Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-30
The CTUClNIOl0 Of PHILIP Strong
By Rev. CHARLES N. SHELDON,
AuthOr N IN HE Sieps. What Uo,,Li .J,,,,,
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CONTINUED from page go)

when he was hard pressed that even II
| the church withdrew all support h.
! Philip could probably get job some
| whore on a railroad or in a hotel
where there was always a demand fol-
porters who could walk up several
flights OF stairs with a good sized
trunk.
Sometimes | almost think / missed
my calling" said Philip, purposely
talking about himself In order TO make
his wife come to the defense. II ought
10 have been q locomotive fireman"
"The idea, Philip Strong A man
who has a gift Of reaching people
with preaching the way you do!'
THE way reach Mr.. Winter for
example,"
Yes" said his wife; "the way you
reach him. Why, the very fact that
good proof that you reach him.
Such men are not touched by any ordi-
nary preaching"
80 you really think have q little
gift at preachng?" asked Philip slyly.
"A little gift, II is a great deal more
than a little, Philip"
Aren't you little preJudiced, Sa-
rah?"
mo, sir. am the severest critic you
ever had In the congregation. II you
only knew how nervous you sometimes
make me- When you get started on
some exciting passage and make a ges-
ture that would throw a stone image
into At and then begin To- speak of
something In a different way, like an
other person, and the first know am
caught up and hurled into the subject
and forget all about you"
Thank you,' said Philip.
What for?" asked his wife, laugh
ing. For forgetting you?"
81 would rather be forgotten by you
than remembered by any one else" re-
Piled Philip gallantly. "And you are
such delightful little fatterer that
feel courage for anything that may
happen
IT'S not flattery; it's truth, Philip. I
do believe In you and your work, and |
am only anxious that You should sue
coed here. | can't bear TO think OF
trouble in the church. II would almost
kill me TO go through such times as we
sometimes read about"
I'VE must leave results to God.
am sure We are not responsible for
more than our utmost doing and living
Of necessary truth" Philip spoke cour-
ageously.
Then you don't feel disheartened by
this mornings work."
mo. | don't know that I do. I'm
very sensitive, and feel hurt at Mr..
Winters threat Of Withdrawing his
support, but l don't feel disheartened
for the work. Why should /? Am
not doing my best?"
81 believe you are. Only, dear Phil
ip, be wise Do not try to reform
everything In a week or expect people
to grow their wings before they have
started even pinfeathers. II isn't nat
ural"
"Well. won't" replied Philip, with
a laugh, Better trim your wings, Sa-
rah; they're dragging on the floor"
He hunted up his hat, which was one
of the things Philip could never find
twice In the same place kissed his
wife and went, out to make the visit
at the mill which he was getting ready
to make when Mr.. Winter called.
To his surprise, when he went down
the business part Of the town,
he discovered that his sermon Of Sun
day had reused almost every one. Peo-
pie were talking about 1t on the street
An almost unheard OF thing in Mil
ton. When the evening paper came
out. II described in sensational para
graphs the Rev. Mr.. Strong's attack on
the wealthy sinners Of his own church
and went on TO say that the church
was very much wrought up over the
sermon and would probably make II
for the reverend gentle
man" Philip wondered, as he read,
at the unusual stir made because a
preacher OF Christ had denounced an
undoubted evil.
lis Il, then" he asked himself. such
a remarkable piece Of news that min
lister Of the Gospel has preached from
his own pulpit against what Is without
question an un-Christian use OF proper
ty? What is the meaning Of the church
In society unless It Is Just that? Is II
possible that the public is so little ac-
10 hear anything on this sub
ject that when they do hear II II Is In
the nature OF sensational news?"
He pondered over these questions as
he quietly but rapidly went along with
his work. He was conscious as the
days went on that trouble was brew
ing for him. This hurt him in a way
hard TO explain. but his sensitive spirit
felt the cut like lash on sore place.
When Sunday came he went into his
pulpit and faced the largest audience
he had yet seen In Calvary church. As
Is often the case, people who had heard
Of his previous sermon on Sunday
thought he would preach another like
II again. Instead of that he preached
a sermon on the love Of God for the
world. In one way the large audience
was disappointed. 1t had come to
have its love OF sensation fed, and
Philip had not given II anything OF the
kind In another way II was profound
ly moved by the power and sweetness
of Philips unfolding Of the great sub
feet. Men who had not been inside Of
a church for years went away thought
fully impressed with the old truth OF
Gods love and asked themselves what
they had done to deserve 1.-THE very
thing that Philip wanted them TO ask.
The property owners In the church
who had felt offended by Philips SER
mon OF the Sunday before went away
from the service acknowledging that
the new pastor was an eloquent
preacher and man OF large gifts. In
the evening Philip preached again
from the same theme, using 1t in an en-
trely different way. His audience
nearly filled the church and was evil
IDENTIFY deeply impressed.
In spite Of all this Philip felt GER
tain element In the church had arraycd
itself against him. Mr.. Winter did not
appear at either service. There We're
certain other absences on the part Of
men who had been constant attendants
on the Sunday services. lie felt, with
out hearing II, that great deal was
being said in opposition TO him. but,
with the burden Of II beginning to wear
a little on him, he saw nothing better to |
Al thop IN On an with HE ttrrk oe 10 |