The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-05-24

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will do?" Mrs. Strong asked.
HE threatened to withdraw his
financial support and said other paying
members would do the same"
"Do you think they will?'
II don't know. shouldn't wonder II
they do"
What will you do then? 1t will be
dreadful to have disturbance in the
church Of this kind, Philip. 1t will
ruin your prospects here. You will not
be able to work under all that fric-
ton"
And the minister's wife suddenly
broke down and had a good cry, while
Philip comfortcd her, first, by saying
two or three funny things and, second
] ly, by asserting with n positive cheer
fulness which was peculiar to him
when he was hard pressed that even if
the church withdrew all support he
Philip could probably get job some
where on railroad or in hotel.
where there was always demand for
| porters who could walk up several
| flights OF stairs with good sized
I trunk.
sometimes | almost think | missed
my calling" said Philip. purposcly
! talking about himself in order to make
his wife come to the defense. II ought
| to have been n locomotive fireman"
"Thc idea, Philip Strong. 4 man
who has tLc gift Of reaching people
with preaching the way you do.'
THE way | reach Mr.. Winter, for
! example,
yes" said his wife: "thc way you
rcach him. Why. the very fact that
Sou made such "A man angry is pretty
good proof that you reached him.
Such men are not touched by any ordi-
nary preaching"
so you really think | have Il little
gift at preachingT asked Philip slyly.
"A little gift. 1t is great deal more
than little. Philip"
Aren't you little prejudced, Sa-
rah?'
mo, sir. am the sevcrest critic you
ever have in the congregation. If you
only knew how nervous you sometimes
make me. When you get started on
some exciting passage and make ges-
ture that would throw n stone image
into a fit and then begin to speak Of
something in 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 fOrT asked his wife, laugh
ing. For forgetting you?"
II would rather be forgotten by you
than remembered by any one else" re-
piled Philip gallantly. "And you are
such delightful little fiatterer that !
feel courage for anything that may
happen"
"It's not fiattery; it's truth, Philip. l
do believe in you and your work, and l
am only anxious that you should sue
ceed here. l can't bear to think of
trouble in the church. 1t would almost
kill me to go through such times as we
sometimes read about"
1--WE must leave results to God. l
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."
"No, | don't know that | do. I'm
very sensitive, and | feel hurt at Mr..
Winters threat OF withdrawing his
support, but | don't feel dishenrtened
for the work. Why should 1? Am l
not doing my best!"
81 believe you are. Only, dear Phil
ip, be wise. Do not try to reform
everything in week or expect people
to grow their wings before they have
started even pinfeathers. 1t isn't nat
ural."
well won't" replied Philip, with
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
through the business part Of the town.
he discovered that his sermon Of Sun
day had reused almost every one. PeO-
pie were talking about it on the street
an almost unheard Of thing in Mil
ton. When the evening paper came
out, it 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 1t
uncomfortable for the reverend gentle
man." Philip wondered, as he read,
at the unusual stir made because
preacher of Christ had denounced an
unaoubted evil.
'Is it. 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 IL Is lust that? Is IL