The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1900-03-22

The letter which Philip had received
and which his wife now read was a!
follows:
Rev. Philip Strong, Pastor Calvary Church. Mil
ton:
Dear Sir and Brother-The seminary at Fairviev
has long been contemplating the addition to il
professorship OF chair of sociology. The lack o
funds and the absolute necessity Of sufficient en-
dowment for such a chair have made il impossi
BILE hitherto for the trustees TO make any definite
move in this direction. A recent legacy, Of which
you have doubtless heard, has made the founding
Of this new professorship possible. And now thI
trustees by unanimous vote have united upon yor
IS the man best fitted to I'll this chair Of sociolo
gy We have heard Of your work in Milton ant
know Of it personally. We are assured you are
the man for this place. We therefore tender you
most heartily the position Of professor Of sociolo
gy at Fairview seminary at salary of s., 500 q
year and a preliminary years absence, either
abroad in this country, before you begin actual
labcrs with the seminary.
With this formal call on the part Of the trustees
goes the most earnest desire the part Of all the
professors OF the seminary who remember you in
your marked Undergraduate success as student
here. You viii meet with the most loving well
come, and the seminary will be greatly strength
ened by your presence in this new department.
We are. in behalf Of the seminary, very cordially
yours. TIE TRUSTEES.
Here followed their names, familiar
TO both Philip and his wife.
There was moment Of astonished
silence, and then Sarah said:
well. Philip, that's what / call the
finger of Providencew
do you call it the finger Of Provi-
dence because it points the way you
want to go?" asked Philip, with Il
smile. But his face instantly grew So
Der. He was evidently very mucl ex-
cited by the call to Fairview. 1t had
come at time when he was in a con-
dition to be very much moved by it.
Eyes, Philip" replied his wife as she
smoothed back his hair from his fore
head, lit is very plain to me that you
have done all that any one can do here
in Milton, and this call comes just in
time. You are worn out. The church
is opposed TO your methods. You need
rest and a change, and, besides.
this is the very work that you have al
ways had liking. for"
Philip said nothing for a moment.
His mind was in whirl of emotion.
Finally he said: ''Yes; | would enjoy
such a professorship. 1t is a very
tempting call. | feel drawn toward it.
And yet'-he hesitated-"I don't know
that ought to leave Milton just now
Mrs. Strong was provoked. ''Philip
Strong, you have lived this kind Of life
long enough! All your efforts in Cal
vary church are wasted. What good
have all your sermons done? 1t is all
a vain sacrifice, and the end will be de-
feat and misery for you. Add to all
tails the fact that this new work will
call for the best and most Christian la
bor and that some good Christian man
viii take it If you don't-and / don't
see. P-iIip, how you can possibly think
Of such thing as refusing this oppor-
sanity"
1t certainly is a splendid opportuni-
y" murmured Philip. Il wonder why |
they happened to pitch on me for the
placer"
That's easy enough. Every one |
Knows that you could fill that chair !
better than almost any other man in
he country"
do you mean by every one little
woman of the name of SARAH" asked !
Philip, with brief return of his teas |
ng habit.
mo, sir. l mean all the professors |
ind people in Fairview and all the (
people of Milton and every |
one who knows you, Philip. Every .
Dne knows that whatever else you lack /
i isn't brains
I'D like 10 borrow a few just now. /
though. for seem to have lost most of .
mine. Lend me yours. won't you, .
Sarah. until settle this question of .
the calf"
NO. sir. If you can't settle plain .
question like this with all your brains,
you couldn't do any better with the ad-
dition of the little have"
Then you really think, do you, F.
Sarah, that | ought to accept this as
the leading of the spirit of God and /.
follow without hesitationY
Mrs. Strong replied with almost tear |
full earneStness:
Phillip. IL seems TO me like the lead
ing of his hand. Surely you have
shown your willingness and your cour
age and your sacrifice by your work
here. But your methods are distaste-
ful and your preaching has so far
reused only antagonism. Oh, / dread
the thought Of this life for you another
day. II looks TO me like suicidal pol
icy, with nothing 10 show for il when
you have gone through with it,"
Philip spread the letter out on the
couch, and his face grew Isore and
more thoughtful as he gaZed into the
face OF his wife, and his mind went
over the ground of his church expert
ence. IL only-he was perhaps think
ing-if only the good God had not given
him SO sensitive and fine tempered a
spirit of conscientiousness. He almost
enyied men of coarse, blunt feelings.
of common ideals of duty and service.
His wife watched him anxiously.
She knew it was a crisis with him.
At last he said: