The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-07-12
[coNrINUEp.l
CHAPTER XIV.


"Well," said Philip slowly as he
seemed to grasp the meaning Of his
wifes words. ito tell the truth. new
or thought of that" He sat down and
! looked troubled. do you think, Sarah,
that because he is negro the church
will refuse to receive him to mem-
| bership? 1t would not be Christian to
! refuse him.
There are other things that are
| Christian which the church Of Christ
on earth does not do. Philip" replied
his wife almost bitterly "Hut what
ever else Calvary church may do or not
do am very certain 1t VIII never con
sent to admit to membership black
| man."
But there are 50 few negroes in
Milton that they have no church. |
cannot counsel h,m To unite with his
own people. Calvary church must ad-
nit him." Philip spoke with the quiet
determination which always marked
his convictions when they were set
tied.
to report his name favorably to th"
church, what them" Mrs. Strong spoke
with Il CLEAN Of hope in her heart that
Philip would be reused to Indignation.
that he would resign and leave Milton.
Philip did not reply at once. He was
having an inward struggle with bis
Srnsitivcncss and his Interpretation of
his Christ. At last he said:
II don't know, Sarah. | shall do
what | think be would. What | shall
do aftcrward will also depend on wha
Christ would do. | cannot decide II
yet. ! lave great faith in the churcl,
on earth"
"And yet what has it done for you
so far. Philip? The business men still
own ana rent the saloons and gam
bling houses. The money spent by the
church is all ont of proportion 10 its
wealth. Here you give away half
your salary to build up the kingdom of
God, and more than Il dozen men in
Calvary who are worth fifty and a
hundred thousand dollars give less
than a huHlrcdth part Of their income
To Christian work in connection with
~" church. 1t makes my blood boil,
~ ''n, to see how you are throwing
your life away in these miserable tene-
m.nts and wasting your appeals ON a
church that plainly does not intend to
do, does not want to do, as Christ
would have it. And don't believe 1t
ever will"
I'm not so sure of that, Sarah" re-
piled Philip cheerfully. Il believe |
shall wiz them yet. The only thing
that sometimes troubles me is, Am
, doing just as Christ would do! Am
| saying what he would say in this
age of the world? There is one thing
of which am certain-l am trying to
do just as | believe he would. The
mistakes make are those which
spring from my failure to interpret his
action right. And yet l do feel deep
church today he would do most of the
, things | have done. He would preach
most of the truths have proclaimed.
Don't you think so, SarahT
Il don't know, Philip. Yes, l think
in most things you have made an hon
est attempt to interpret him.
".And in the matter Of the sexton,
! Sarah. wouldn't Christ tell Calvary
| church that it SHOULD admit him TO its
membership? Would he make any dis
| tiuction of persons! If the man Is a
| Christian. thoroughly converted and
wants to he baptized and unite with
| Chrst'S body on earth, would Christ,
| as pastor. refuse him admissiOn!'
! "Ihcrc is Il great deal of race prcju'
dice among the people. If You press
the matter. Philip, | feel sure it will
meet with great opposition"
"That is not the question with me-
| Would Christ tell Calvary church that