Conversion of a High Priest into a Christian Worker Part 4

Chicago offers great opportunity to a student of religious, industrial and social conditions, and when, by chance, I secured employment in a leading warehouse, a very good paying position, under the circ.u.mstances, I devoted all my spare time visiting the Greek quarters, incognito, and studying everything that came within my observation, and attending all kinds of public meetings of various denominations and societies, which proved a great help to me in learning the proper p.r.o.nunciation of the English words, in fact for five years I did not speak five times in the Greek language.

One morning I read in the paper the following announcement: "The Knights Templar of the United States have made their plans to celebrate the 29th triennial conclave of Knights Templar to be held in San Francisco, Cal., September 4 to 9. The occasion will be of universal character, representatives from all the world; and Great Britain will send to this imposing ceremony the highest officials that control the affairs of the chivalric order of Freemasonry in the British Isles. The Earl of Euston, most eminent and supreme grand master of great priory of England and Wales and the dependencies of the British crown, were coming with credentials to represent Edward VII, the king of England." I was looking forward to my visit to California, since I left New York, but I never expected the time for me to go there would come so soon as it did.

I was longing to see a great gathering of Freemasons, of this cla.s.s of men, that, in every country represents the highest ideals of good citizenship.

With a few days preliminary preparations, I bade good-bye to my employer, and well supplied with recommendations from some influential friends and acquaintances which I had made in Chicago, I saw myself off to California, on the forenoon train, the 25th of June, 1904.

The trip was uneventful, excepting the unbearable heat and dust, especially going through the States of Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico, and the number of Indians, which, for the first time in my life I beheld in their own skin living and moving contented as though they still were the dominating race on the continent, with their square faces painted in various colors, wrapped in their blankets, and bare-footed, their feet being very much like those of a mud turtle, they were the real thing.

CHAPTER VIII

_Honorable Submission_

There was a time when the Eastern part of the United States looked upon San Francisco as the coming New York of the Pacific Coast, but since the disastrous earthquake in the year 1906, the stream of progress as a great commercial center has been turned rather towards the Northern Pacific Coast, yet San Francisco with its great harbor, the ever increasing commercial developments and number of other advantages, still is a magnificent attraction to the homeseeker, who for the last few years has been very sceptical in his preference on account of existing unfavorable conditions regarding the city's government which is the prey of dishonest politicians. For this and many other reasons I should never make my home within the limits of the city of San Francisco. There are beautiful localities within short distances, desirable in every respect and beyond the claws of the city hall of San Francisco.

Mount Tamalpais, I believe, is a most pleasant location for the lovers of nature. Words fail, and it is beyond the ability of my pen, to even attempt to describe, the beauties which nature has bestowed upon the Mount of Tamalpais. Situated just across the bay of San Francisco, by the way of Socialito, on the train to Mill Valley and whence on the crookedest railroad in the world, climbing 2000 feet above the tide of water, we reach the lower top of the mountain, and there we find accommodations to entertain kings and princesses, and the most eccentric Yankee. Yet, I am a.s.sured, that scarcely one-tenth of the visitors to California, have ever had the exceptional privilege to spend 24 hours, on the top of Mount Tamalpais, and thereafter all through their lives enjoy the most wonderful recollection in all G.o.d's creation.

The Alps in Europe are too stupendous to be compared with this majestically magnificent mount of Tamalpais. The Himalaya in Asia are too brutish to be considered as a rival of this gentle and ill.u.s.trious sky-sc.r.a.per. The Olympus and Parna.s.sus of Greece are out of season to be paralleled with this up-to-date marvelous throne of their Majesties the Kings of America. There is the Tamalpais Hotel, a real palace, where the guests can rest and from the verandas or the windows of their own rooms observe the animating sights on the left hand side the snow-covered top-heads of the mountains and following to the right look down upon the valleys and behold the myriads of orange and lemon and all the fruit-bearing trees blooming all the year around and decorated like brides in their wedding procession, not only for a few moments, till the law ties the knot, but forever as long as the life-giving climate of beautiful California lasts and time shall be no more.

When I went up to the Mountain, looking for employment, because I wanted to locate myself in such a place, if I could, till the celebration of the Knights Templar was over, I was surprised to find that the General Manager of the Hotel and the R. R. Station was a lady, of a striking majestical appearance, she was the controlling power of the whole business on Mount Tamalpais, and she was not a suffragette either. But she was a loving mother of two beautiful children, a typical Yankee girl, well up in her teens, supervising over the chambermaids, and variously a.s.sisting her mother, and an active boy of sixteen, the good-fellow of everybody, and especially to the Chinamen employed in the kitchen. Mr. Johnson was the husband and father of this happy family, and he occupied the position of butler of the house, receiving orders from his beloved wife.

I presented my credentials to Mrs. Johnson and she, being satisfied, was very kind to give me the charge of two tables to wait upon in the dining room. It seemed as though I made good as a waiter, judging by the coins which the customers, began to forget, beneath their plates, in leaving the table, some call it tips, I called it real money.

September was well at hand, one day old, and Mrs. Johnson was very anxious to have the premises well decorated, and a big arch should be erected at the entrance, with the sign, "WELCOME," to Knights Templar, as news came from San Francisco, that the Knights were already in possession of the Golden Gate. Mrs. Johnson was almost in despair, unable to find someone among that great army of employees, to have any artistic ideas of decorating or even to make a few flower designs and put up the arch out of some green foliage. We were all green, in that respect. But as I always find myself at hand, wherever help is to be rendered, I offered my services, and by what I could remember from my friend Jack, in New York, how he could decorate everything to a good taste, I have been able to put up a nice decoration and the third of September, 1904, the flags of all nations were waving and everything was ready for the reception of the Knights Templar. Mrs. Johnson was pleased to the extent of presenting me with an extra three dollars and relieving me from the dining room, she appointed me in charge of the pavilion, an out-doors building, where the Knights Templar would privately entertain their families and lady friends. In this position I was enabled to see more of the high American life than I ever dreamed of before. The English Lord, and the Parisien Dame de Honor, were eclipsed as they would look like pygmies by the side of the sunshining, bright-hearted American gentlemen, and the sweet and graceful demiG.o.ddess American lady. But my enthusiasm reached its zenith when a gentleman from Pittsburg, in company with his ladies, after an enjoyable dinner, at the pavilion, he left under his plate a shining five dollar gold piece; at the sight of the unexpected I made a sign to which the gentleman was obliged to respond, and that settled it, there was no mistake about it, the man and I were brothers and the coin was intended as my tip. And afterwards the incident occurred repeatedly during the celebration of Knights Templar in San Francisco.

Now, if everything in this world was just a procession like that of Knights Templar in San Francisco, and everybody was happy as the people I have seen on Mount Tamalpais, then there would be no sorrow, and there would be no pain; in fact this world would be the paradise on earth.

But, alas! regretful as it may be, yet it is only the simple truth, that it is only the minority that are real happy, while the vast majority of men and women and children in this world are just a ma.s.s of suffering humanity, and if the investigations of religious societies, sociologists, and psychologists, are true, the cause of all misery in this world is misconduct or misfortune, which in one word is, sin, that brings misery. And there is where my purpose in life begins. I am out against sin. But to fight sin, it is absolutely necessary to be a soldier of the man who gave his life for the salvation of all mankind.

President Emeritus Eliot of Harvard University, a man of colossal thought-machine, man, who controls the unprejudiced intellectual minds of America, in his address on "The Religion of the Future," is quoted as saying: "I venture to add that I am not at the hold of any proud world--whatever; second, that such little part of the world as I am best acquainted with loves the Lowly Nazarene--and does not hate Him; thirdly, that I have met during my life most of the sorrows which are accounted heaviest; fourth, that Jesus will be in the religion of the future, not less, but more, than in the Christianity of the past." All efforts without Jesus, trying to better the world, shall fail. It is and will be the opinion of all sane minds for many generations yet to come.

This was my opinion and the only imposing motive that brought me down on my knees on the 14th of October, 1904, in a poorly furnished hall where the Salvation Army had the Sunday night's meeting. I gave my heart to Jesus, for life and for eternity, to be his and his alone. And I knew, there and then, that I was honorably converted.

To make the surrender complete I offered my services to the Salvation Army, that I should use all I had, my time and my talent, to uplift the down-fallen humanity and help to make this world better. Major Harris Connett and Adjutant Allison Coe, were the officers in charge of the Los Angeles Salvation Army and they received me into their ranks and for ten months I was engaged in this wonderful organization, visiting the sick, praying in the saloons, in the slums and everywhere doing all that I could to promote the cause of Jesus in bringing souls into his fold. But nothing gave me so great pleasure as the poor children of Los Angeles at Christmas time when I was dressed in the Santa Claus clothing distributing presents to them. I never felt happier in all my life even in the best days as a High Priest.

After pa.s.sing successfully my preparatory studies in Los Angeles, word came from the Headquarters that they wanted me in the college Training Home, in Chicago, to take the course of officership; and the 15th of August, 1905, finds me sweeping the back yard at the Training Home, West Adams St., Chicago, Illinois.

Were it possible for every man and woman who pretends to be a minister of Jesus, to pa.s.s six months in any of the Training Colleges of the Salvation Army, then there should be fewer ministers, but far more useful, in the betterment of the world, than many of them that are under the present conditions.

It is the most psychological system, in these Training Colleges that brings out all the virtues that every heart possesses and every bit of iniquity that may be hidden in the personal character of the man or woman who willingly denies himself or herself of all prospects and pleasures in this world just for the only purpose to live and love and serve the suffering humanity. There are exceptions to the rule among the officers of the Salvation Army, once in a great while some one will prove unworthy to the cause, but these exceptions are common in every human inst.i.tution, and they are so few in the Salvation Army that fully justifies the public confidence upon this marvelously developing great movement.

I went through the theoretical and practical work for which I could make a whole volume of the experiences in the slums of Chicago, where I had to reprove a policeman, whom I found in a saloon drinking in full uniform, while in the back room there was a girl not over fifteen years old, in the company of a most reckless middle-aged man, both exceedingly intoxicated and still drinking. I dismissed the man, and sent the girl to the rescue home, where she would be taken care of.

The 17th of January, 1906, I received my diploma as an active member of the National First Aid a.s.sociation of America, and my commission as a Captain in the Salvation Army, and I was appointed in charge of No. 4 in Chicago. I went to my quarters and there was not kindling wood enough to start a fire, and no coal; and the weather 14 degrees below zero, half the gla.s.s panes of the windows broken, and everything in the house frozen, and the Corps indebted to the extent of 175 dollars, that I was expected to pay. You have to put yourself in a position of this kind in order to appreciate the circ.u.mstances under which I was placed. Yet, when everything seems dark, and there is no visible way out of the difficulty, it is then that with Jesus on our side, we shall always find some way. The first consideration in a missionary work should be to get souls converted to G.o.d. With much prayer and great faith upon the Almighty, I began my work, and when the Spirit spread all round that community and the sinners began to flock into the fold of Jesus, there was a change in a very short time. The old debt was paid, and we had comfortable quarters to lay our heads; and the roll-call of the Corps increased, and G.o.d was glorified, and there is a Corps, till this day, in Chicago, which they call the big 4 of the Salvation Army.

The San Francisco disaster came and the Salvation Army called me into its relieving department to help the sufferers. After which they appointed me a.s.sistant to the Illinois Division, where for two years I made a deeper and more thorough study of the various departments in operation.

In April, 1908, I visited England with the desire to study closer and more extensively the methods, and see for myself the great works which the Salvation Army has accomplished in the British Isles.

On my return to the United States I was appointed divisional solicitor for the Northern New England, where, splendid success was the result of my efforts, and there was a great field to work in and every opportunity to do good.

But in searching my heart's ambition I find that it was high time for me to turn all my energies toward the people for whose Salvation I was ordained a High Priest in the Church, and although the Church failed in its mission, yet, to uplift my people is still the aim of my life.

After much thought and due consideration of my obligations to the Salvation Army, I came to the conclusion that in view of the fact that following an unsuccessful correspondence with the Salvation Army, the National Headquarters refused to grant me a leave of absence, and insisted that I should go back West, while I knew that the field where I was called to fight the battle of my life was right here in New England, the best thing for me to do remained to send in my resignation, and I did so, thus thrusting myself entirely upon the hands of G.o.d.

And though as yet I have received no reply from the National Headquarters, my resignation is final, and now I am free, and my work unmolested of all denominational differences, dogmas and doctrines, which in the light of the Ecclesiastical history has always been the fatal cause of failure, in the Churches, to accomplish their mission in the Salvation of the world.

CHAPTER IX

_Practical Effects of Practical Truth_

The necessity of faith, as a primary element in all acceptable religious exercises, has already been noticed. A feeling of entire dependence upon G.o.d for spiritual mercy is the only right feeling, because it is the only true feeling. It is necessary, according to the foregoing view of the subject, in order to offer acceptable prayer, that man should possess a spirit of faith and dependence upon Christ. The principle upon which Christ acted in relation to this subject, as well as His instruction concerning the duty of prayer, fully confirm the preceding thoughts. He seldom performed an act of mercy, by miracle or otherwise, unless those who received the mercy could see the hand of G.o.d in the blessing:--"If thou canst believe, thou mayest be cleansed," was His habitual sentiment. As if He had said--Your desire for the blessing is manifest by your urgent request; now, if you can have faith to see G.o.d in the blessing, so that He will be honored and praised for conferring it, I will grant it; but if you have no faith, you can receive no favor.

This little book could easily occupy thrice as large a size as its present volume, had I taken into account all the blessings which G.o.d has bestowed upon my faithful prayers and upon His children, using me as an instrument of His hand. But I must content myself by referring to only two cases, which had had exceptional significance and gratifying joy not only to my own heart, but to every Christian worker.

With the individuals spoken of I am well acquainted, having frequently conversed with them all on the subjects of which I shall speak. Their words in these cases may not have been exactly remembered, but the sense is truly given.

The first case, is a story, told all by itself, and the second case, is a letter of a dear girl, whose mother was a down to the bone Roman Catholic. The daughter accidentally came to our meeting and gave her heart to Jesus. The mother thinking that the worldly pleasures might drive her newly converted daughter away from Jesus, and being very anxious to get her daughter back into the Catholic parish, she gave a party to all the young people from the same parish. And there was plenty of song and dance, but the daughter did not show up. The mother with a number of the guests went into the daughter's room where the girl in seclusion was reading her Bible; the young people almost carrying her into the reception hall, sat her upon the stool in front of the piano, earnestly asking her to play for them while they were dancing. But, the girl, lifting up to G.o.d her angelic heart and voice, she began to play and sing, softly "Nearer My G.o.d To Thee," the tears streaming down her cheeks; they were tears of joy for the saved girl, but the young people could not stand it and they ran away, while the converted girl bended on her knees in prayer for them, and her own mother's salvation.

Case 1.--For love of the Christ:--John Davis was the only child of a Chicago banker. The wealth and social prominence of his father had surrounded him with every comfort and luxury, and his growth from boyhood to incipient manhood had been tenderly watched over by his fond parents.

All the hopes of his parents were centered in their only child. Mr.

Davis looked forward to the time when John would become his partner, and that his son might be fitted in every way, engaged the best tutors procurable to attend to his education. John had graduated with honors after four years of college work, which was marked by the thorough and earnest application on his part. His father watched his progress with growing pride and with fullest confidence in his son's ability, arranged to take him into partnership at the proper time.

Seemingly the future for John was one of brilliant promise. But John did not show an eager antic.i.p.ation for the future as planned for him. A life devoted to business was to him a selfish one. Something within him was insistently calling him to a higher vocation; although apparently acquiescing to his father's plans, the prospect daily became more and more distasteful to him.

From his mother, a woman of singular devoutness and piety, John had received a careful religious training, and he could not reconcile the idea of a life devoted to self with the truths he had reverently accepted as his faith. Daily he met with examples of shamefully degraded manhood, of pitiful want, and of unhelped suffering. His soul went out in pity towards these unfortunate ones, and at such times the voice within imperiously summoned him to follow in the footsteps of Him whom he worshiped as Lord and Saviour.

On the other hand Reason urged filial obedience to the wishes of his father. That his mother would understand and encourage him should he heed the call of his soul, John did not for an instant doubt. Not less clearly, however, did he recognize the att.i.tude his father would take to such a course; for his father, while refraining from scoffing at beliefs cherished by his wife and friends, made no secret of his own disbelief in them.

The life which would appear to his mother and himself as n.o.blest of all would seem quixotic and senseless to his father. Besides, his father had set his heart on John's becoming his partner in business. John dreaded to disappoint him, yet stronger and stronger grew the call of that inner voice which now all but dominated him.

One evening as he sat with his parents he surprised them by saying: "Now that I have finished my college course it is time for me to choose my vocation, to strive to be of benefit to my fellow men."

"All arrangements have been made, John," responded Mr. Davis, "you may begin at once if you so desire. Your mother and I thought, however, that you were ent.i.tled to a vacation after your college work. However we can use you at the bank the moment you are ready," laughed Mr. Davis.

"That is just what I desire to talk over with you, father," returned John. "For weeks I have felt that the future you have designed for me is too narrow--too selfish. With my Master's Call sounding in my ears, the thought of devoting my life to any business, however high its position in the eyes of the world, is intolerably repugnant.

"I know how firmly your heart has been set upon my joining you in business, and I cannot tell you how hard it is for me to disappoint you at this late hour, but Christ has called me to preach to His people. I feel and know that only in so doing shall I find true happiness and contentment.

"You surely, father, will not oppose my doing that which every fibre of my body tells me is my duty."

The eyes of Mrs. Davis filled with glad tears, and a prayer for Divine guidance for her son went up from her heart; but annoyance and displeasure plainly showed on Mr. Davis' face. At length he said: