The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-03-07
By Charles NJ. Sheldon.
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CHAPTER XII.

have treasure in heaven. And. come; follow me-
When Henry Maxwell began to speak
so the souls crowded into the settlement
hall that night. it is doubtful if he had
ever before faced such an audience in
his life. It is quite certain that the
city Of Raymond did not contain such
a avariety of humanity. Not even the
Rectangle at its worst could furnish so
many mon and women who had fallen
entirely out of the reach of the church
and all religious and even Christian IN
duences.
What did he talk about? He had al
ready decided that point. He told IN
the simplest language he could COM
mand some of the results of obedience
to the pledge as it had been taken IN
RAYMOND. Every man and woman IN
that audience knew something about
Jesus Christ. They all had some idea OF
his character, and. however much they
had grown bitter toward the forms OF
Christian ecclesiasticism or the social
system. they preserved some standard
of right and truth. and what little some
Of them still retained was taken from
the person Of the peasant Of Galllee.
So they were interested in what Max
well said What would Jesus do. he
began to apply the question to the social
problem in general after finishing the
story of RAYMOND The audience was
respectfully attentive twas more than
that It was genuinely interested. AS
Mr.. Maxwell went on faces all over the
hall leaned forward in way very sell
dom seen in church audiences or any
where else, except among worklngmen
or the people of the street when once
they are thoroughly aroused. What
would Jesus do?' Suppose that were
the motto not only of the churches. but
of the business men. the politicians, the
newspapers. the workingmen. the So
ciety people How long would 1t take,
under such a standard Of conduct, to
reyolutionize the world9 What was tie
trouble with the worlds 1t was suffer
ing from selfshness No one ever lived
who had succeeded in overcoming SELF
ishness like Jesus If men followed him.
regardless of results, the world would
at once begin to enjoy a new life.
Henry Maxwell never knew how
much it meant to hold the respectful
attention Of that hall full Of diseased
and sinful humanity The bishop and
Dr. Bruce, sitting there. looking On.
seeing many faces that represented scorn
of creeds, hatred OF the social order,
desperate narrowness and sel9shness.
marveled that even so socn, under the
influence Of the settlement life, the
softening process had begun to lessen
the bitterness Of hearts, many o. which
had grown bitter from neglect and IL
difference.
And still, N spite OF the outward
show Of respect Of the speaker. no one,
not even the bishop. had any true con
ception of the pent up feeling in that
room that night Among tie I,en who
had heard of the meeting and had re-
sponded to the invitation We're 20 or 20
out Of work. who had strolied past ttae
settlement that afternoon, read the TO
tice of the meeting and had come IN
out of curiosity and to escape the chill
east wind. 1t was bitter night. a2d
the saloons were full, but in that whole
district Of over 80, coo souls, with the
exception of the saloons. there was nct
door open to tie people except the
clean oure. Christian door Of the settle
ment Where would a man without q
home or without work or without
friends naturally go unless TO a salocn :.
T. had been the crs+o,a ri the settle
rnen1 for q free and o2ea discussion 10
follow an open meeting OF Iris sil.si.
and when Henry Maxwell finished 2::d
sat down the BISHOP. who presided To-
n;oht rose .,d 7,2t?e the a..orce.,e,.t
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