Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-03-08


be used almost to transform the lives
of thousands ef people il the men ot
riches In Calvary church would only
sec the Kingdom of God in its demands
on ther-ihis voiced his cry to the
people and gave his sermon the signifi-
canoe and solcmnity of n prophets in
spiration.
SEE hc exclaimed az he went on
after drawing vivid picture of the
miserable condition of life in the
buildings which could not be called
homes, "Scc what change could be
wrought by the use of few thousand
dollars down there. And here this
morning in this house mon are sitting
who own very many Of those tenc-
mcnts. who are getting the rent from
them every month. who could. without
suffering one single sorrow, without
depriving themselves of one necessity
or oven luxury of life. so change the
surroundings of these people that they
would enjoy tho physical life God
gave them and he able to sec his love
in the lives of his disciples. Oh, my
brethren, is not this your opportunity?
What is money compared with human
ity! What is the meaning of our dis
cipleship unless we are using what
God has given us to build up his king
domi The money represented by this
church could rebuild the entire tene-
mcnt district. The men who own these
buildings He paused as if he had
suddenly become aware that he might
be saying an unwiSc thing. Then.
after "A brief hesitation. as if he had
satisfied his own doubt, he repeated:
The men who own these tenemcnts--
aud members of other churches be-
sides Calvary are among the owners
are guilty in the sight of God for al
lowing human beings made in his inn
age to grow up in such horrible sur
roundings when il is in the power of
money to stop it. Therefore they shall
receive greater condemnation at the
last. when Christ sits on the throne OF
the universe to judge the world. For
will he not say. as he said long years
ago, ;. was an hungercd and We gave
me no meat. naked aud We clothed me
not, sick and in miserable dwellings
rocking with filth and disease and We
drew the hire of these places and Wis
tied me nutt' For are these men and
women and children not our brethren?
Verify God will require it at our
hands, oh, men of Milton. if. having the
power to use Gods property so as To
make the world happier and better
we refuse to do so and 90 our ways
careless of our responsibility and self
ISL in our use of Gods money"
Philip closed his sermon with an ac-
count of facts concerning the condition
of some OF the people he himself had
visited. When the service closed. moro
than one property owner went away
secretly cnragcd at the minister's bold
and. as most of them said and thought.
"mpcrtincnt meddling in their bust
ness" Was he wise! And Yet he had
been to more than on" of these men
in private with the same message. Did
he not have the right to speak in pub
lie: Did not Christ do so? Would he
not do so il he were here on earth
again? And Philip. seeing the great
need, seeing the mighty power of mon
cy seeing the Indifference OF these men
to the whole matter. seeing their de
termination to conduct their business
for the gain of it without regard TO the
condition of life. with his heart sore
and his soul indignant at the suffering
he had Witnessed came into the church
and flung his sword of wrath out of its
Scabhard. shifting at III" very thing
dearest of all things to thousands Of
church members today-thc money. the
property. the gain Of acquisition and
he smotc perhaps with Il somewhat un-
wise energy Of denuncintion. yet with
his heart crying on, for wisdom with
every blow he struck. Would Christ
say il? Would he say IT," md his
sensitive. kconly suffering spirit heard
the answer. YES. believe he would"
Back of that answer he did not 60 in
those days So rapidly drawing To their
tremendous close. He bowed the soul
of him TO lis Master and said. Thy
will he done"
The week following this Sunday was
one of the busiest Philip had known.
With the approach of warmer weather,
II great 'ltiI VI SltkIifSS CANT Oll. ~
was going early and late on crrandS Of
mercy TO the poor souls all about his
own house. The people knew him now
and loved him. He comfortCd his spr-
il with that knowledge as he prayed
and worked.
He was going through one OF the mar
row courts one night on his way home
with his head bent down and his
thoughts on some scene of suffering
when he was suddenly confronted by
a young man who stepped quickly out
from Swallowed corner. threw one
arm about Philips neck and placed his
other hand over his mouth and at
tempted to throw him over back ward.
1t was very late, and there was no
one in sight. Philip said to himself,
This is the attack of which / was
warned" lie was taken altogether by
surprise; but being active and self pos
scssed. he sharply threw himself for
ward. repelling his assailants attack,
and succeeded in pulling the mans
hand away from his mouth. His first
seconds instinct was to cry out for
help: his next was to keep sim. He
suddenly felt the other giving way.
The strength seemed to be leaving him.
Philip. calling up some of his knowl-