The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-04-17
CHAPTER XIV.

parsonage.
CHAPTER XIV.
The following week Calvary church
held a meeting. 1t was one of the
stormiest meetings ever held by the
members. In that meeting Mr. Win
ter again, to the surprise of nearly
all, advised caution and defended the
minister's action up to certain point.
The result was a condition of waiting
and expectancy rather than downright
condemnation of the proposed action
on Philips part. 1t would be presenting
the church in false light to picture
it as entirely opposed up to this date
to Philips preaching and ideas Of
Christian living. He had built up a
strong buttress of admiring and be-
lieving members in the church. This
stood, with Mr.. Winters influence, as
breakwater against the tidal wave of
opposition now beginning to pour in
upon him. There was an element in
Calvary church conservative to a de-
gree and yet strong in it's growing be-
lief that Christian action and church
work in the world had reached a GER
tain crisis which would result either
in the death or life Of the church in
America. Philips preaching had
strengthened this feeling. His last
| move had startled this element, and
| it wished to wait for developments.
The proposal of some that the minis
ter be requested to resign was finally
overruled, and it was decided not to
| oppose his desertion of the parsonage
while the matter of reduction of sal
ary was voted upon in the negative.
But feeling was reused to a high
| pitch. Many Of the members declared
their intention of refusing to attend
| services. Some saii they would not
pay their pledges any longer. A pre-
vailing minority, however, ruled in ia
vor of Philip and the action of the
meeting was formally sent him by the
clerk.
Meanwhile Philip moved out of the
parsonage into his new quarters. The
daily paper, which had given a sensa-
tional account of his sermon, laying
most stress upon his voluntary PROPOSE
ton referring to his salary, now came
out with a column and a half devoted
to his carrying out of his determination
to abandon the parsonage and get near
er the people in the tenements. The
article was widely copied and various
ly commented upon. In Milton his ac-
ton was condemned by many, defend
ed by some. Very few seemed to un-
derstand his exact motive. The ma
jority took it as an eccentric move and
expressed regret in one form and an
other that man of such marked in
tellectual power as Mr.. Strong seem
ed to possess lacked balance and good
Judgment Some called him crank
The people in the tenement distric
were too much absorbed in their suf
ferings and selfishness to show any
demonstration. 1t remained to be seeI
! whether they would be any better
, touched by him in his new home.
So matters stood when the first Sun
day of a new month came and Mr.
Strong again stood before his churcl
: with his Christ message. 1t had beel
r a wearing month to him. Gradual.
there had been growing upon him ;
sense of almost isolation in his pulpi
= work. He wondered if he had inter
t preted Christ Alright. He probed deep
] er and deeper into the springs of actiol
! that moved the historical Jesus an,
7 again and again put that resplendentl
D calm, majestic, suffering persOnalit
e into his own pulpit in Milton and the
stood off, as it were, to watch what b
e would in all human probability say
e He reviewed all his own sayings o.
i those first Sundays and tried to ta
himself with utmost severity for an
f denial of his Master or any falls
e presentation of his spirit, and as h
o went over the ground he was almos
overwhelmed to think how little ha
: been really accomplished. This tim
8 he came before the church with th
a experience of nearly three weeks han
l. to hand work among the people fc
It whose sake he had moved out Of til
l. parsonage. As usual an immense col
% gregation thronged the church.
"The question has come to me latel
r in different FORMS" began Philip, "a
s. to what is church work. 1 am avail
J. that my attitude on the question is M
shared by many of the members {
d this church and other churches. Ne
# ertheless l stand here today, as hay
10 stood on these Sundays, to declare
er you what in deepest humility wou
1T seem to me to be the attitude Of Chri
le in the matter before us.
lg "What is a church? 1t is body
lg disciples processing to acknowled,
OF Christ as Master. What does he wa
st such a body to do? Whatever W
o. most effectively make Gods kingdo
OF come ON earth and his will be done
Us in heaven. What is the most nect
sary work of this church in Milto
y, 1t is to go out and seek and save t
re lost. 1t is to take up its cross and f
tie low the Master. And as see him
ry day he beckons this church to follC
IL him into the tenements and slums
lc- this town and be Christs to those w