The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-05-08
CHAPTER XIV.

III tne urSt place the minority IN the
church held meeting and voted to
ask Philip to remain, pledging him
their hearty support in all his plans
and methods. The evening paper, in
Its report of this meeting, made the
most Of the personal remarks that were
made and served up the whole affair in
sensational items that were eagerly
read by every one in Milton.
But the most important gathering Of
Philips friends was that of the mill
men. They met in the hall where he
had so often spoken, and, being crowd
ed out of that by the great numbers,
they finally secured the use Of the
courthouse. This was crowded with
an excited assembly, and in the course
of very many short speeches, in which
the action of the church was severely
condemned, resolution was offered
and adopted asking Mr.. Strong to re-
main in Milton and organize an asso-
citation or something of a similar order
for the purpose Of sociological study
and agitation, pledging whatever finan-
cial support could be obtained from
the working people. This also was
caught up and magnif1ed in the paper,
and the town was still reused to ex-
citement by all these reports when
Philip returned home late Saturday
afternoon, almost reeling with exhaus-
ton and his heart torn with the sepa.
ration from his old chum.
However, he tried to conceal his wea-
riness from Sarah and partly succeed
ed. After supper he went up to his
study to prepare for the Sunday. He
had fully made up his mind what he
would do, and he wanted to do it in a
manner that would cast no reproach
on his ministry, which he respected
with sensitive reverence
He shut the door and began his prep
aration by walking up and down, as
his custom was, thinking out the de-
tails of the service, his sermon, the ex-
act wording Of certain phrases he
wished to make.
He had been walking thus back and
forth half dozen times when he felt
the same acute pain in his side that
had seized him when he tainted in
church at the evening service 1t pass
ed away, and he resumed his work.
thinking it was only a passing disor-
der. But before he could turn again
in his walk he felt a dizziness that
whirled everything in the room about
him. He clutched at chair and was
conscious of having missed it, and
then he fell forward in such a way
that he lay partly on the couch and on
the floor and was unconscious.
How long he had been in this condi-
ton he did not know when he came to
himself. He was thankful, when he
did recover sufficiently to crawl to his
feet and sit down on the couch, that
Sarah had not seen him. He managed
to get over to his desk and begin to
| write something as he heard her CON-
| ing up stairs. He did not intend to de-
cefve her. His thought was that ha
would not unnecessarily alarm her. He
was very tired. 1t did not need much
urging to persuade him to get to bed.
He awoke Sunday morning feeling
strangely calm and refreshed. The
| morning prayer with the Brother Man
came like benediction to them ALL
Sarah, who had feared for him owing
to the severe strain he had been en-
during felt relieved as she saw how
he appeared. They all prepared to go
| to church, the Brother Man and Will
liam going out for the first time since
| the attack.
We have mentioned Philips custom
of coming into his pulpit from the little
| room at the side door of the platform.
| This morning he went in at the side
door of the church after parting with
| Sarah and the others. He let Brother
| Man and William go on ahead little,
4 and then, drawing his wife to him. he
stopped and kissed her. He turned at
the top of t. short flight of steps lead
| ing up to the side entrance and saw
her still standing in the same place.
| Then she went around from the little
court to the front of the church and
went in with the great crowd already
| beginning to stream toward Calvary
| church.
No c. 3~er saw so many people in
Caly.:, l.,::--ch before. Men sat on