Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-03-09


Say, d like 10 asl: question of the
minister if its fair May -
That's for Mr. Maxwell 20 say"
said the bishop
"By all means, " replied Mr.. Max
well quickly "Of course | viii not
promise to answer il to the gentlemans
satisfaction.
This is my question. The man
leaned forward and stretched out long
arm. With n certain dramatic force that
grew naturally enough out Of his con-
diton as human being Il want to
know what Jesus would DO in my caser
| haven't had stroke of work for two
months. I've got "a wife and three chill
dren and love them rs much as If ]
was worth million dollars. I've been
living off little earnings | saved up
during the World fair Jobs | got I'm
carpenter 10y trade, and I've tried ev-
cry way know TO get job. You say
we ought TO take for our motto, What
would Jesus dor What would he do If
he was out of work like meY | can't be
somebody else and ask the question. !
want to work. I'd give anything TO
grow tired of working ten hours day
the way ! used TO- Am | To blame be-
cause cant manufacture job for my
self? I've got to live and my wife and
my children But how NV hat would
Jesus do2 You say that ; the question
we all ought to ask.
Henry Maxwell sat there staring at
the great sea Of faces all intent ON his,
and no answer TO this man s question
seemed. for the time being. to be posi-
BILE. 80 God his heart prayed. "This
is a question that brings mp the entire
social problem in all its perpleXing en-
tanglement Of human wrongs and its
present condition, contrary t. every de-
sire of God foY a human being vel
fare. Is there any condition more awful
than for a man in good health, able and
eager to work with no means of honest
livelihood unless he does work, actually
unable 30 get anything TO do and driven
10 one of three th,ugs-be@ging for
charity at the hal of friends or
strangers or suicide or starvation
What would Jesus doy II was a fair
question for the man to ask 1t was the
only question he could ask, surprising
him TO be a disciple of Christ, but what
question for any man to be obliged TO
ask under such conditionsl'
All this and more did Henry Maxwell
ponder All the Others were thinking IN
the same way. The bishop sat there
with a look so stern and sad that it was
lot hard TO tell how the question moved
him. DR.. Bruce had his head bowed.
The human problem had never seemed
| to him 20 tragic as since he had taken
the pledge and left his church TO enter
the settlement What would Jesus do?
It was a terrible question, and still the
man stood there, tall and gaunt and al
most terrible, with his arm stretched
out in an appeal which Anew every sec
ond in meaning.
At length Mr.. Maxv Il spoke
"Is there any man in the room who
is Christian disciple who has been in
this condition and has tried 70 do as
Jesus would do? If so such a man can
answer his question better than | can. "
There was a moment : hush over the
room, and then a man near the front OF
the hall slowly rose He was an old
man. and the hand he laid on the back
of the bench in front Of him trembled
as he smoke
81 think | can safely say that | have
many times been in just such condi-
ton and have always tried to be q
| Christian under all conditions. | don I
know that l have always asked this
| question, What would Jesus doG' when
l have been out of work, but do know
I have tried to be his disciple at all
| times Yes, " the man went on with a
sad smile that was more pathetic to the
bishop and Mr.. Maxwell than the young
man's grim despair-''yes, | have beg
ged, and l have been 70 the charity or
CARNATIONS, and / have done every
thing when out of job, except steal
and lie, in order to get food and fuel
don't know that Jesus would have done
some Of the things / have been obliged
to do for a living hut know | have
never knowingly done wrong when out
Of work Sometimes / think maybe hC
would have starved sooner than beg.
dom know
The old man voice tronbled. and hC
looked around the room timidly y 81
lence followed. broken by fierce voice
from a large, black haired, heavily
bearded man who sat three seats from
the bishop The minute be spoke nearly
every man in the hall leaned forward
eagerly. The man who had asked tn,
question, "What would Jesus do in IL.
case2' slowly sat down and asked til,
man next TO him, WHO that
That's Carlson. the socialistic lead
er. Now you Il hear something.
"This is all bosh, TO my mind, be
gan Carlson, while his great, bristlinl
beard shook with the deep, inwar'
anger of the man. "The whole of on
system is at fault. What we call civil
lization is rotten TO the core There /
no use trying to hide it or cover it up
We live in an age of trusts and com
bines and capitalistic greed that mean
simply death to thousands Of innocen
men, women and children. / than
God, if there is a God, which | yer
much doubt. that l. for one have neve