The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1900-03-21
CHAPTER XIV.

The following week Calvary church
held a meeting. II was one or 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 a certain point.
The result was q condition Of waiting
and expectancy rather than downright
condemnation OF the proposed action
on Philips part II would be presenting
the church In a false light to picture
1t as entirely opposed up to this date
to Philips preaching and ideas Of
Christian living. He had built up a
strong buttress Of admlring and be-
lieving members In the church. This
stood, with Mr.. Winters influence, as
a 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
III lllC htdln VI ilAt vi NhN NhhANh ~
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 10 resign was finally
overruled. and II was decided not TO
oppose his desertlon of the parsonage,
while the matter Of reduction Of sal
airy 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 said 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 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 &C.
ton was condemned by many, defend
ed by some. Very few seemed to IN
derstand his exact motive. The ma
jority took II as an eccentric move and
expressed regret In one form and an
other that a man Of such marked in
teuectual power as Mr.. Strong SEEM
ed to possess lacked balance and good
judgment. Some called him a crank.
The people In the tenement district
were too much absorbed In their suf-
ferings and selflshness TO show any
demonstration. II remained to be seen
whether they would be any better
touched by him In his new home.
SO matters stood when the first Sun
day Of new month came and Mr..
Strong again stood before his church
with his Christ message. II had been
wearing month to him. Gradually
there had been growing upon him q
sense Of almost isolation In his pulpit
work. He wondered IL he had inter
preted Christ Alright. He probed deep
er and deeper into the springs Of action
that moved the historical Jesus and
again and again put that resplendenuy
calm, majestic. suffering personality
into his own pulpit in Milton and then
% on %, fo1 xtrha hn
would In all human probability say.
He reviewed all his own sayings on
those first Sundays and tried TO tax
himself with utmost severity for any
denial Of his Master or any false
presentation Of his spirit, and as he
went over the ground he was almost
overwhelmed to think how little had
been really accomplished. This time
he came before the church with the
experience of nearly three weeks hand
to hand work among the people for
whose sake he had moved out Of the
gregation thronged the church.
''The question has come TO me lately
In different FORMS" began Philip. "as
to what Is church work. am aware
that my attitude on the question is not
shared by many Of the members OF
this church and other churches. New
ertheless stand here today, as have
stood ON these Sundays, to declare to
you what In deepest humility would
seem 10 me TO be the attitude of Christ
in the matter before us.
what is a church, 1t is a body OF
disciples processing to acknowledge
Christ as Master. What does he want
such a body to do2 Whatever will
most effectively make Gods kingdom
come on earth and his will be done as
In heaven. What is the most neces-
sary work Of this church In Milton7
II Is to go out and seek and save the
lost. 1t Is to take up its cross and fol-
low the Master. And as see him to-