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

work l find he has made a complete
change So far as l can understand.
the idea that is moving him on now is
the idea that the Christianity of our
times must represent more literal i'm
itation Of Jesus, and especially in the
element Of suffering. He quoted TO me
in the course of our conversation sew
e1al times the verse from Peter, For
hereunto We're We called, because Christ
also suffered for you, leaving you an
example that We should follow his
steps. and he seems filled with the con-
viction that what our churches need
today more than anything else is this
factor of suffering for Jesus in some
form
Il do not know that / agree with
him altogether; but, my dear Caxton,
it is certainly astonishing to note the
results of this idea as they have i'm
pressed themselves upon this city and
upon this church.
"You ask how about the results on
the individuals who have made the
pledge and honestly tried to be true to
it Those results are, as / have said, a
part of individual history and cannot
be told in detail Some of them | can
give you. so that you may see that this
form of discipleship is not merely SEN
timent or fine posing for effect.
''For instance. take the case of Alex
ander Powers, who was superintendent
of the machine shops of the L. and I.
R. R. here. When he acted upon the
evidence that incriminated the road, he
lost his position, and, more than that,
l tearn from my friends here his family
and social relations have become so
changed that the family no longer ap-
pear in public. They have dropped out
of the social circle where once they
We're SO prominent Hy the way, Cax-
ton, | understand in this connection
that the commission, for one reason
and another, postponed action on this
case. and it is now rumored that the
L. and 7. R. r. will pass into receiv-
er's hands very soon. The president of
the road, who, according to the evi-
dence submitted by Powers, was the
principal offender, has resigned, and
complications which have arisen since
point to the receivership Meanwhile
the superintendent has gone back to his
old work as a telegraph operator. met
him at the church yesterday. He i'm
pressed me as man who had, like
Maxwell, gone through a crisis in char
acter. | could not help thinking of him
as being good material for the church
of the first century, when the disciples
had all things in common.
"Or take the case of Mr.. Norman,
editor of The Daily News. He risked
his entire fortune in obedience to what
he believed was Jesus probable action
and revolutionized his entire conduct
of the paper at the risk of failure. /
send you copy Of yesterdays paper.
| want you to read it carefully. To my
mind it is one of the most interesting
and remarkable papers ever printed in
the United States. 1t is open to criti
cism, but what could any mere man
attempt in this line that would be free
from criticism2 Take it all in all, it is
so far above the ordinary conception Of
a daily paper that / am amazed at the
result He tells me that the paper Is
beginning to be read more and more by
the Christian people Of the city. He is
very confident Of its final success
"Read his editorial on the money
question; also the one on the coming
election in Raymond, when the question
Of license will again be an issue Both
articles are Of the best from this point
of view He says he never begins an
editorial or, in fact, any part of his
newspaper work without first asking,
What would Jesus dor The result is
certainly apparent.
''Then there is Milton Wright, the
merchant He has, l am told, SO revo-
lutioniZed his business that no man il
more beloved today in Raymond. His
own clerks and employees have affec-
tion for him that is very touching.
During the winter, while he was lying
dangerously i'll at his home, scores Of
clerks volunteered to watch or help in
any possible way and his return to his
strations. All this has been brought
about by the element of personal love
introduced into the business This love
is not mere words, but the business it
self is carried on under a system of CO.
operation that is not a patronizing rec
ognition of interiors, but a real sharing
in the entire business Other men on
the street look upon Milton Wright as
odd 1t is fact, however, that while
he has lost heavily in some directions
he has increased his business and is to-
day respected and honored as one OF the
best and most successful merchants in
Raymond.
"And there is Miss Winslow. She
has chosen to give her great talent to
the poor and wretched Of the city. Her
plans include musical institute where
choruses and classes in vocal music shall
be a feature She is enthusiastic over
her life work. In connection with her
friend Miss Page she has planned n
course in music which, if carried out,
will certainly do much to lift up the
lives Of the people down there | am
not too old my dear Caxton, to be in
terested in the romantic side Of much
that has also been tragic here in Ray
mond. and ] must tell you that u IL
well understood there that Miss Wins.
low expects to bc married this spring
to n brother Of Miss Page, who was once
n society leader and clubman and who
was converted in tent where his wife
that is TO be took an active part in the
service | don't know all the details OF
this little romance, but | can imagine
there is "A little story wrapped up in 1t.
and it would be interesting reading II
we only knew it all.
"Thesc are only few illustrat 'ms OF
results in individual lives owing 70
obedience 10 the pledge. | meant to
have spoken Of President Marsh of Lin
coin college He il graduate Of my
alma mater and ] knew him slightly
when ! was in the senior year He has
taken an active part in the recent ma
nicipal agitation, and his influence in
the city is regarded rs n very large
factor in tho coming election. He inn
pressed me. as did all the other disciples
In this movement, as having fought out
some hard questions and as having
taken mp some real burdens that have
caused and still do cause that suffering
Of which Henry Maxwell speaks, suf-
fcring that does not eliminate but does
appear 10 intensity positive and prac-
tical joy
"But / am prolonRing this letter.
possibly 80 your wcariness ! am un.
ablc 10 avoid the feeling Of fascination
which my entire stay here has increased.
! want to tell you something Of the
meeting in the First church today