The Oskaloosa herald., 1900-01-18

place. love the memory OF Ii.
could go there as the pastor of the
Elmdale church and preach to an au-
dience of college boys eight months in
the year and to about 80 refined. Schol-
arly people the rest OF the time. |
could indulge my taste for reading and
writing and enjoy quiet pastorage
there TO the end of my days"
Then Philip, | don't see why you
don't reply to their call and tell them
you will accept. and we will move at
once TO Elmdale and live and die there.
1t is beautiful place, and | am sure
we could live very comfortably on the
salary and the vacation. There is no
vacation mentioned in the other call"
But, on the other hand" continued
the minister, almost as if he were alone
and arguing with himself and had not
heard his Wifes words, ION the other
hand, there is Milton, a manufacturing
town of 10000 people, mostly opera
tives. 1t is the center of much that be-
longs to the stirring life of the times in
which we live. The labor question is
there in the lives of those operatives
There are seven churches of different
denominations, to the best of my
knowledge, all striving after popularity
and power. There is much hard, stern
work to be done in Milton by the true
church of Christ, to apply his teachings
to mems needs, and somehow l cannot
help hearing voice say: Philip Strong,
go to Milton and work for Christ.
Abandon your dream of a parish where
you may indulge your love of scholar
ship in the quiet atmosphere of a uni
versity town and plunge into the hard,
disagreeable, but necessary work of
this age, in the atmosphere of physical
labor, where great questions are being
discussed and the masses are engross-
ed in the terrible struggle for liberty
and home, where physical life thrusts
itself out into society, trampling down
the spiritual and intellectual and de-
handing of the church and the preach
er the fighting powers Of giants Of God
to restore in mems souls q more just
proportion of the value of the life of
man on earth
$50, you see, Sarah," the minister
went on after little pause, Il want to
go to Elmdale, but the Lord probably
wants me to go to Milton"
Mrs. Strong was silent She had the
utmost faith in her husband that he
would do exactly what he knew he
ought to do when once he decided
what it was. Philip Strong was also
silent a moment. At last he said,
Don't you think so, SarahY
Il don't see how we can always tell
exactly what the Lord wants us to do.
How can you tell that he doesn't want
you to go to Elmdale? Are there not
great opportunities to influence young
student life in university town? Will
not some one go to Elmdale and be-
come pastor of that churchY
"No doubt there Is a necessary work
to be done there. The only question is,
Am l the one to do it or Is the call to
Milton more imperative? The more !
think of it, the more l am convinced
that must go to Milton"
Then" said the minister's wife, ris-
ing suddenly and speaking with a
mock seriousness that her husband
fully understood, 81 don't see why you
called me up here to decide what you
had evidently settled before you called
me. Do you consider that fair treat
ment, sir? 1t will serve you right If
those biscuits put in the oven when
you called me are fallen as completely
as Babylon. And l will make you eat
half a dozen Of them, sir, to punish
you. We cannot afford to waste any
thing these times"
What" cried Philip slyly. mot on
$4,000 year! But I'll eat the biscuits.
| They can't possibly be any worse than
those we had week after we were
married-the ones we bought from the
| bakery, you remember" Philip added
| hastily.
You saved yourself just in time,
them" replied the minister's wife. She
came close up to the desk and in a diff
ferent tone said, Phillip, you know
believe in you. don't your"
Yes" said Philip simply. II am
sure you do. | am impulsive and i'm
| practical; but, heart and soul and body
and mind, simply want to do the will
of God. Is it not SOP"
II know it is" she said, land If you
go to Milton it will be because you
want to do his will more than to please
yourself"
Eyes. Then shall | answer the letter
tonight?"
Eyes, if you have decided, with my
help, of course"
"Of course, you foolish creature, you
| know | could not settle it without you.
And as for the biscuits"-
"As for the biscuits" said the minis.
ter's wife. they will be settled with
out me. too. if don't go down and see
| TO them" She hurried down stairs and
| Philip Strong, witE a smile and a sign,
| took up his pen and wrote replies to
| the calls he had received, refusing the
| call to Elmdale and accepting the one
| to Milton. And so the strange story OF
q great hearted man really began.
When he had finished writing these
| two letters, he wrote another, which
throws so much light on his character
and his purpose in going to Milton that
we will insert that in this story as be,
ing necessary to its full understanding
This is the letter:
My Dear Altred--Two years ago, when we left
| the seminary, you remember promised each
other in case either OF left his present parish
he would let the other know at once. did moi
suppose when | came that should leave so soon
| but have just written letter which means thu
beginning Of a new life to me. The Calvary
church in Milton has given me call, and hav'
/ .. -. her.
| practically went out OF existence through unior
| with the other church on the street. The histor,
| OF that movement is too long for me to relat'
| here, but since II took place have been preach
ing as supply. pending the final settlement o