Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-02-01


ing that has become regular feature
of the First church. Into this meeting
have come all those who made the
pledge to do as Jesus would do, and the
time is spent in mutual fellowship. con-
fession, questions as TO what Jesus
would do in special cases and prayer
that the one great guide of every dis
ciple's conduct may be the Holy Spirit.
Maxwell asked me to come into this
meeting Nothing in all my ministerial
life, CaXton, has so moved me as that
meeting never felt the Spirits pres
ence so powerfully 1t was meeting of
"reminiscences and of the most loving
fellowship. | was irresistibly driven i'll
thought back TO the first years of Chris
tianity. There was something about all
this that was apostolic in its simplicity
and Christ imitation.
Il asked questions One that seemed
to arouse more interest than any other
was in regard to the extent of the
Christian disciples sacrifice of personal
property. Henry Maxwell tells me that
so far no one has interpreted the spirit
of Jesus in such way as to abandon
his earthly possessions, give away all
his wealth or in any literal way initiate
the Christians of the order, for exam
pie of St Francis of Assist. 1t was the
unanimous consent, however, that if
any disciple should feel that Jesus in
his own particular case would do that
there could be only one answer to the
question. Maxwell frankly admitted
that he was still, to certain degree,
uncertain as to Jesus probable action
when it came to the details of house
hold living, the possession of wealth,
the holding of certain Injuries 1t is,
however, evident that very many Of
these disciples have repeatedly carried
their obedience to Jesus to the extreme
limit, regardless of financial loss There
is no lack of courage or consistency at
this point. 1t is also true that some Of
the business men who took the pledge
have lost great sums of money in this
imitation of Jesus, and very many
have, like Alexander Powers, lost valu-
able positions owing to the impossibility
of doing what they had been accus-
toned to do and at the same time doing
what they felt Jesus would do in the
same place. In connection with these
cases it is pleasant to record the fact
that many who have suffered in this
way have at once been helped financial
" by those who still have means. In
this respect think it is true that these
disciples have all things in common.
Certainly such scenes as l witnessed at
the First church at that after service
this morning never saw in my church
OF any other. / never dreamed that
such Christian fellowship could exist in
this age of the world l am almost in
credulous as to the witness of my own
senses. | still seem to be asking myself
if this is the close of the nineteenth cen
tury in America.
"But now, dear friend. come to the
real cause of the letter, the real heart
of the whole question as the First
church Of Raymond has forced it upon
me Before the meeting closed today
steps were taken to secure the cooper
alton of all other Christian disciples in
this country l think Henry Maxwell
took this step after long deliberation.
He said as much to me one day when /
called upon him and we were discuss
ing the effect Of this movement upon
the church in general
Why. he said, suppose that the
church membership generally in this
country made this pledge and lived up
to it. What revolution it would cause
in Christendoml But why mott Is it
any more than the disciple ought to do2
Has he followed Jesus unless he is will
ing to do this2 Is the test of disciple
ship any less today than it was in Jesus
timer
81 do not know all that preceded or
followed his thought Of what ought to
be done outside Of Raymond. but the
idea crystallized today in plan to se-
cure the fellowship Of all the Christians
In America. The churches through their
pastors will be asked to form disciple
gatherings like the one in the First
church. Volunteers will be called for in
the great body of church members in
the United States who will promise to
do as Jesus would do. Maxwell spoke
particularly OF the result Of such gen
eral action on the saloon question. He
is terribly in earnest over this. He told
me that there was no question in his
mind that the snloon would be beaten
in Raymond at the election now near
at hand II 80, they could 90 on with
some courage to do the redemptive work
begun by the evangelist and now taken
up by the disciples in his own church.
If the saloon triumphs again, there will
be n terrible and, as he thinks, unnec-
4 Dot
however we differ on that point. he has
convinced his church that the time has
come for fellowship with other Chris
tians. Surely, If the First church could
work such changes in society and its
surroundings, the church in general, If
combining such fellowship, not of creed,
but Of conduct, ought to stir the entire
nation to higher life and n new con
ception of Christian following.
"This is II grand idea, Caxton. but
right here il where find myself hesi-
tating. | do not deny that the Christian
disciple ought to follow Christ's steps
as closely as these here In Raymond
have tried to do, but / cannot avoid
asking what the result will be If i ask
my church in Chicago to do II. i am
writing this after feeling tho solemn.
profound touch of the Spirits presence,
and i confess TO you, old friend, that |
cannot call mp in my church n dozen
prominent business or professional men
who would make this trial at the risk
Of all that they hold dear Can you do
any better in your church? What are
we TO say-that the church would not
respond TO the call, Come and suffer-
The actual results Of the pledge as
obeyed here in Raymond are enough to
make any pastor tremble and mt the
same time long with yearning that they |
might occur in his own parish. Certain
ly, never have / seen church 80 signal
ly blessed by the Spirit as this one. |
But am ! myself ready TO take this |
plcdge2 asl, the question honestly, and |
| dread TO face an honest answer. / |
know well enough that / would have to |
change very much in my life If ] under |
took to follow his steps so closely. !
have called myself Christian for many |
years. For the past ten years ! have |
enjoyed life that has had compare
lively little suffering in It, i am-hon- |
cstly | ray living Mt II long distance |
from municipal problems and the life |
Of the poor, the degraded and the aban-
doncd What would the obedience to |
this pledge demand Of mcf / hesitate 10 |
answer My church IL wealthy. full Of |
well TO do, satisfied people. The stand
r Al. 4 - n