which Maxwell
tells me never before existed, and which now 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. Some of them have drawn out of the church and no longer
attend, or they have removed their membership entirely to other
churches. Some are an element of internal strife, and I heard rumors
of an attempt on their part to force Maxwell's resignation. I do not
know that this element is very strong in the church. It has been
held in check by a wonderful continuance of spiritual power, which
dates from the first Sunday the pledge was taken a year ago, and
also by the fact that so many of the most prominent members have
been identified with the movement.

"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, of which he himself
was somewhat conscious. His sermon was well written and abounded in
what the Seminary students used to call 'fine passages.' The effect
of it was what an average congregation would call 'pleasing.' This
morning I heard Maxwell preach again, for the first time since then.
I shall speak of that farther on. 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. His attitude on the saloon
question is radically opposite to the one he entertained a year ago.
And in his entire thought of the ministry, his pulpit and parish
work, I find he has made a complete change. So far as I can
understand, 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, and especially in the element of suffering. He quoted to me
in the course of our conversation several times the verses in Peter:
'For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for
you, leaving you an example, that ye would follow His steps'; and 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.