The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-01-16

promised to do as Jesus would do he
had grown in a certain quality of per-
suasiveness that had all the essentials of
true eloquence. This morning the peo-
pie felt the complete sincerity and hui
mlllty of 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 ask the ques.
ton he had been asking since the settle
ment meeting. He had taken for 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
to the poor. and thou shalt have treasure
In heaven. And, come; follow me-
But the young man was not willing to
suffer to that extent. If following Jesus
meant suffering in that way. he was
not willing. He would like to follow
Jesus, but not if he had to give up so
much
lis it true, continued Henry Max
well. and his fine, thoughtful face
glowed with passion Of appeal that
stirred the people as they had seldom
been stirred-''is it true that the church
OF today. the church that is called after
Chrlst's own name, would refuse to
follow Jesus at the expense of suffering,
OF physical loss. of temporary gain?
The statement was made at large
gathering in the settlement last week
by a leader of workingmen that it 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 men and
women who thought more Of their own
ease and luxury than of the sufferings
and needs and sins of humanity. How
far was that true? Are the Christians
of America ready to have their disciple
ship tested? How about the men who
possess large wealth2 Are they ready to
take that wealth and use it as Jesus
would2 How about the men and women
Of great talent2 Are they ready to con
secrate that talent to humanity, as Jesus
undoubtedly would do?
sis it not true that the call has come
in this age for new exhibition of dis
cipleship. Christian discipleship? You
who live in this great. sinful city must
know that better than I do Is it posi-
BILE you can go your ways careless or
thoughtless of the awful condition of
men and women and children who are
dying, body and soul, for Christian
help? Is it not matter of concern to
you personally that the saloon kills its
thousands more surely than war? Is it
not "a matter of personal suffering in
some form for you that thousands of
ablebodied, willing men tramp the
streets Of this city and all cities crying
for work and drifting intp crime and
suicide because they cannot find It'll Can
You say that this is none of your bust
ness2 Let each man look after himself?
Would it not be true. think you, that
if every Christian in America did as
Jesus would do society itself, the bust
ness world-yes. the very political sys-
tenn under which our commercial and
governmental activity is carried on
would be SO changed that human suffer
ing would be reduced to minimum?
'sWhat would be the result if all the
church members of this city tried to do
as Jesus would dot 1t is not possible to
say in detail what the effect would be,
but it, is easy to say. and it is true. that
instantly the human problem would be
gin to find an adequate answer.
.eWhat is the test of Christian disci-
pleship1 La it not the same as in Christ S
own ifetimei Have our surroundings
modified or changed the test? If Jesus
were here today. would he not call some
Of the members of this very church to
do just what he commanded the young
man and ask him to give up his wealth
and literally follow him7 I 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 as then.
I believe Jesus would demand, he 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 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
.fWhAt would be the result if in this
city every church member should begin
to DO as Jesus would do? 1t is not easy
to 60 into details of the result, but we
all know that certain things would be
impossible that are now practiced by
church members. What would Jesus do
in The matter Of wealth. How would
he spend it? What principle would reg
ulate his use of money? Would he be
likely to live 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
How would Jesus be governed in the
making of money? Would he take rent
ais from saloon and other disreputable
property or even from tenement prop
erty that was so constructed that the
inmates had no such thing as a home
and no such possibility as privacy OF
cleanlinessY
ssWhat would Jesus do about the
great army Of unemployed and desper-
ate who tramp the streets and curse