Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-02-08

mother The KISS was almost rs strange
to her as the prayer had been. When
Felicia went ont of the room. her cheeks
were wet with tears. She had not cried
since she was little girl
Sunday morning at the Sterling man
sion was generally very quiet The girls
usually went TO church at II O'Clock
service Mr.. Sterling was not a mem
ber. but heavy contributor, and he
generally went to church in the morn
ing. This time he did not come down
to breakfast and finally sent word by
servant that he did not feel well enough
to 90 out SO Rose and Felicia drove
up to the door of the Nazareth Avenue
church and entered the family pew
alone.
When DR.. Bruce walked out of the
room at the rear of the platform and
went up to the pulpit to open the Bible,
as his custom was, those who knew
him best did not detect anything un
usual in his manner or his expression.
He proceeded with the service as usual
He was calm, and his voice was steady
and firm. His prayer was the first init
nation the people had of anything new
or strange in the service. 1t is safe to
say that the Nazareth Avenue church
| had not heard DR.. Bruce offer such
prayer during the II years he had been
/ pastor there. How would minister be
likely to pray who had come out of a
revolution in Christian feeling that had
completely changed his definition of
what was meant by following Jesus2
No one in Nazareth Avenue church had
any idea that the Rev Calvin Bruce,
D. D., the dignified, cultured, refined
doctor of divinity, had within few
days been crying like a little child, on
his knees, asking for strength and cour-
age and Christlikeness to speak his Sun
day message, and yet the prayer was an
unconscious, involuntary disclosure of
the souls experience such as Nazareth
Avenue people seldom heard and never
before from that pulpit
In the hush that succeeded the prayer
distinct wave of spiritual power
moved over the congregation. The most
careless persons in the church felt it
Felicia, whose sensitive religious nature
responded swiftly to every touch of
emotion, quivered under the passing of
that supernatural power, and when she
lifted her head and looked up at the
minister there was look in her eyes
that announced her intense, eager an
ticipation of the scene that was to fol-
low
And she was not alone in her atti-
tude. There was something in the
prayer and the result of it that stirred
many and many disciple in Nazareth
Avenue church. All over the house men
and women leaned forward, and when
DR.. Bruce began to speak of his visit to
Raymond in the opening sentences of
his address, which this morning pre-
ceded his sermon, there was an answer
ing response in the church that came
back to him as he spoke and thrilled
him with the hope of spiritual bap-
tism such as he had never during all
his ministry experienced.
Il am just back from a visit to Ray
mond, DR.. Bruce began, "and I want
to tell you something of my impressions
of the movement there.
He paused, and his look went over
his people with yearning for them and
at the same time with a great uncer-
tainty at his heart. How many of his
rich, fashionable, refined, luxury loving
members would understand the nature
of the appeal he was soon to make to
them? He was altogether in the dark
as to that. Nevertheless he had been
through his desert and had come out of
it ready to suffer. He went on now aft
er that brief pause and told the story
&c r+o Tho yDao11n oil
ready knew something of that expert
ment in tn First church. The whole
country ha' watched the progress of
the pledge it had become history in
so many lives. Henry Maxwell had at
last decided that the time had come to
seek the fellowship of other churches
throughout the country. The new dis
cipleship iE Raymond had proved to be
so valuable in it's results that Henry
Maxwell wished the church in general
to share with the disciples in Ray
mond Already there had begun vol
unteer movement in many of the
churches throughout the country, act
ing ON their own desire to walk closer
in the steps of Jesus. The Christian
Endeavor societies had with enthusiasm
In many churches taken the pledge to
do as Jesus would do, and the result
was already marked in a deeper spir-
itual life and power in church inf1u-
ence that was like new birth for the
members.
All this Dr. Bruce told his people
simply and with personal interest that
evidently led the way to his announce
ment which now followed. Felicia had
listened to every word with strained
attention. She sat there by the side of
Rose, in contrast like fire beside snow,
although even Rose was as alert and
excited as she could be-
''Dear friends, - he said, and for the
first time since his prayer the emotion
of the occasion was revealed in his
voice and gesture, Il am going to ask
that Nazareth Avenue church take the
same pledge that Raymond church has
taken. | know what this will mean to
you and me. 1t will mean the complete
change of very many habits. 1t will
mean possibly social loss 1t will mean
very probably in many cases loss of
money. 1t will mean suffering. 1t will
mean what following Jesus meant in
the first century, and then it meant
suffering, loss, hardship, separation
from every thing un-Christian. But
what does following Jesus mean? The
test of discipleship is the same now as
then. Those OF you who volunteer in
the Nazareth Avenue church to do as
Jesus would do simply promise to walk
in his steps. as he gave us command |
ment.
Again Rev. Calvin Bruce, pastor of |
Nazareth Avenue church, paused, and
now the result of his announcement |
was plainly visible in the stir that went |
over the congregation. He added in |
quiet voice that all who volunteered to |
make the pledge to do as Jesus would
do We're asked to remain after the |
morning service.
Instantly he proceeded with his ser
mon. His text was from Matthew viii, |
10, "Master, 1 will follow thee whittier
soever thou goest.
1t was Il sermon that touched the |
deep springs of conduct. 1t was rev.
elation to the people of the definition |
their pastor had been learning. It took |
them back to the first century of Chris |
tianity. Above all, it stirred them be-
low the conventional thought of years
as to the meaning and purpose of church
membership. 1t was such a sermon as
man can preach once in lifetime and |