People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1900-02-08

their obedience to Jesus to the extreme
limit, regardless of financial loss. There
is no lack of courage or consistency at
this point It 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 impossibiity
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
ly 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 | witnessed at
the First church at that after service
this morning | never saw in my church
OF any other. l never dreamed that
such Christian fellowship could exist in
this age of the world | 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, l 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 | 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 this3 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 Sc
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 saloon would be beaten
in Raymond at the election now near
at hand. II so, they could go 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 terrible and, as he thinks. unnec-
essary waste of Christian sacrifice. But
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, il
combining such fellowship, not of creed,
but Of conduct, ought to stir the entire
nation to higher life and now con-
eeption Of Christian following.
This is grand idea, Caxton, but
right here is where l find myself hest
tating. l 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 l cannot avoid
asking what the result will be if / ask
my church In Chicago to do it l am
writing this after feeling the solemn.
profound touch Of the Spirits presence
and confess to you, old friend, that |
cannot call up in my church q 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 sufferT
The actual results of the pledge as
obeyed here in Raymond are enough to
make any pastor tremble and at the
same time long with yearning that they
might occur in hisown parish Certain
ly, never have seen a church so signal
ly blessed by the Spirit as this one.
But am l myself ready to take this
pledge? Task the question honestly. and
dread to face an honest answer. |
know well enough that l would have to
change very much in my life if under
took to follow his steps so closely.
have called myself a Christian for many
years For the past ten years | have
enjoyed life that has had compare
lively little suffering in it. l am-hon-
estly l say it-hving at long distance
from municipal problems and the life
of the poor, the degraded and the aban-
doned. What would the obedience to
this pledge demand of met hesitate to
answer. Ny church is wealthy, full Of
well to do, satisfied people The stand
ard of their discipleship is, l am aware,
not of nature to respond to the call
to suffering or personal loss say, i