Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-03

strength at last failed him and he had
fallen to the ground exhausted, think
ing that death was near. At that time
of utter human weakness he had seen
before his eyes waking vision Of
Christ upon the Cross comforting him.
All his own suffering vanished, and he
had the inner power given to him Of
an infinite peace. Strength returned,
and he was able to reach the hut Of q
mountaineer, where he was tenderly
nursed back to health.
During one bitterly cold winter at
Lahore there was an epidemic Of
smallpox. The smallpox camp was out
side, on a lower piece Of ground. iso.
lated from all human habitation and
neglected, except for a daily visit of
the doctor. 1t consisted of mere sheds
made of mating. At nighttime the cold
was piercing. The place was almost
deserted, except by paid servants and
sweepers, who were kept to do the work.
there. Night and day he was nursing
a young Hindu student Of the Forman
Christian College.
Little by little Mr.. Stokes brought
healing and comfort to this neglected
lad by his very presence. Every eve
ming the Sikhs who were in the neigh
borhood used to bring their offering of
food and sit with Mr.. Stokes and ask
for some message from God. Often l
met them there, seated in silent SYM
pathy. Once ] heard them ask him,
What Is this sakti that sustains you?
And l heard him speak to them about
the vision Of the Christ that he had
seen upon the mountains.
LAS the years went by, Mr.. Stokes
determined to found brotherhood.
The name he had chosen for 1t was
The Brotherhood of the Imitation
He would live as st. Francis had
lived. He wished TO initiate literally
comforting the lcpcrs, ministering TO
the little children. whom Christ loved,
nursing the sick consoling the dying
all the while living life of complete
poverty among the poor.
The Order of the Brotherhood Of
the Imitation was established. The
Rev. +. ]. Western, who is now the
head of the Cambridge University Mis-
sion in Delhi. joined him. The Bishop
of Lahore, DR.. LEROY, at a solemn
service IN the Cathedral, ordained them
to this work of service.
Then gradually there came a
change in Mr.. Stokes own ideal.
Leading the life that have pic
tured, it will be evident that
Mr.. Stokes was bent upon reality. He
could not Bear for moment anything
which was unreal. There were two
and at last brought about the change in
his whole manner of life.
First Of all, while he lived his life
of poverty among the Indian villagers,
whom he longed to serve as "A brother
and an equal, he found fundamental
misunderstanding prevalent about his
whole position. More and more, as
the villagers saw his ascetic life,
they began to looI upon him
with 4 superstitious awe, as n kind of
hol y man who was rapidly accumulating
unheard-of stores of merit for himself
by his severe penances and austerities.
They regarded him as bent upon o5-
tanning salvation for himself by these
deeds Of penance and devotion.
What you are engaged In, they
would say to him, is obtaining for
you great merit. We poor people
are entangled in worldly things. We
cannot possibly obtain religious merit
In the way you can. What
lucky man you are to be free from
family ties, leading the life Of cell
bate! For us, who are married and
have children Of our own, salvation Is
hard
This talk used to trouble Mr.. Stokes
beyond measure. He used to complain
to me sometimes, in a despairing way,
which had Il touch of the humorous
element in 1t. i almost feel inclined
to do something. to shock them in order
to stop all this