Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-04-12
The Crucifxion of
Philip Strong.
BY REV. CHARLES M. SHELDON.

4 be more or less dreaded or anticipate
Y by Calvary church people They wer
learning to expect something radical
j sweeping, almost revolutionary in Phil
ip's utterances on Christ and Modern
4 Society" Some agreed with him al
! Tar as he had gone. Very many hat
I been hurt at his plainness of speech
This was especially true of the prop
\ erty owners and the fashionable part
OF the membership. Yet there was q
fascination about Philips preaching
that prevented so far any very serious
1 outbreak or dissension in the church.
He was a recognized leader. In bis
presentation Of truth he was large
minded. He had the faculty Of hold
Ing mems respect. There was no mis-
taking the situation, however Mr..
Winter, with others, was working
against him. Philip was vaguely con.
scious Of much that did not work oft
into open, apparent fact. Neverthe-
less, when be came up on the first Sun
day Of the next month and began 10 an.
nounee his subject he found an audi
ence that crowded the house To the
/ doors, and among them were scattered
numbers Of men from the working
mems district with whom Philip had
4 talked while down there. Il was, as
/ before, an inspiring congregation. and
Philip faced il. feeling sure in his heat
that he had "a great subject to unfold /
and q message to deliver 10 the church [
of Christ such as be could not but be- /
heye Christ would most certainly pre-
sent II he We're living today in Milton.
lie began by describing the exact
condition of affairs in Milton. To as
sist this description he had brought
with him into the church his map Of
the town
Look now" be said, pointing out
the different localities, at r street.
where We now are. Here are seven of
the largest churches of the place on
this street The entire distance be- I
tween the first of these church build {
ings and the last one is a little over a 5
mile. Three Of these churches are only
two blocks apart Then consider the /
character of the residences and people G
IN the vicinity Of this street. 1t is a
what is called desirable-that is, the L
homes are the very finest and the peo- t
pie. almost without exception are re- 4
ined, respectable, well educated and /
'hristian in training. All the wealth $
II the town centers about II street. All ii
he society life extends ont from it ON W
ach side 1t is considered the most q
street for drives and prom in
nades. 1t is wen lighted, wen paved 81
ven Kept The people who come out &C
I the houses on Il street are always b
yell dressed. The people who 20 into W
hese seven churches are as rule well Ii
ressed and comfortable looking. Mind of
Gu continued Philip. raising his al
and with significant gesture. Il do eli
~ want to have you think that | CON ST
der good clothes and comfortable w
oks as un-ChriStian or ANYTHING an
sainst the people who present such an ms
lpearance. Far from It, | simplv lis
ention this fact 10 make the contrast &c
am going 20 show you al the palmer. di,
or let Us leave b street now and 90 I'll
iWn into the Oats by the river. where eli
'arly all the mill people have their WI
'mes. | wish you would note first ste
e distance from II street and the as
urches to this tenement district. II tel
nine blocks-that is. little over n ly
lie. To the edge Of the tenement wi
uses iarthest from our owa church an
Hiding II Is mile and three-auarters. me
nj within that entire district meas .
ing nearly two 10y three miles. there me
not church building. There are we
% feeble mission schools. which are an,
Id in plain, uuattractife halls. where ent
cry Sunday a handful of children got
'et but nothing practically is being a I
ne by the church Of Christ in this con
Ice TO give the people in that part of enj
town the privileges and power Of ed
life Of Christ, the life more album. con
ntly. 80
The houses down there are of the the
aapest description. The people wba VOL
ne out Of them are far from we'll my
,ssed. The streets and alleys are thi,
~ and i'll smelling and no one tlor
.es to promenade for pleasure up tiar
! down the sidewalks in that neigh and
mood II is not a safe place to 20 eni,
al night. The most frequent dis ing
Dances come from that part Of the ner
Sn. All the hard characters find ref. we
there, And let me say that am our
now speaking Of the working peo- sbo
. They are almost without excep. car,
law abiding, But in every town Chr
ours the floating population Of vice adj,
crime seeks naturally that part OF affo
own where the poorest houses are. VII
the most saloons, and the greatest mai
.hness, both physical aud moral. is a
II there is part Of this town which brot
'ds lifting up and cleaning and heal. acu
and inspiring 10y the presence Of and
church Of Christ, it is right there and
ere there is no church. The people INN
Il street and for six or eight blocks hav,
n side know the gospel They have we
&c numbers Of books and papers and NOR
Oh Christian literature. They have our.
n taught the Bible truths: they are hop,
lillar with them. OF what value is to ,
lhen, to continue TO support on this I.or,
ri street, 50 near together. seven 20 q
riches. of as MANY dfff.rgt,t ,g,sr,,-,s ! =. o,