The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-04-24
NUMBER 33.

Strong, you have lived this kind of life
long enough! All your efforts in Cal
vary church are wasted. What good
have all your sermons done? 1t Is all
vain sacrifice, and the end will be de-
feat and misery for you. Add to all
| this the fact that this new work will
call for the best and most Christian la
| Dor and that some good Christian man
will take it if you don't-and 1 don't
see, Philip, how you can possibly think
Of such thing as refusing this oppor-
| tunity"
1T certainly is a splendid opportuni-
ty," murmured Philip. II wonder why
they happened to pitch ON me for the
placer
That's easy enough. Every one
knows that you could fill that chair
better than almost any other man In
the country
| DO you mean by every one a little
woman of the name of Sarah Y' asked
Philip, with brief return of his teas
ing habit.
"No, sir. l mean all the professors
and people in Fairview and all the
thinking people of Milton and every
one who knows you, Philip. Every
one knows that whatever else you lack
1t isn't brains.''
| I'D like to borrow a few Just now,
though, for seem to have lost most Of
mine. Lend me yours, won't you,
Sarah, until I settle this question Of
| the callY' fsj1s az
mo, sir. If you can't settle a plain
question like this with all your brains.
you couldn't do any better with the ad-
dition of the little have"
''Then you really think, do you,
Sarah, that I ought to accept this AZ
the leading Of the spirit Of God and
follow without hesitationY'
Mrs. Strong replied with almost tear
full earnestness:
philip, it seems to me like the lead
Ing of his hand. Surely you have
shown your willingness and your cour-
/, age and your sacrifice by your work
here. But your methods are distaste-
full, and your preaching has SO far
reused only antagonism. Oh, dread
the thought of this life for you another
day. 1t looks to me like suicidal pol
icy, with nothing to show for it when
you have gone through with it."
Philip spread the letter out on the
couch, and his face grew more and
more thoughtful as he gazed into the
face of his wife, and his mind went
over the ground of his church expert
ence. If only-he was perhaps think
ing-if only the good God had not given
him so sensitive and fine tempered q
spirit of conscientiousness. He almost
envied men of coarse, blunt feelings,
of common ideals of duty and service.
His wife watched him anxiously.
She knew it was a crisis with him.
At last he said:
"Well, Sarah, don't know but
you're right. The spirit is willing,
but the flesh is weak. The professor
ship would be free from the incessant
worry and anxiety of a parish, and
then 1 might be just as useful in the
seminary as 1 am here-whO knOws~
"Who knows, indeedW exclaimed
Sarah joyfully. At the same time she
was almost crying. She picked up
the letter and called Philips attention
to the clause which granted him a
year abroad in case he accepted.
"Think of that, Philip! Your dream
of foreign travel can come true now!
"That is"-Philip looked out of the
window over the dingy roof of a shed
near by to the gloomy tenements-
"that is, supposing l decide to accept"
"Supposing! But you almost the same
as said Oh, Philip, say you will! Be
reasonable. This is the opportunity Of
lifetime.'
'"That's true" replied Philip.
"You may not have another such
chance as this as long as you live. You
are young now and with every pros
pect of success in work of this kind.
1t is new work, of the kind you like.
You will have leisure and means to
carry on important experiments and
influence for life young men entering
the ministry. Surely, Philip, there is
as great opportunity for usefulness
and sacrifice there as anywhere. 1t
must be that the will of God is in this.
1t comes without any seeking on your
part"
"Yes, indeed" Philip spoke with the
only touch of pride he ever exhibited.
1t was pride in the knowledge that he
was absolutely free from self glory or
| self seeking.
"Then say you will accept. Say you
will, Philip
The appeal, coming from the person
dearest to him in all the world, moved
Philip profoundly. He took the letter
from her hand, read it over carefully
and again laid it down on the couch.
Then he said:
Sarah, l must pray over 1t. need
a little time. You will have reason
Philip paused as his habit sometimes
was. and at that moment the bell rang
and Mrs. Strong went down stairs. AS
she went along she felt almost per
suaded that Philip would yield. Some
thing of his tone seemed to imply that
the struggle in his mind was nearly
ended.
(TO BE CONTINUEDJ