Middletown transcript., 1900-03-10
81 Charles ID. Sheldon.

>~s--~ Fsz
haa grown iii certain quality Of per-
suasivenesa that had all the essentials OF
trus eloquence. This morning the peo-
pie felt the complete sincerity ardshu-s
xnility 0f man who had gone deep into
the heart of great truth- After tell
ing briefly Of some results in his own
church IN Raymond since the pledge.
was taken he went on to ass the ques-
tioii he had been asking since the Settle
ment meeting. He had taken fer his
theme the story Of the young man who
came to Jesus asking what he must do
to obtain eternal life jesus had tested
him Sell all that thou hast and give
90 tho poor. and thou shalt have treasure
in heaven. And. come; follow me h
But the young man was not willing to
suffer to that extent If following jesus
meant suffering in that way, ha was
not willing. He would ike to follow
Jesus, but not il he had to give up 90
much
Is it true, . continued Henry Max
well, and his fine, thoughtful face
glowed with passion of appel that
stirred the people as they had seldom
been stirred-siis it true that the church
Of today, the church that is called after
Christ's own name, would refuse to
follow Jesus at the expense of suttsrlng,
Of physical loss, of temporary galnf I
The statement was made at a Large
gathering in the settlement last week
by leader of workingmen thati was
hopeless to look to the church for any
reform or redemption of society On
what was that statement based Plain
" on the assumption that the church
contained for the most part Inen and
women who thought more of their own
ease and luxury than of the suferings
and needs and sins of humanitys How
far was that truef Are the Christians
nf America ready to have their disciple
ship testedf How about the men who
possess large wealth. Are they ready to
take that wealth and use it ss Jesus
wouIdf How about the men anG wGmen
Of great talentf Are they read e con
secrate that talent to humanity. as Jesus
undoubtedly would dot
t'Is it not true that the call hEs come
in. this age fer new exhibition tf dis
eshleship, Christian discipleghipf You
WHO i've in this great. sinful city must
lcIiow that better than do. Il ii posi-
ble you can go your ways cfrslcss or
tE5oughtless of the awful coI.jition Of
zen and women and children Hho are
ring, body and SOUL for Christian
eIp3 Is it not matter of concern to
d personally that the saloon kills its
ousands more surely than war; Is it
bt q matter of personal suffering in
PINE form for you that thousands of
bIebodied, willing men tramp the
reets Of this city and all cities crying
Dr work and drifting into crime and
uicide because they cannot find it Can
Eou say that this is none of your bust
less7 Let each man look after himself
Would it not be true. think yen, that
every Christian in America Gid as
esus would do society itself, the brsi-
ness world-yes. the very political sy-s-
em under which our commercial and
governmental activity is carried on
would be SO changed that human s'7Ger-
ng would be reduced to miniIi,1m2
"What would be the result If al the
church meGlbers of this city tried to 60
Is Jesus would doS 1t is not possible to
say in detail what the effect wonid be,
but it is easy to say. and it is trl7e, that
instantly the human problem woEld be-
gin to find an adequate answer.
"What il the test of Chris1iSI: lisci-
pleship2 Is it not the same as il Christ 8
own hfetime2 Have our surroundings
modified or changed the test? If Jesus
were here today. would he not cali some
of the members of this very church to
4 do Just what he commanded the young
man and ask him to give mp his wealth
and literally follow himi / believe he
would do that if he felt certain that
any church member thought more of
his possessions than of his Saviour The
test would be the same today "A then.
believe Jesus would demand, g does
demand now, as close following, as
much suffering, as great self denial. as
when he lived in person on the earth
and said, Except a man renounceth all
that he hath, he cannot be my disciple
that is, unless he is willing TO do it
for my sake he cannot be my disciple.
ssWhat would be the result if in this
city every church member shonld begin
to do a. Jesns would dor 1t il not easy
to 60 Into details Of the result, pa we
all knew that certain things wofli be
impossible that are now prattid 4 by
<,t.-.~.l, .,.c,,, I1<..z Ulof would 7 ,k-4a do
in the matter of wealth. Hew would
be spend itf What principle would reg
ulate his rse Of money! WoEld yhe be
likely to 1--we in great luxury and spend
ten times as much on personal adorn-
ment and entertainment as he spent to
relieve the needs Of suffering humanity 7
How would Jesus be governed An the
making 0f money! Would he take rent
ais from saloon and other disrepntable
property OF even from tenement prop
erfy that was SO constructed tht the
Inmates had no such thing as q home
and nc guch possibility as privacy or
clsanliness1
What would Jesus do about the
great azssl6 Of unemployed and desper-
StH who tramp the streets and curse
the nhuech or are indifferent ID il lost
in ths bitter struggle for the bread that
tastes bitter when it Is earned on ac-
count Of the desperate conflict to get it :
Would Jesus care nothing fer themf
Would he 90 his way in comparative
ease and comforts Would he say il was
none Ct bis businessf Would be excuse
himself from all sponsibility 10 remove
the causes Of such q condition
sWhat would Jesus do in tie center
Of . civilization that hurries sq fast
aftef money that the very GIT ON
ploysd Ia great business houses ate not
pald enough to keep soul and toliy TO
Rsxhsf without fearful tenrsa 9ns, So
great that scores Of them -fs1 aid are
swept over the great, boiiing %tyss:
where fh8 demands Of trade ss3rSfcs
h1ndred1 0f lads in 4 btsilisss Has,ig-
n0Ees al Christian duties toward them
ii the way Of edqnation ard moral
lxaining and personal afffction Vould
3asaa IL NE were here today il part
III oTif age ard commercial iii ustrS.
fed nothing. do nothing, SAP ndtiiings
IA he face Of these facts which every
business man knowsl
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