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ISSUED SEMI-WEEKXiY, i. m. grist 4 sons, Publishers. } % ^farnilg Jteursgager: 4[or the ^promotion of the political, Social, Agricultural and Commeijciat Interests of the gcoplc. { t?*^-g^kcoriEriYE^ENT8.KCE' ESTABLISHED 1855. YORKVILLE, S. C., SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1899. NUMBER 86. "What Woul BY CHARLES CHAPTER VIIL What is that to thee? Follow thou me. When Roll in started down the street that afternoon that Jasper stood looking out of his window, he was not thinking of Rachel Wiuslow and did not expect to see her anywhere. He had come suddenly upon her as she turned into the avenue, and his heart had leaped up at the sight of her. He walked along by > her now rejoicing, after all. in a little moment of this earthly love he could not drive out of his life. "I have just been over to 6ee Virginia. " said Rachel. "She tells me the arrangements are nearly completed for the transfer of the Rectangle property." "Yes: it has been a tedious case in the courts. Did Virginia show you all the plans and specifications for buildings?" "We looked over a good many. It is astonishing to me where Virginia has managed to get all her ideas about this work." "Virginia knows more now about Arnold Toynbee and east end London and institutional church work in Amer ica than a good many protessionai smm workers. She has been spending nearly all summer in getting information." Rollin was beginning to feel more at ease as they talked over this coming work for humanity. It was safe common ground "What have you been doing all summer ? I have not seen much of you,' Rachel suddenly asked, and then her face warmed with its quick flush of tropical color, as if she might have implied too much interest in Rollin or too much regret at not seeing him oftener. "I have been busy." replied Rollin briefly "Tell me something about it." persisted Rachel. "You say so little. Have 1 a right to ask?" She put the question very frankly, turning toward Rollin in real interest. "Yes, certainly," he replied, with a grateful smile. "I am not so certain that I can tell you much. I have been trying to find 6onie way to reach the men I once knew and win them into more useful lives." He stopped suddenly, as if ho were almost afraid to go on. Rachel did not Venture to suggest anything. " "I have been a member of the same company to which you and Virginia belong," continued Rcllin, beginning again. "I have made the pledge to do as I believe Jesus would do, and it is 1 in trying to answer mis quesnuu man I have been doing my work." "That is what I do not understand. Virginia told me about the other. It seems wonderful to think that you are trying to keep that pledge with us. But what can you do with the clubmen?" "You have asked me a direct question, and I shall have to answer it now," replied Rollin, smiling again. "You see, I asked myself after that night at the tent, you remember"?he spoke hurriedly, and his voice trembled a little?"what purpose I could now ? have in my life to redeem it, to satisfy my thought of Christian disciplesliip, and the more I thought of it the more I was driven to a place where I knew I must take up this cross. Did you ever think that of all the neglected beings in our social system none are quite so completely left alone as the fast young men who fill the clubs and waste their time and money as I used to? The churches look after the poor, miserable creatures like those in the Rectangle, they make some effort to reach the workingmen. they have a large constituency among the average salary earning people, they send money and missionaries to the foreign heathen, but the fashionable, dissipated young men around town, the clubmen, are left out of all plans for reaching and Christianizing, and yet no class of people needs it more. I said to myself: 'I know these men, their good and bad qualities. I have been one of them. I am not fitted to reach the Rectangle people. I do not r know how. But I think I could possibly reach some of these young men and boys who have money and time to spend.' So that is what I have been trying to do. When I asked, as you did, 'What would Jesus do V that was my answer. It has been also my cross." Rollin's voice was so low on the last ? sentence that Rachel had difficulty in hearing him above the noise around them, but she knew what he had said. She wanted to ask what his methods were, but she did not know just how to ask him. Her interest in his plans was larger than mere curiosity. Rollin Page was so different now from the fashionable young man who had asked her to **t^a 4-V>r%4- rV?a rtATll/1 nnf UU UXO Y% UC liuail DUO uuv uv*jk thinking of him and talking with him as if he were entirely a new acquaintance. They had turned off the avenue and were going up the street to Rachel's home. It was the same street where Rollin had asked Rachel why she could not love him. They were both stricken by a sudden shyness as they went on. Rachel had not forgotten that day. and Rollin could not forget it She finally broke a long 6ilence by asking him what she had not found words for before. "In your work for the clubmen, with I d Jesus Do?" M. SHELDON. your old acquaintances. what sort of reception do they give you ? How do rnn nrmrnnrh them? What do they 6ay ?" Rollin was silent when Rachel spoke. He answered after a moment: "Oh. it depends on the man I A good many of them think I am a crank. I have kept my membership np and am in good standing in that way. I try to be wise and not provoke any unnecessary criticism, but you would be surprised to know how many of the men j have responded to my appeal. I could hardly make you believe that only a few nights ago a dozen men became honestly and earnestly engaged in a conversation over religious questions. I have had the great joy of seeing some of the men give up bad habits and begin a new life. 'What would Jesus do?' I keep asking it. The answer comes slowly, for I am feeling my way along. One thing I have found out?the men are not fighting shy of me. I think that is a good sign. Another thing?I have actually interested some of them in the Rectangle work, and when it is started up they will give something to help make it more powerful, and, in addition to all the rest, I have found a way to save some of the young fellows from going to the bad in gambling." Rollin spoke with enthusiasm. His face was transformed by his interest in the subject which had now become a part of his real lifa Rachel again noted the strong, manly, healthful tone of his speech. With it all she knew was a deep, underlying seriousness which felt the burden of the cross even while carrying it with joy. The next time she spoke it was with a swift feeling of justice due to Rollin and his new life. "Do you remember I reproached you once for not having any purpose worth living for?" she asked, while her beautiful face seemed to Rollin more beautiful than ever when he had won sufficient self control to look up. "I want to say I feel the need of saying, in justice to you now, that I honor you for your courage and your obedience to yonr promise. The life you are living now is a very noble one." Rollin trembled. His agitation was greater than he could control. Rachel could not help seeing it. They walked along in silence. At last Rollin said: "I thank yon. It has been more than I can tell to hear you say that." He looked into her face for one moment. She read his love for he? in that look, but he did not speak. When they separated, Rachel went into the house, and, sitting down in her room, she put her face in her hands and said to herself: "I am beginning to know what it means to he loved by a noble man I shall love Rollin Page, after all. Y\*hat am I saying? llachel Winslow, have you forgotten"? I She rose and walked back and forth. She was deeply moved. Nevertheless it was evident to herself that her emotion was not that of regret or sorrow. Somehow u glad, new joy had come to her. She had entered another circle of experience, and later in the day she rejoiced with a very strong and sincere gladness tnui ner i^nrisuaii uiscjpie&uip found room for this crisis in her feeling. It was indeed a part of it, for if she were beginning to love Rollin it was the Christian man who had won her heart. The other never would have moved her to this great change. And Rollin as he went back treasured a hope that had been a stranger to him since Riichel had said no that day. In that hope he went on with his work as the days sped on, and at no time was he more successful in reaching and saving his old acquaintances than in the time that followed that chance meeting with Rachel Winslow. The summer had gone, and Raymond was once more facing the rigor of her winter season. Virginia had been able to accomplish a part of her plan for "capturing the Rectangle," as she called it, but the building of houses in the field, the transforming of its bleak, bare aspect into an attractive park, all of which was included in her plan, was a work too large to be completed that fall after she had secured the property. But a million dollars in the hands of a person who really wants to do with it as Jesus would ought to accomplish wonders for humanity in a short time, and Henry Maxwell, going over to the 6cene of the new work one day after a noon hour with the shopmen, was amazed to see how much had been done outwardly. Yet He waiKea nome tnougnuuny, and on his way he could not avoid the question of the continual problem thrust into his notice by the saloon. How much had been done for the Rectangle, after all V Even counting in Virginia's and Rachel's work and Mr. Gray's, where had it actually counted in any visible quantity V Of course he said to himself that the redemptive work begun and carried on by the Holy Spirit in his wonderful displays of power in the First church and in the tent meetings had had its effect on the life of Raymond, but as he walked past saloon after saloon and noticed the crowds going in and coming out of them, as he saw the wretched dens, as many as ever apparently, as he caught the brutality and squalor and open misery and degrada tion on countless races of men and women and children, he sickened at the sight. He found himself asking how much cleansing could even a million dollars poured into this cesspool accomplish? Was not the living source'of nearly all the human misery they sought to relieve untouched as long as these saloons did their deadly but legitimate work ? What could even such unselfish Christian discipleship as Virginia's and Rachel's do to lessen the | stream of vice so long as the great spring of vice and crime flowed as deep and strong as ever? Was it not a practical waste of beautiful lives for these young women to throw themselves into this earthly hell when for every soul rescued by their sacrifice the saloon made two more that needed rescue? He could not escape the question. It was the same that Virginia had put to Rachel in her statement that, in her opinion, nothing really would ever be done until the saloon was taken out of the Rectangle. Henry Maxwell went back to his parish work that afternoon with added convictions on the license business. But. if the saloon were a factor in the problem of the life of Raymond, no less were the First church and its little company of disciples who had pledged themselves to do as Jesus would do. Henry Maxwell, standing at the very center of the movement, was not in a position to judge of its power as some one from the outside might have done, but Raymond itself felt the touch of this new disciplcship and was changed in very many ways, not knowing all the reasons for the change. The winter had gone, and the year was ended, the year which Henry Max?i ~ a n?J _ I wen nau iixeu as wc uuc uunug which the pledge should be kept to do as Jesus would do. Sunday, the anniversary of that one a year ago, was in many ways the most remarkable day the First church ever knew. It was more important than the disciples in the First church realized. The year had made history so fast and so serious that the people were not yet able to grasp its significance, and the day itself, which marked the completion of a whole year of such discipleship, was characterized by such revelations and confessions that the immediate actors in the events themselves could not understand the value of what had been done or the relation of their trial to the rest of the churches and cities in the country. It happened that the week before that anniversary Sunday the Rev. Calvin Bruce, D. D., of the Nazareth Avenue church, Chicago, was in Raymond, where he had come on a visit to some old friends and incidentally to see his old seminary classmate, Henry Maxwell. He was present at the First church and was an exceedingly attentive and interested spectator. His account of events in Raymond, and especially of that Sunday, may throw more light on the entire situation than any description or record from other sources. Dr. Brace's statement is therefore here given. [Letter from Rev. Calvin Brace, D. D., of the Nazareth Avenue church. Chicago, to Rev. Philip S. Caxton, D. D., New York city]: "My Dear Caxton?It is late Sun T Itvn IVtfArtoalTT n TfTll Iro UHJ UUl i CXlil ou iiiuciiouij art aivg and so overflowing with what I have seen and heard that I feel driven to write yon now some account of the situation in Raymond as I have been studying it and as it has apparently come to a climax today So this is my only excuse for writing so extended a letter at this time. "You remember Henry Maxwell in the seminary. I think you said the last time I visited you in New York that you had not se?n him since we graduated. He was a refined, scholarly fellow, you remember, and when he was called to the First church of Raymond within 6 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 11 years, and I understand that up to a year ago he had gone on in the regular course of the ministry, giving good satisfaction and drawing a good congregation to his morning preaching service. His church was counted the largest, most wealthy church in Raymond. All the best people attended it. and most of them belonged. The quartet choir was famous for its music, especially for its soprano. Miss Winslow. of whom I shall have more to say, and. on the whole, as I understand the fact. Maxwell was in a comfortable berth, with a very good salary, pleasant surroundings. not a very exacting parish of refined, rich, respectable people, such a church and parish as nearly all the young men in the seminary in our time looked forward to as very desirable. "But a year ago today Maxwell came into his church on Sunday morning and at the close of his service 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 " * * A ? ' "? - ^ 1%** n*/sn1/^ /1A f?A. tneir nonesi juugmeut uc nuum wu, *v gardless of what the result might be to them. "The effect of this proposition as it has been met and obeyed by a nnmber of the members of the First chnrch of Raymond has been so remarkable that, as yon know, the attention of the whole country has been directed to the movement I call it a 'movement' because from the action taken today it seems probable that what has been tried here in the First church in Raymond will reach out into the other churches and cause a revolution in church methods, but more especially in a new definition of Christian discipleship. "In the first place. Maxwell tells me he was astonished at the response made to his proposition. Some of the most prominent members in thechnrch made the promise to do as Jesns would. Among them were Edward Norman, the editor of The Daily News, which has made such a sensation in the newspaper world: Milton Wright, one of the leading merchants in Raymond: Alexander Powers, whose action in the matter of the railroads against the in terstat-e commerce laws made snch a stir about a year ago: Miss Page, one of Raymond's leading society heiresses, who has lately dedicated her entire fortune. as I understand, to the Christian daily paper and the work of reform in the slum district known as the Rectangle. and Miss Winslow, whose reputation as a singer is now national, but who. in obedience to what she has decided to be Jesus' probable action, has devoted her talent to volunteer work among the girls and women who make up a large part of the city's worst and most abandoned population. "In addition to these well known people has been a gradually increasing number of Christians from the First church and lately from other churches in Raymond. A large proportion of these volunteers who pledge themselves to do as Jesus would comes from the Endeavor societies. The young people say that they have already embodied in Itheir society pledge the same principle >in the words. 41 promise him that I will [strive to do whatever he would have me do.' This is not exactly what is included in Maxwell's proposition, which iB that the disciples shall try to do what Jesus would probably do in the disciples' place, but the result of an honest obedience to either pledge, he claims, will be practically the same, and he is jnot surprised that the largest numbers [have joined the new discipleship from the Endeavor society. "I am sure the first question you will a6k is. 4What has been the result of this attempt, what has it accomplished, or how has it changed in any way the regular course of the church or the community ?' "You already know something from reports of Raymond that have gone over the country what the results have been, but one needs to come here and learn something of the changes in individual lives, and especially the change in the ghnrch life, to realize all that is meant by this following of Jesus' steps so literally. To tell all that won Id be to write a long story or series of stories.. 1 am not in a position to do that, bnt 1 can give yon some idea perhaps of what has happened here from what has been told me by my friends and Henry 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 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 attempts 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 internal element of 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 thi first Sunday the pledge was taken n year ago. and also by the fact that so many cf the most prominent members have been identified with the movement "The effect on Henry Maxwell is very marked. I heard him preach at our state association four years ago. He impressed me at the time as having considerable power in dramatic delivery. of which lie himself was somewhat conscious. His sermon was well written and abounded in what the seminary students used to cull "fine passages.' The effect of it was what the average congregation wo;.ld call pleasing. This ] morning I heard Maxwell preach again i for the first time since then. I shall j speak of that further on. He is not the same man. He gives me the impression 1 of .one who has passed through a crisis i of revolution. He tells me this revoln- i tion is simply a new definition of Chris- i tian discipleship. He certainly has i /iliortrvorl m.inr Ilia aM VIOU'U PT1 a fit- 1 titude on the saloon question is radically opposite to the one he entertained a year ago. and in his entire thought of his ministry, his pulpit and parish work I find he has made a complete change. Po 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 verse from Peter, 'For hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps,' and he seems filled with the conviction that what our churches need today more than anything else is this factor of suffering for Jesus in some form. "I do not know that I agree with him altogether: but, my dear Caxton. it is certainly astonishing to note the ? ? __ J.V. T 2 results or tms iaea us me.y nave mi- j pressed themselves upon this city and i upon this church. "You ask how about the results on x the individuals who have made the i pledge and honestly tried to be true to i it. Those results are, as I have said, a \ part of individual history and cannot be told in detail. Some of them I can give yon, so that yon may see that this form of discipleship is not merely sentiment or fine posing for effect. "For instance, take the case of Alexander Powers, who was superintendent of the machine shops of the L. and T. R. R. here. When he acted upon the evidence that incriminated the road, he lost his position, and, more than that, I learn from my friends here his family and social relations have become so changed that the family no longer appear in pnblic. They have dropped out of the social circle where once they were so prominent. By the way, Caxton, I understand in this connection that the commission, for one reason and another, postponed action on this case, and it is now rumored that the L. and T. R. R. will pass into a receiver's hands very soon. The president of the road, who, according to the evidence submitted by Powers, was the principal offender, has resigned, and complications which have arisen since point to the receivership. 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. I could not help thinking of him as being good material for the church of the first century, when the disciples bad all things in common. "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' probable action and revolutionized his entire conduct of the paper at the risk of a failure. I send you a copy of yesterday's paper. I want you to read it carefully. To my mind, it is one of the most interesting and remarkable papers ever printed in the United States, it is open to criticism. but what could any mere man attempt in this line that would be free from criticism ? Take it all in all, it is so far above the ordinary conception of a daily paper that I am amazed at the result He tells me that the paper is beginning to be read more and more by the Christian people of the city. He is very confident of its final success. "Read his editorial on the money question: also the one on the coming election in Raymond, when the question of lifcense will again be an issue. Both articles are of the best from this point of view. He says he never begins an editorial or. in fact, any part of his newspaper work without first asking, 'What would Jesus do?' The result is certainly apparent "Then there is Milton Wright, the merchant. He has, I am told, so revolutionized his business that no man is more beloved today in Raymond. His own clerks and employees have affection for him that is very touching. During the winter, while he was lying dangerously ill at his home, scores of clerks volunteered to watch or help in any possible way, and his return to his store was greeted with marked demonstrations. All this has been brought about by the element of personal love introduced into the business. This love is not mere words, but the business itself is carried on under a system of cooperation that is not a patronizing recognition of inferiors, but a real sharing in the entire business. Other men on the street look upon Milton Wright as odd. It is a fact, however, that while he has lost heavily in some directions he has increased his business and is to " * "* - B xl day respected ana nonorea as one 01 me best and most snccessfnl merchants in Raymond. "And there is Miss Winslow. She has chosen to give her great talent to the poor and wretched of the city. Her plans include a musical institute where choruses and classes in vocal music shall be a feature. She is enthusiastic over her life work. 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. I am not too old. my dear Caxton, to be interested in the romantic side of much that has ulso been tragic here in Raymond. and I must tell you that it is well understood there that 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 that is to be took an active part in the service. I don't know all the details of this little romance, but I can imagine there is a little story wrapped up in it. and it would be interesting reading if we only knew it all. "These are only a few illustrations of results in individual lives owing to abedience to the pledge. I meant to have spoken of President Marsh of Lincoln college. He is a graduate of my lima mater, and I knew him slightly when I was in the senior year. He has tsken an active part in the recent municipal agitation, and his influence in -3 ' <3 - -? 5no city is regarueu a vexj laxgo factor iu the coming election. He impressed nie, as did all the other disciples in this movement, as having fought ont jome hard questions and as having taken up some real burdens that have caused and still do cause that suffering if which Henry Maxwell speaks, a suf-fering that does not eliminate but does ippear to intensify a positive and prac:ical joy. 'But I &m prolonging this letter, possibly to your weariness. I am unible to avoid the feeling of fascination vbich my entire stay here has increased. [ want to tell you something of the neeting in the First church today. "As I said, I heard Maxwell preach, kt his earnest request I had preached 'or him the Sunday before, and this ;va8 the first time I had heard him since ;he association four years ago. His ser mon mis morning was as aiiierent iruui his sermon then as if it had been thonght oat and preached by some one living on another planet I was profoundly tonched. I. believe I actually shed tears once. Others in the congregation were moved like myself. His text was: 'What is that to thee? Follow thou me.' And it was a most unusually impressive appeal to the Christians of Raymond to obey Jesus' teachings and follow in his steps, regardless of what others might do.' I cannot give you even the plan of the sermon. It would take too long. At the close of the service there was the usual after meet ing that has become a regular feature of the First church. Into this meeting have come all those who made the pledge to do as Jesus would do, and the time is spent in mutual fellowship, confession, questions as to what Jesus would do in special cases and prayer that the one great guide of every disciple's conduct may be the Holy Spirit "Maxwell asked me to come into this meeting. Nothing in all my ministerial life, Caxton, has so moved me as that meeting. I never felt the Spirit's presence so powerfully. It was a meeting of reminiscences and of the most loving fellowship. I was irresistibly driven in thought back to the first years of Christianity. There was something about all this that was apostolic in its simplicity and Christ imitation. "I asked questions. One that seemed to arouse more interest than any other was in regard to the extent of the Christian disciples' sacrifice of personal property. Henry Maxwell tells me that so far no one has interpreted the spirit of Jesus in such a way as to abandon his eatthly possessions, give away all his wealth or in any literal way imitate the Christians of t the order, for example, of St Francis of Assisi. It was the unanimous consent, however, that if any disciple should feel that Jesus in his own particular case would do that there could be only one answer to the question. Maxwell frankly admitted that he was still, to a certain degree, uncertain as to Jesus' probable action when it came to the details of house hold living, the possession of wealth, the holding of certain luxuries. It is, however, evident that very many of these disciples have repeatedly carried their obedience to Jesus to the extreme limit, regardless of financial loss. There is no lack of courage or consistency at this point. It is also true that some of the business men who took the pledge have lost great sums of money in this imitation of Jesus, and very many have, like Alexander Powers, lost valuable positions owing to the impossibility of doing what they hud been accustomed to do and at the same time doing what they felt Jesus would do in the same place. In connction with these cases it is pleasant to record the fact that many who have suffered in this way have at once been helped financially by those who still have means. In this respect I think it is true that these disciples have all things in common. Certainly such scenes as I witnessed at the First church at that after service this morning I never saw in my church or any other. I never dreamed that such Christian fellowship could exist in this age of the world. I am almost incredulous as to the witness of my own senses. I still seem' to be asking myself if this is the close of the nineteenth century in America. "But now. dear friend, I come to the real cause of the letter, the real heart of the whole question as the First church of Raymond has forced it upon me. Before the meeting closed today steps were taken to secure the co-operation of all other Christian disciples in this country I think Henry Maxwell took this step after long deliberation. He said as much to me one day when I called upon him and we were discussing the effect of this movement upon the church in general. " 'Why.' he said, 'suppose that the church membership generally in this country made this pledge and lived up to it. What a revolution it would cause in Christendom! But why not? Is it anymore than the disciple ought to do? Has he followed Jesus unless he is willing to do this 1 Is the test of discipleship any less today than it was in Jesus' time?' "I do not know all that preceded or followed his thought of what ought to be done outside of Raymond, but the idea crystallized today in a plan to secure the fellowship of all the Christiana in America. The churches through their pastors will be asked to form disciple gatherings like the one in the First church. Volunteers will be Called for in the great body of church members in the United States who will promise to do as Jesus wftuld do. Maxwell spoke particularly of the result of such general action on the saloon question. He is terribly in earnest over this. He told me that there was no question in his mind that the saloon would be beaten in Raymond at the election now near at hand. If so. they could go on with some courage to do the redemptive work V?tt 4-V??* nroTirvolicf- on/1 nnu* tialron KJJ DUO V T X. up by the disciples in his own church. If the saloon triumphs again, there will be a terrible and, as he thinks, unnecessary waste of Christian sacrifice. But. however we differ on that point, he has convinced his church that the time has come for a fellowship with other Christiana Surely, if the First church could work such changes in soeiety and its surroundings, the church in general, if combining such fellowship, not of creed, but of conduct, ought to stir the entire nation to a higher life and a new conception of Christian following. "This is a grand idea, Caxton, but right here is where I find myself hesitating. I do not deny that the Christian CONTINUED ON FOUETH PAGE.