Reverend Henry Maxwell, around whom the whole plot revolves, is an influential figure in the town, which is populated mostly by Christians. He was a sincere and honest clergyman, albeit with a degree of prejudice, as demonstrated in his initial attitude toward the shabby stranger. With Raymond hinted to be located in interior Illinois, this kind of class prejudice is not uncommon at the time of the novel’s setting. In this vein, Raymond’s distrust and distance toward the stranger is a statement about semi-rural America at the turn of the twentieth century. Reverend Henry Maxwell, around whom the whole plot revolves, is an influential figure in the town, which is populated mostly by Christians. He was a sincere and honest clergyman, albeit with a degree of prejudice, as demonstrated in his initial attitude toward the shabby stranger. With Raymond hinted to be located in interior Illinois, this kind of class prejudice is not uncommon at the time of the novel’s setting. In this vein, Raymond’s distrust and distance toward the stranger is a statement about semi-rural America at the turn of the twentieth century.
In conclusion, it emerges that the people of Raymond are fairly conservative in their mindset. They live with tired old patterns of distrust toward strangers and lack of compassion. This is evident from the stories of pastor Maxwell, Ed Norman and the shabby stranger. Yet, as the novel ulfolds over the command of “What Would Jesus Do?” the people show exemplary sense of responsibility and spiritual awakening. Having heeded the will of God through their pastor, the citizens of Raymond go about living their lives in a morally satisfying manner. They thus show that they can raise their standards and act with greater humanity when the situation so demands.
The shabby stranger plays a key role in the novel. He jolts the easy complacency of the residents of Raymond and asks them troubling questions. He brings attention to the plight of vagabonds like him who are shunned by capitalists as well as the state. So as a last resort he comes to the Church to seek their compassion. In a tragic turn of events, he eventually succumbs to exhaustion and dies a few days after his stirring address to the congregation. But by then he had succeeded in shaking the conscience of the Christian faithful. He had shown them how they have deviated from the original spirit of Christian compassion. He makes them see their own selfishness and their lack of social consciousness.
