The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-08-09

q
all the influential members were
against you. Philip, you have been
blind to all this"
"Do you think so?" he asked simply.
"Maybe that is so. l have not thought
| Of people so much as Of the work
which needed to be done. have tried
to do as my Master would have me.
| But have lacked wisdom or tact or
something"
mo, it is not that Do you want to
I know what Think His wife fOndly
stroked the hair back from his fore
head as she sat on the couch by him.
"Yes, little woman, tell me-" To his
eyes his wife never seemed so beauti
| full or dear as now. He knew that
| they were one in this their hour of
| trouble.
well, have learned to believe since
| you came to Milton that if Jesus Christ
| were to live on the earth in this cen
| tury and become the pastor of almost
any large and wealthy and influential
| church and preach as he would have
Calvary church has treated you. The
| world would cruelty Jesus Christ again
even after 1000 years Of historical
Christianity"
Philip did not speak. He looked out
| again toward the tenements. The WIN
ter day was drawing to its close. The
! church spire still stood out sharp cut
| against the sky. Finally he turned to
his wife, and almost with a groan he
uttered the words: Sarah, l do not
like to believe it. The world is full of
the love Of Christ. 1t Is not the same
world as Calvary saw"
mo. But by what test are nominal
! Christians and church members tried
today? Is not the church in America
and England church in which the
scribes and pharisees, hypocrites, are
Just as certainly found as they were
In the old Jewish church? And would
not that element cruelty Christ again
II he spoke as plainly now as then?"
Again Philip looked out Of the win
dow. His whole nature was shaken to
its foundation.
81 have made mistakes. have been
lacking In tact. have needlessly Of
Tended the people," he said to his wife,
yielding almost for the first time to q
great fear and distrust Of himself, for
the letter asking his resignation had
shaken him as once he thought impos-
sible. ~ We tried to preach and act
as Chriss Sould, but have failed to
interpret him Alright. Is it not 30,
Sarah"
His wife was reluctant to speak. But
her true heart made answer: mo. Phil
ip, you have interpreted him too faith
fully. You may have made mistakes.
All ministers do, but l honestly be-
lieve you have preached rs Christ
would preach against the great selfish
ness and hypocrisy Of this century.
| The same thing would have happened
| to him."
They talked little longer, and then
Philip said:
LET us 60 down and see the Brother
Man. Somehow feel like talking to
him."
So they went down stairs and into
the room where the invalid was sitting
with the old man. William was able
to walk about now and had been say
ing that he wanted to hear Philip
preach as soon as lie could get to
church.
"Well, Brother Man." said Philip
with something like his old heartiness
of manner, "have you heard the news?
Othellos occupations gone"
The Brother Man seemed to know
all about 1t. Whether he had heard
Of it through some Of the church peo-
pie or not Mr.. Strong did not know.
He looked at Mr.. Strong calmly. There
was loving sympathy in his voice,
but no trace Of compassion or Won
der. Evidently he had not been talk
ing of the subject to any one.
II knew 1t would happen" he said.
"You have offended the rulers"
"What would you do, Brother Man.
in my place? Would you resign"
Philip thought back to the time when
the Brother Man had asked him why
he did not resign.
"Don't they ask you TOT"
Eyes"
"Do you think It is the wish Of the
hwhole church"
mo, there are some who want me to
stay"
How do you feel about it?" The
Brother Man put the Question almost
timidly. Philip replied without hesi-
tation:
"There is only one thing for me to
do. 1t would be impossible for me to
remain after what has been DONE"
The Brother Man nodded his head as
II in approval. He did not seem dis
turbed in the least. His demeanor was
the most perfect expression Of peace
that Philip ever saw.
1--WE shall have to leave this house,
Brother Man." said Sarah, feeling with
Philip that he did not grasp the mean