Middletown transcript., 1900-02-24

correspondence that we have no right
to read, only it is matter of history that
day that the basket never reached its
destination and that over in the other
direction late in the afternoon the
bishop, walking along quietly in q
rather secluded spot near the outlying
part of the settlement district, heard a
familiar voice say, But tell me, Fe-
licia, when did you begin to love me 2"
81 fell in love with little pine shaw
ing just above your ear that day I saw
you in the shop said the other voice,
with a laugh so clear, SO pure, SO sweet,
that it did one good to hear it.
The next moment the bishop turned
the corner and came upon them.
"Where are you going with that
basket H'' he tried to say sternly.
'tWe're taking it to-where are we
taking it to, Feliciaf"
''Dear bishop, we are taking it home
to Begin
ITO begin housekeeping with, " fin
ished Stephen, coming to the rescue.
"Are you9" said the bishop 81 hope
you will invite me in to share. I know
what Felicia's cooking is.
Bishop, dear bishop" said Felicia,
and she did not pretend to hide her
happiness, ''indeed you shall always be
the most honored guest. Are you gladf"
eyes, I am" replied the bishop, in
terpreting Felicia's words as she wished.
Then he paused a moment and said
gently, "God bless you both!" and went
his way, with a tear in his eye and a
prayer in his heart. and left them to
their joy.
Yes; shall not the same divine power
of love that belongs to earth be lived
and sung BIZ She disciples Of the man o.
sorrows and the burden bearer of sins
Yea, verify And this man and woman
shall walk hand in hand through this
great desert Of human woe in this city,
strengthening each other, growing
more loving with the experience Of the
worlds scrrows, walking in his steps
even closer yet because Of this love,
bringing added blessings to thousands
of wretched creatures because they are
to have home of their own to share
with the homeless. ''For this cause, :"
said our Lord Jesus Christ, tshall a
man leave his father and mother and
cleave unto his wife" and Felicia and
Stephen, following the Master, love him
with deeper, truer service and devotion
because Of the earthly affection which
heaven itself sanctions with its solemn
blessing.
Now, 1t was a little after the love
story of the settlement became a part Of
its glory that Henry Maxwell of Ray
mond came to Chicago with Rachel
Winslow and Virginia Page and Rollin
and Alexander Powers and President
Marsh, and the occasion was remark
able gathering at the hall Of the settle
ment, arranged by the bishop and DR..
Bruce, who. had finally persuaded Mr..
Maxwell and his fellow disciples of
Raymond to come on to be present at
this meeting.
The bishop invited into the settle
ment hall meeting for that night men
out of work, wretched creatures who
had lost faith in God and man, anar-
chists and infidels, freethinkers and no
thinkers The representatives Of all the
city's worst, most hopeless, most dan
gerous, depraved elements faced Henry
Maxwell and the other disciples when
the meeting began, and still the Holy
Spirit moved over the great, heaving,
selfish, pleasure loving, sin stained city,
and it lay in Gods hand, not knowing
all that awaited it. Every man and
woman at the meeting that night had
seen the settlement motto over the door,
blazing through the transparency set
up by the divinity student. "What
Would Jesus Dot"
And Henry Maxwell, as for the first
time he stepped under the doorway,
was touched with deeper emotion than
he had felt in long time as he thought
Of the first time that question had come
to him in the piteous appeal of the
shabby young man who had appeared
in the First church of Raymond at the
morning service.
Was his great desire for Christian fel-
lowship going to be grantedf Would
the movement begun in Raymond actu-
ally spread over the countryH He had
come to Chicago with his friends partly
to see IL the answer to that question
would be found in the heart of the great
city life. In a few minutes he would
face the people He had grown very
strong and calm since he first spoke
with trembling to that company of
workingmen in the railroad shops, but
now, as then. he breathed a deeper
prayer for help. Then he went in, and
with the bishop and the rest Of the dis
ciples he experienced one of the great
and important events Of the earthly
life Somehow he felt as if this meeting
would indicate something of an answer
to his constant query, fWhat would
Jesus dof" and tonight as he looked
into the faces Of men and women who
had for years been strangers and enc
mics to the church his heart cried out,
80 my Master, teach thy church how
to follow thy steps betterr" Is that
prayer Of Henry Maxwell's to be an
swered? VIII the church in the city re-
spond to the call to follow himH Will it
choose to walk in his steps of pain and
sufferingi And still over all the city
broods the Spirit. Grieve him not. o
city, for he was never more ready to
revolutionize this world than nowI
[To BE Continued