The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1900-01-25

was. would Jesus Christ. If he were
pastor of Calvary church in Milton to-
day, speak of the matter next Sunday
and speak regardless of all conse-
quences" Philip asked the question
honestly. and after long prayer and
much communion with the Divine he
said, "Yes. believe he would" 1t is
possible that he might have gained by
waiting or by working with his mem
bers in private. Another man might
have pursued that method and still
have been courageous, true minister.
But this is the story of Philip Strong,
not of another man, and this is what
he did:
When Sunday morning came, he
went into his pulpit with the one
thought in mind that he would simply
and frankly, in his presentation of the
subject, use the language and the spir-
it of his Master. He had seen other
property owners during the week, and
his interviews were nearly all similar
to the one with Mr.. Bentley. He had
not been able to see Mr.. William Win
ter, the chairman Of the trustees, as he
had not returned home until very late
Saturday night. Philip saw him come
into the church that morning, just as
the choir rose to sing the anthem. He
was a large, fine looking man. Philip
admired his physical appearance as he
marched down the aisle to his pew,
which was the third from the front, d.
rectly before the pulpit.
When the hymn had been sung, the
offering taken, the prayer made, Philip
and reminded the congregation that,
according to his announcement of a
week before, he would give the first of
his series of monthly talks on Christ
and Modern Society" His subject this
morning, he said, was 1.-THE Right and
Wrong Uses of. Property"
He started out with the statement,
which he claimed was verified every
where in the word of God, that all
property that men acquire is really
only in the nature of trust funds,
which the property holder is in duty
bound to use as steward. The gold
is Gods. The silver is Gods. The cat
tie on a thousand hills, all land and
water privileges and wealth of the
earth and Of the seas belong primarily
to the Lord of all the earth. When any
of this property comes within the con-
troll Of a man, he is not at liberty to
use it as if it were his own and his
alone, but as God would have him use
it to better the condition of life and
make men and communities happier
and more useful.
From this statement Philip went ON
to speak CT the common idea which
men had that wealth and houses and
lands were their own to do with as
they pleased. and he showed what
misery and trouble had always flowed
out of the great falsehooa and how
nations and individuals were today in
the greatest distress because of the
wrong uses to which Gods property
was put by men who had control of it.
1t was easy then to narrow the argu-
ment to the condition of affairs in
Milton. AS he stepped from the gener-
al to the particular and began to speak
OF the rental of saloons and houses Of
gambling from property owners in
Milton and then characterized such a
use of Gods property as wrong and
ii was curious to note the
effect Oh the congregation. Men who
had been listening complacently to
Philips eloquent but quiet statements,
as long as he confined himself to dis
tant historical facts. suddenly became
aware that the tall. pale faced, resolute
and loving young preacher up there
was talking right at them. and more
than one mill owner, merchant, real
estate dealer and even profession
al man writhed inwardly and merry
ously shifted in his cushioned pew
as Philip spoke in the plainest
terms of the terrible example set
the world bS the use of property
for purposes which were destructive to
all true society and a shame to civiliza-
ton and Christianity. Philip con-
trOlled his voice and his manner admi-
ldDlN. Dul uN hlONC lhC u tllAl llOLiAC anu
spared not. His voice at no time rose
above quiet conversational tone. bat
it was clear and distinct. The audience
sat hushed in the spell of geuine SEN
Sation. which deepened when. ut the
close of n tremendous sentence which
swept through the church like red
hot fame. Mr.. Winter suddenly arose
in his pew, passed out into the aisle
and marched deliberately down and
out of the door. Philip saw him and
knew the reason, but marched straight
on with his message, and no one. not
even his anxious wife. who endured
martyrdom for him that morning.
could detect any disturbance in Philip
from the mill owners contemptuous
withdrawal.
When Philip closed with prayer of
tender appeal that the spirit of truth
would make all hearts to behold the
truth as one soul, the audience remain
ed seated longer than usual, still under
the influence of the subject and the
mornings sensational service. All
through the day Philip felt a certain
strain on him, which did not subside
even when the evening service was
over. Some Of the members, notably
several of the mothers, thanked him
with tears I'm their eyes for the morn
ing message. Very few Of the men
talked with him. Mr.. Winter did not
come out to the evening service, al
though he was one Of the very few
men members who were invariably
present. Philip noted his absence, but
preached with his usual enthusiasm.
He thought a larger number Of stran-
gers was present than he had seen the
Sunday before. He was very tired
when the, day was over.
The next morning as he was getting
ready to go out for visit to one of the
mills, the bell rang. He was near the
door and opened it. There stood Mr..
Winter aI xyauId lilo RI COO Won for a