El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-27
IN HIS STEPS.
D1flat D1nuIn
5rsua Dn g.
By Charles NJ. Sheldon.
Cbps1i0fted and published IN book form b. 0ss
Advance Publishing Co. of Chicago.

This IS my Qu0St1On. Ihe man
leaned forward and stretched out long
arm, with certain dramatic force that
grew naturally enough out Of his con-
dition as a human being. 81 want to
know what Jesus would do in my case
/ haven't had stroke of work for two
months I've got wife and three chill
dren, and I love them as much as if ]
was worth million dollars I've been
living off little earnings I saved up
during the Worlds fair jobs I got I'm
carpenter by trade, and I've tried ev-
cry way I know to get job. You say
we ought to take for our motto, What
would Jesus dor What would he do if
he was out of work like met I can't be
somebody else and ask the question l
want to work. I'd give anything to
grow tired Of working ten hours day
the way I used to- Am to blame be-
cause I can't manufacture job for my
self? I've got to live and my wife and
my children But how3 What would
Jesus dor You say that's the question
we all ought to ask
Henry Maxwell sat there staring at
the great sea of faces all intent on his,
and no answer to this mans question
seemed, for the time being, to be posi-
BILE 80 Godi" his heart prayed '"This
is question that brings up the entire
social problem in all it's perplexing en-
tanglement of human wrongs and its
present condition, contrary to every de-
sire of God for a human BEINGS wed
fare Is there any condition more awful
than for man in good health, able and
eager to work, with no means of honest
livelihood unless he does work, actually
unable to get anything to do and driven
10 one of three things-begging for
charity at the hands of friends or
strangers or suicide or starvatioui
What would Jesus do? It was a. fam
question for the man to ask. It was the
only question he could ask, supposing
him to be disciple of Christ, but Whist
a question for any man to be obliged 10
ask under such conditionsP'
All this and more did Henry Maxwell
ponder. All the others were thinking in
the same way. The bishop sat there
with look 50 stern and sad that it was
not hard to tell how the question moved
him DR.. Bruce had his head bowed.
The human problem had never seemed
to him SO tragic as since he had taken
the pledge and left his church to enter
the settlement. What would Jesus do?
It was terrible question, and still the
man stood there, tall and gaunt and al
most terrible, with his arm stretched
out in an appeal which grew every sec
ond in meaning.
At length Mr.. Maxwell spoke:
'tIs there any man in the room who
is Christian disciple who has been in
this condition and has tried to do as
To-
answer his question better than can"
There was a moments hush over the
room, and then man near the front of
the hall slowly rose. He was an old
man, and the hand he laid on the back
as he spoke:
ST think can safely say that have
many times been in just such condi-
ton and have always tried to be a
Christian under all conditions. I don't
know that 1 have always asked this
question, What would Jesus dor when
I have been out Of work, but do know
I have tried to be his disciple at all
times. Yes, the man went on, with a
sad smile that was more pathetic to the
mans grim despair-''yes, have beg
CARNATIONS, and I have done every
thing when out of a job, except steal
and lie, in order to get food and fuel
don't know that Jesus would have done
some of the things I have been obliged
to do for living, but know 1 have
never knowingly done wrong when out
of work Sometimes think maybe he
would have starved sooner than beg
don't know.
The old mans voice trembled. and he
looked around the room timidly. A 81
lence followed, broken by fierce voice
from a large, black haired. heavily
bearded man who sat three seats from
the bishop. The minute he spoke nearly
every man in the hall leaned forward
The man who had asked the |
question, ''What would Jesus do in my
case?" slowly sat down and asked the
man next to him. who's that?''
That's Garrison. the socialistic lead |
er. Now you II hear something
"This is all bosh, to my mind" be- |
gan Carlson. while his great. bristling !
beard shook with the deep. inward |
anger of the man 1.-The whole of our
system is at fault. What we call civil
lization is rotten to the core. There is
no use trying to hide it or cover it up
We live in an age of trusts and COM
bines and capitalistic greed that means
simply death to thousandsSof innocent
men. wo5len and children. l thank
God. 2 here is a God. which l very
much doubt. that l. for one, have never
dared to marry and try to have home
Homel Talk of hell Is there any big
ger than the one this man with his
three children has on his hands right
this minute? And he's only one out of
thousands. and yet this city and every
other. big city in this country has its