Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-07-21
"Mrs. Graham and Joy have been

Mrs. Graham and Joy have been
telling me about their pleasant voyage
home on the same boat with you, !" said
the other. who was Mrs. Graham's hus-
band. Heres friend" he continued.
whom wish you to meet. This Is the
new pastor of the Central church, DR..
Allan Rutledge. ! think you two men
ought to become good friends"
Albert Townley looked at Mr.. Ora
hams companion with a lively inter
est He had often heard Of the young
minister who had stirred the entire
middle west with his apostolic fervor.
Shortly the two ministers babe good
by to Mr.. Graham and walked down
the street together.
Tell me something about your work
in wellington, said Mr.. Townley.
There was nothing very wonderful
about my ministry In Wellington" re-
piled Allan Rutledge smilingly. Il am
surprised to see the interest that the
country has taken In my work in that
small Iowa town. The facts simply
were that the community needed the
gospel Of Christ, and was privileged
to bring it to them in an effective
way"
But in the reports of your work
there which I have read" said Town
ley, you revolutionized your church.
the college in Wellington and the en-
tire community"
when l began my ministry in Wei
lington," responded the other, speak
ing more earnestly. both our church
and college were dead spiritually.
There was distressing lack of life
and power, and simply proved once
more what has been proved ten thou
sand times that the gospel is the pow
er of God"
Before accepting his recent call to
Bronson, Allan Rutledge had been pas
tor for six years in Wellington, Ia,
and, as Mr.. Townley said, his ministry
there had brought him wide fame
The Central church Of Bronson had
finally been able to prevail on the pow
erful young western minister to accept
a call, and he had only arrived in
Bronson on the week preceding the re-
turn Of Albert Townley from his trip
abroad.
you have come here" said Albert
Townley, speaking with intense earn
estness, "in response to the prayers
of many true Christian people. We
feel we are in bondage in Bronson. and
we need Moses to deliver us.
do not for a moment think that
am trying to make out that Bronson is
a specially wicked city," continued
Townley quickly. but l would like
you to begin your ministry here know
ing that Bronson needs a regeneration
far more than Wellington ever needed
one. There are multitude Of earnest
Christian men and women in our city.
but the city itself is now in the con-
troll Of the powers of evil. 1t is foolish
to deny it. A corrupt ring controls our
city politics, and it keeps our best
citizens under its thumb. Saloons and
gambling places are wide open. and
no one pretends that our laws reg
ulating and restraining these evils are
enforced.
II am speaking in strict confidence,
remember, just as a local physician
would speak to a visiting specialist
but want to give you an illustration
Of the condition of things as they real
~ are. You noticed that Mr. Graham
greeted me very cordially this after
noon when he introduced US. He and
are good friends, and in many ways
respect him al good citizen. But
he is no Christian and does not pre-
tend to be. His wife and daughter are
members Of your church, but he is not
member. although. as you know, he
Is the leading trustee in the organiza-
ton and really controls the Central
church. He is we'll versed in regard
to the inward corruption of Bronson.
but he regards it as inevitable and will
fight any attempt to better conditions.
He is tho legal counsel Of the corrupt
ring, and he uses his splendid legal
powers to keep that crowd out of the
penitentiary."
M Ia no~As~., N