CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 19
Letter from Rev. Calvin Bruce, DD, of the Nazareth Avenue Church, Chicago, to Rev. Philip A. Caxton, DD, New York City.
My dear Dr. Caxton,
It is late Sunday night, but I feel driven to write you now some account of the situation in Raymond as I have been studying it. It has apparently come to a climax today.
You remember Henry Maxwell in the seminary, a refined, scholarly fellow. When he was called to the First Church of Raymond within a year after leaving the seminary, I said to my wife, “Raymond has made a good choice. Maxwell will satisfy them as a sermonizer.” He has been here eleven years, in a comfortable berth, with a very good salary, and pleasant surroundings, a not very exacting parish of refined, rich, respectable people.
A year ago today at the close of the service, Maxwell made the astounding proposition that the members of his church volunteer for a year not to do anything without first asking the question, “What would Jesus do?” and, after answering it, to do what in their honest judgment He would do, regardless of what the result might be to them.
The effect of this proposition has been so remarkable that the attention of the whole country has been directed to the movement. Maxwell tells me he was astonished at the response to his proposition. Some of the most prominent members in the church made the promise to do as Jesus would.
One needs to come here and learn something of the changes in individual lives, to realize all that is meant by this following of Jesus’ steps so literally. But I can give you some idea perhaps of what has been done as told me by friends here and by Maxwell himself.
The result of the pledge upon the First Church has been twofold. It has brought about a spirit of Christian fellowship, which Maxwell tells me impresses him as being very nearly what the Christian fellowship of the apostolic churches must have been; and it has divided the church into two distinct groups of members. Those who have not taken the pledge regard the others as foolishly literal in their attempt to imitate the example of Jesus. The effect on Maxwell is very marked. I heard him preach in our State Association four years ago. He impressed me at the time as having considerable power in dramatic delivery. His sermon was well written and abounded in what the seminary students used to call “fine passages.”
This morning I heard Maxwell preach again. He is not the same man. He gives me the impression of one who has passed through a crisis of revolution. He tells me this revolution is simply a new definition of Christian discipleship.
He certainly has changed many of his old habits and many of his old views. The idea that is moving him on now is the idea that the Christianity of our times must represent a more literal imitation of Jesus, especially in the element of suffering. He seems filled with the conviction that what our churches need today, more than anything else, is this factor of joyful suffering for Jesus in some form.
I can give you some of the results on the individuals who have made this pledge and honestly tried to be true to it, so that you may see that this form of discipleship is not merely sentiment or fine posing for effect.
Take the case of Mr. Powers, who was superintendent of the machine shops of the L&T RR here. When he acted upon the evidence that incriminated the road, he lost his position, and his family and social relations have changed so that he and his family no longer appear in public. The president of the road, who was the principal offender, has resigned. Meanwhile, the superintendent has gone back to his old work as a telegraph operator. I met him at the church yesterday. He impressed me as a man who had, like Maxwell, gone through a crisis in character. Or take the case of Mr. Norman, editor of the Daily News. He risked his entire fortune in obedience to what he believed was Jesus’ action and revolutionized his entire conduct of the paper at the risk of failure. To my mind it is one of the most interesting and remarkable papers ever printed in the United States. It is so far above the ordinary conception of a daily paper that I am amazed at the result. He tells me that more Christians in the city are reading the paper. He is very confident of its final success. Then there is Milton Wright, the merchant. He has so revolutionized his business that no man is more beloved today in Raymond. During the winter, while he was lying dangerously ill at his home, scores of clerks volunteered to watch and help in any way possible, and his return to his store was greeted with marked demonstrations. All this was brought about by the element of personal love introduced into the business. It is a fact, however, that while he has lost heavily in some directions, he has increased his business and is today respected and honored as one of the best and most successful merchants in Raymond.
And there is Miss Winslow. She has chosen to give her great talent to the poor of the city. Her plans include a Musical Institute where choruses and classes in vocal music shall be a feature. In connection with her friend Miss Page, she has planned a course in music which, if carried out, will certainly do much to lift up the lives of the people down there. Miss Winslow expects to be married this spring to a brother of Miss Page who was once a society leader and clubman, and who was converted in a tent where his wife-to-be took an active part in the service. President Marsh of Lincoln College is a graduate of my alma mater, and I knew him slightly when I was in the senior year. He has taken an active part in the recent municipal campaign, and his influence in the city is regarded as a very large factor in the coming election. He impressed me as having fought out some hard questions and as having taken up some real burdens that have caused, and still do cause, that suffering that does not eliminate, but does appear to intensify, a positive and practical joy.