The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-04-17
CHAPTER XIII.

CHAPTER XIII.
The door of the classroom was closed,
and Philip and the trustees were to-
gether. There was moment of embar-
RAISING silence, and then the spokes-
man for the board, a nervous little
man, said:
Mr.. Strong, we hardly know just
what to say to this proposition of
yours this morning about going out of
the parsonage and turning it into an
orphan asylum. But it is certainly a
very remarkable proposition, and we
felt as if we ought to meet you at once
and talk it over
Its simply impossible" spoke up
one of the trustees. In the first place,
it is impracticable as a business propo-
sition.'
"Do you think sop asked Philip
quietly.
1T is out of the question: said the
first speaker excitedly. 1.-The church
will never listen to it in the world. For
my part, if Brother Strong wishes
to-
At that p'oment the sexton knocked
at the door and said man was outside
very anxious to see the minister and
have him come down to his house.
There had been an accident or fight
or something. Some one was dying
and wanted Mr.. Strong at once. So
Philip hastily excused himself and
went out, leaving the trustees together.
The door was hardly shut again
when the speaker who had been inter-
rupted jumped to his feet and ex-
claimed:
"As l was saying, for my part If
Brother Strong wishes to indulge in
this eccentric action he will not have
the sanction Of my vote in the matter.
1t certainly is an entirely unheard Of
and uncalled for proposition"
Mr. Strong has no doubt generous
motive in this proposed action" said a
third member of the board, but the
church certainly will not approve any
such step as the giving up OF the par
sonage. He eXaggerates the need OF
such sacrifice. l think we ought to
reason him out of the idea"
I'VE called Mr.. Strong to the pastor
ate of Calvary church," said another,
land it seems to me he came under the
conditions granted in our call. For
| the church to allow such an absurd
thing as the giving up of the parsonage
to this proposed outside work would be
a very unwise move"
| "YeS, and more than that" said the
| first speaker, Il want to say very
frankly that l am growing tired of the
way things have gone since Mr.. Strong
| came to us. What business has Cal
| vary church with all these outside
| matters, these labor troubles and un
| employed men and all the other mat
| ters that have been made the subject
of preaching lately? l want a minister
who looks after his own parish. Mr.
| Strong does not call ON his own people
| He has not been inside my house bu
once since he came to Milton. Breth
ren, there is growing feeling OF dis
content over this matter"
There was a short pause, and theI
one of the members said:
Surely if Mr.. Strong feels dissatis
fed with his surroundings in the par
sonage or feels as if his work lay il
another direction he is at liberty t.
choose another parish. But he Is tn
finest pulpit minister we ever had, ant
no one doubts his entire sincerity. H
is remarkable man in many re
spects."
"Yes, but sincerity may be a yer,
awkward thing carried too far. AM
in this matter of the parsonage don
see how the trustees can allow it. Why
what would the other churches thin
of it? Calvary church cannot alloy
anything of the kind for the sake of 1t
, reputation. But l would like to hea
Mr. Winters opinion. He has not spC
ken yet"
The rest turned to the mill owne
who, as chairman of the board, usua
ly had much to say and was regarde
as a shrewd and careful business az
wiser. In the excitement of the occ:
sion and discussion the usual formal
ties of a regular board meeting ha
been ignored.
Mr.. Winter was evidently embarras
ed. He had listened to the diScuSStC
of the minister with his head bel
down and his thoughts in a whirl {
emotion both for and against the pa
. tor. His naturally inclined busine
:, habits contended against the prOpOs
o tion to give up the parsonage. II
r feelings of gratitude to the minister f
!, his personal help the night of the q
tack by the mob rose up to defend hill
There was with it all an undercurre
of self administered rebuke that Il
pastor had set the whole church an e
ample of usefulness. He wOnder'
II how many Of the members would W
UNFAIRLY give up half their incom
- for the good of humanity. He wondt
ed in a confused way how much
would give up himself. Philips Sc
mon had made a real Impression
him.
'"There is one point we have not d
e' cussed yet" he said at last, land tn
is Mr.. Strong's offer of half his s.
ary to carry on the work of a ch
dren's refuge or something Of til
kind"
5. "How can we accept such an offe
Calvary church has always believed
10 paying it's minister a good salary a
paying it promptly, and we want G
minister to live decently and be al
to appear as he should among the b.