The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1900-03-15

@Well," said Philip slowly as he
seemed to grasp the meaning of his
wifes words, Ito tell the truth. new
er thought of thatr' He sat down and
looked troubled. do you think, Sarah.
that because he is a 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. But what
ever else Calvary church may do or not
do j am very certain it will never con-
sent to admit to membership a black
man"
But there are SO few negroes in
Milton that they have no church.
cannot counsel him to unite with his
own people. Calvary church must adj
init him." Philip spoke with the quiet
determination which always marked
his convictions when they were set
tied.
"But suppose the committee refuses
to report his name favorably to the
church, what them" Mrs. Strong spoke
with 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 his
sensitiveness and his Interpretation of
his Christ. At last he said:
doysr hon 10
what / think he would. What shall
do afterward will also depend on what
Christ would do. | cannot decide it
yet. / have great faith in the church
on earth"
"And yet what has it done for you
so far. Philip? The business men still
own and rent the saloons and gam
bling houses. The money spent by the
church is all out Of proportion to its
wealth. Here you give away half
your salary to build up the kingdom of
God, and more than a dozen men in
Calvary who are worth fifty and a
hundred thousand dollars give less
than hundredth part of their income
TO Christian work in connection with
the church. 1t makes my blood boil,
Philip, to see how you are throwing
your life away in these miserable tene-
ments and wasting your appeals on a
church that plainly does not intend to
do, does not want to do, as Christ
would have 1t. And don't believe it
ever WILL
I'm not so sure of that, Sarah" re-
piled Philip cheerfully. Il believe |
shall win 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-I 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 1 do feel deep
in me that If he was pastor Of this
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, Sarab?"
u don't know, Philip. Yes, 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
Would he make any dis !
tinction of persons? If the man is a |
Christian, thoroughly converted and |
wants to be baptized and unite with !
Christ's body on earth, would Christ, |
as pastor. refuse him admissiOn?'
There is a great deal of race preju- |
dice among the people. If you press |
the matter. Philip. l feel sure it will |
meet with great opposition"
THAT is not the question with me. |
Would Christ tell Calvary church that /
the man ought to be admitted? That Is |