Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-05-28
TN HIS STEPS.
"What Would Jesus D0?"
By CHARLES M. SHELDON.


Sunday morning when DR.. Bruce came
into his pulpit with the message of the
new discipleship Never before had the
Rev. Calvin Bruce realized how deep
the feelings of his members flowed He
.humbly confessed that the appeal he
had made met with an unexpected re-
Spouse from men and women who, like
Felicia, were hungry for something in
their lives that the conventional type of
church membership and fellowship had
failed to give them
But DR.. Bruce was not yet satisfied
for himself We cannot tell what his
feeling was or what led to the move
ment he finally made, to the great as
tonishment Of all who knew him, better
than by relating a conversation be-
tween him and the bishop at this time
in the history of the pledge in Nazareth
Avenue church. The two friends were
as before, in DR.. Bruce's house, seated
in his study
''You know what have come in this
evening for? the bishop was saying
after the friends had been talking some
time about the results of the pledge
with Nazareth Avenue people.
DIR. Bruce looked over at the bishop
and shook his head.
81 have come to confess, I" went on
the bishop ''that I have not yet kept
my promise to walk in his steps in the
way that believe shall be obliged to
if I satisfy my thought of what it
means to walk in his steps.
DR.. Bruce had risen and was pacing
his study. The bishop remained in the
deep easy chair, with his hands clasped,
but his eye burned with the glow that
always belonged to him before he made
some great resolve.
Edward DIR. Bruce spoke abrupt
ly-f'I have not yet been able to satisfy
myself, either, in obeying my promise,
but have at last decided on my course.
In order to follow it, I shall be obliged
to resign from Nazareth Avenue
church. >
81 knew you would replied the
bishop quietly, "and 1 came in this
evening to say that I shall be obliged
to de the same with my charge
DR.. Bruce turned and walked up to
his friend They were both laboring
under depressed excitement.
els it necessary in your case?" asked
Bruce.
eyes. Let me state my reasons.
Probably they are the same as yours.
In fact, 1 am sure they are" The
bishop paused moment, then went on
with increasing feeling:
''Calvin, you know how many years
I have been doing the work of my posi-
ton, and you know something of the
responsibility and the care of it. do
not mean to say that my life has been
free from burden bearing or sorrow,
but have certainly led what the poor
and desperate of this sinful city would
call a very comfOrtable-yes a very
luxurious-life. I have a beautiful
house to live in, the most expensive
food, clothing and physical pleasures. 1
have been able to go abroad at least a
dozen times and have enjoyed for years
the beautiful companionship of art and
letters and music and all the rest of the
very best. | have never known what it
meant to be without money or its
equivalent, and I have been unable to
silence the question of late, What have
/ suffered for the sake of Christi Paul
was told what great things he must
wells position at Raymond is well tax
en- when he insists that to walk in the
steps of Christ means to suffer. Where
has my suffering come in? The petty
trials and annoyances of my clerical life
are not worth mentioning as sorrows or
suffering. Compared with Paul or any
of the Christian martyrs or early disci-
pies, have lived a luxurious, sinful
life, full of ease and pleasure. l cannot
endure this any longer. 1 have that
within me which of late rises in over
whelming condemnation of such fol-
lowing of Jesus. | have not been walk
ing in his steps. Under the present sys-
tenn of church and social life 1 see no
escape from this condemnation except
to give the rest of my life personally to
the actual physical and soul needs of
the wretched people in the worst part
of this city"
The bishop had risen now and walked
over to the window. The street in front
of the house was as light as day, and
he looked out at the crowds passing,
then turned, and, with passionate ut
terance that showed how deep the vol
canic fire in him burned, he exclaimed:
'CalV1nJ InlS Is d IerrlDle Guy III
which we live. Its misery, its sin, its
selfshness, appaH my heart, and have
struggled for years with the sickening
dread of the time when should be
forced to leave the pleasant luxury of
my official position to put my life into
contact with the modern paganism of
this century. The awful condition Of
the girls in the great department stores,
the brutal selfshness of the insolent So
ciety, fashion and wealth that ignores
all the sorrows of the city, the fearful !
curse of the drink and gambling hell,