relieved. Then he spoke sadly. but with great conviction:
 Maxwell, you and I belong to a class of professional men who have al ways avoided the duties of citizenship. We have lived in little world of schol- arly seclusion, doing work we have en- joyed and shrinking from the disagree able duties that belong to the life of the citizen. l confess with shame that l have purposely avoided the respensi- bility that owe to this city personally 1 understand that our city officials are corrupt, unprincipled set of men, controlled in large part by the whisky clement and thoroughly selfish, so far as the affairs of city government are concerned. Yet all these years 1. with nearly every teacher in the college. have been satisfied to let other men run the municipality and have lived in little world of my own, out of touch and sympathy with the real world of the people. What would Jesus do2' I have tried even to avoid an honest answer. I can no longer do so. Ny plain duty is to take a personal part in this coming election, go to the primaries throw the weight of my influence, whatever 1t is, toward the nomination and election of good men and plunge into the very depths of this entire horrible whirlpool of deceit, bribery, political trickery and saloonism as it exists in Raymond to- day. 1 would sooner walk up to the mouth of cannon any time than do this. I dread it because I hate the touch of the whole matter.
 'EI would give almost anything to be able to say, I do not believe Jesus would do anything of the sort, but I am more and more persuaded that he would. This is where the suffering comes to me. It would not hurt me half so much to lose my position or my home. loathe the contact with this municipal problem. I would much pre- fer to remain quietly in my scholastic life with my classes in ethics and phi losophy, but the call has come go plain ly that 1 cannot escape: sDonald Marsh, follow me. Do your duty as a citizen of Raymond at the point where your citi- zenship will cost you something. Help to cleanse this great municipal stable, even if you do have to soil your aris- tocratic feelings little Maxwell. this is my cross I must take it up or deny my Lord. ;
 "You have spoken for me also, re- piled Maxwell, with sad smile. ..Why should l, simply because I am a clergy man, shelter myself behind my refined, sensitive feelings and, like coward, refuse to touch, except in sermon pos sibly, the duty of citizenship? am un- used to the ways of the political life of the city. 1 have never taken an active part in any nomination of good men. There are hundreds of ministers like me As class we do not practice in the municipal life the duties and privi- leges we preach from the pulpit. What would ds5esus do2 l am now at point where like you, 1 am driven to answer the question one way. My duty is plain I must suffer. All my parish work, all my little trials or self sacrifices, are as nothing to me compared with the break ing into my scholarly, intellectual. self contained habits of this open, coarse, public fight for a clean city life I could go and live at the Rectangle the rest of my days and work in the slums for bare living, and could enjoy it more than the thought of plunging into a fight for the reform of this whisky ridden city. It would cost me less But like you, have been unable to shake off my Responsibility. The answer to the question, What would Jesus dof' in this case leaves me no peace, except when I say, Jesus would have me act the part of Christian citizen. Marsh, as you say, we professional men, min isters, professors, artists, literary men, scholars, have almost invariably been political towards We have avoided the sacred duties of citizenship either ig norantly or selfishly Certainly Jesus in our age would not do that. We can do no less than take up this cross and follow him. !"
 These two men walked on in silence for awhile. Finally President Marsh said:
 We do not need to act alone in this matter With all the men who have made the promise, we certainly can bava co,npapiopc chin and stranpth auan