The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-04-08


that would satisfy the intellectual or
aesthetic demands Of my congregation
and let these problems Of humanity
alone. But, Gordon''-he turned his
face to the visitor, and the intense pas
sion of the man shone through the
habituaI gravity and culture that 9th
erwise distinguished him-"l am, un-
happily, shall say?-no, providentauy
caught up in the social whirlwind Of
the age, and cannot-I cannot let these
questions rest. Woe is ME If I preach
not a whole gospel! And in order to
preach It I must go the entire length
Of prcclaiming Christ's Golden Rule
and self denying discipheship, knowing
fully that my people will grow restless
under it, knowing that they are not
willing to take up the cross daily In
order to follow their Master. And yet
there is a faithful handful. There are
some who have not bowed the knee to
Mammon Perhaps more than have
known. God forgive me if I have been
| unjust or erred in my judgment Of the
church in this age"
Gordon did not venture to break the
silence that followed. When Falmouth
again raised his head, he said, with a
rare smile:
81 envy you, Gordon. would al
most like to change places with you.
You seem to be doing work that needs
to be done. You are doing things. I
am writing about them. Some day.
BE stopped abruptly and then asked:
"If you were in my place, what
course would you take with the mon
eyed business men in this church to
touch them with a sense Of their re-
sponsibility and privilege as stewards
CT Gods Wealth.
Gordon answered instantly:
"Get as many Of them as possible to
go down into Bowen street and see
how the other half lives"
Falmouth's eyes cleaned.
"I doubt if they will go. III Try it.
I have never been there myself. But
see your point. Yo1 think the men
and women Of this city do not know
the facts. You think a knowledge Of
the facts would teach them to do some
thing?"
'"Not necessarily. But the cultured,
wealthy people in our churches as
rule know absolutely nothing from per-
sonal knowledge of the horrors of city
life. Trey never go outside the little
circle Of the respectable, comfortable
and in many cases luxurious conditions
into which they were born. I am con-
rinced that if 500 Of the best business
men in the churches Of this city could
see the things have seen within the
last two weeks, and know the facts
that every resident in Hope House
knows like the alphabet the present
awful wrongs would not be permitted
in the city. The Christ method was
personal familiarity with sinful con-
ditions. He was Saviour because he
himself knew the sinner. The weak
ness Of the church lies in the fact that
it has dropped out so argely the per-
sonal factor and exists too much for
its own religious life in its elaborate
church services, which in so many
cases have no other meaning than
pride and vainglory Of the parhci-
pants. But I forget myself" Gordon
smiled sadly. 81 am not fit to criti-
else the church, who for so many
years dishonored her with lip service
and formal worship
'You have as much right to crihcise
her as any Christian if you do it in the
right spirit" Falmouth said gently.
Then he added: ''Let US have a prayer
together before you so. We need to
ask forgiveness for many things and
wisdom for everything"
So the two men kneeled while the
minister prayed. It was good, strong,
sturdy prayer that did John Gordon
good. There was no whining, no cant,
no complaining. An honest heart plea
for more strength, more liberation,
more faith, more love, more patience,
and Gordon, after hearty handshake,
went out and back to Hope House,
where be had agreed to meet Falmouth
and the singers little before 8 o'clock.
At 8 o'clock Bowen street was fully
aware. that something unusual was
taking place A funeral in Bowen
street was as a rule "a informal affair
in which the immediate neighbors were
alphabetically interested. But this af-
fair of the deformed Louie Caylor
promised unusual developments. Werd
had gone around that Tommy Randall
had been temporarily "doWned" in a
"set to" with one Of the gents from
Hope House, but that before the funer-
al was over he would be on top Of the
pile, so to speak, and everybody salts
fed. So Bowen street poured into the
court Of No. 81 and choked the narrow
stairways and back yards commanding
possible view Of the funeral party.
When John Gordon, Falmouth and
the quartet turned into the court of
the street, the amazement Of the diff
ferent members of the choir had given
way to an expression Of disgust min
sled with actual fear.
"For PHYS sake, Mr.. Falmouth,
where are you taking us?" exclaimed
the tenor, a distinguished looking man,
we'll known in musical circles as q
growing singer at fashionable recep-
tons. The soprano, a young woman Of
some beauty, and the alto, little older,
but q woman Of real strength Of ex-
preston, drew closer together as the
miscellaneous crowd Of Bowen street
pressed nearer and the real horror Of
the place began to make itself felt.
The gentleman who sang bass was
with John Gordon and was looking at
him with a look Of intense indignation,
as if he were the real cause Of bringing
the party into the place.
"Do you wish to 60 back? You can
if you wish," Falmouth said quietly.
'No, no; but this is horrible. 1t is
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