Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-03-15


men. They met in the hall where he
had so often spoken. and. being crowd
ed out of That by the great numbers,
they finally secured the use of the
courthouse. This was crowded with
m excited assembly, and in the course
Of very many short speeches, in which
the action Of the church was severely
condemned, a resolution was offered
and adopted asking Mr.. Strong TO re.
main in Milton and organize an assoc
citation or something of n similar order
for the purpose of sociological study
and agitation, plcdging whatever finan-
clal support could be obtained from
the working people This also was
caught up and magnfcd in the paper,
and the town was still reused to ex-
element by all these reports when
Philip returned home late Saturday
afternoon. almost recling with cXhaus-
ton and his heart torn with the sepa-
ration from his old chum.
However, he tried to conceal his wea-
rincss from Sarah and partly succeed
cd After supper he went up to his
study to prepare for the Sunday. He
had fully made up his mind what he
would do, and he wanted to do it in a
manner that would cast no rcproach
on his ministry, which he respected
with sensitive reverence.
He shut the door and began his prep
aration by walking up ana down, as
his custom was thinking out the de-
tails of the service, his sermon. the ex-
act wording of certain phrases he
wished to make.
lie had been walking thus back and
forth half dozen times when he felt
the same acute pain in his side that
had seized him when he tainted in
church al the evening service. 1t pass
ed away, and he resumed his work,
thinking 1t was only "A passing dsor-
der. But before he could turn again
in his walk he felt n dizziness that
whlrlcd everything in the room about
him. He clutched at a chair and was
conscious of having missed it. and
then he fell forward in such a way
that he lay partly on the couch and on
the floor and was unconscious.
How long he had been in this condi-
ton he did not know when he came to
himself. He was thankful. when he
did recover sufficiently to crawl to his
feet and sit down on the couch. that
Sarah had not seen him. He managed
to get over to his desk and begin to
write something as he heard her com
ing up stairs. He did not intend to de-
ceive her. His thought was that he
would not unnecessarily alarm her. He
was very tired. 1t did not need much
urging to persuade him to get to bed
He awoke Sunday morning feeling
strangely calm and refreshed. The
morning prayer with the Brother Man
came like a benediction to them ALL
Sarah who had feared for him owing
to the severe strain he had been en-
during, felt relieved as she saw how
he appeared. They all prepared TO &c
to church, the Brother Man and vii.
liam going out for the first time since
the attack.
We have mentioned Philips custom
of coming into his pulpit from the little
room at the side door of the platform
/ This morning he went in at the side
! door Of the church after parting with
Sarah and the others. He let Brother
Man and William go on ahead a little
and then. dra wing his wife to him, he
stopped and kissed her. He turned al
the top of the short flight of steps lead
ing up to the side entrance and saw
her still standing in the same place
Then she went around from the little
court to the front Of the church and
went in with the great crowd already
beginning TO stream toward Calvary
church.
No one ever saw so many people ir
Calvary church before Men sat or
the platform and even in the deer
window seats. The spaces under the
large galleries hy the walls were iilleC
mostly with men standing there The
house was crowded long before the
hour of service. There were many
beating. excited hearts in that audi
ence. More than one member felt
shame at the action which had beer
taken and might have wished it recall
ell With the great number of work
lncmen and young people in the church
there was only one feeling: it was a
feeling of love for Philip and of sOr-
row for what had been done. The fact
that he had been away from the city,
that he had not talked over the mat
Ter with any one owing to his absence
Size uncertainty MS to how he would
receive the whole thing, what he
would say on this first Sunday after
the letter had been writtcn-thiS at
tracted certain number of persons
who never go inside church except
tDr some extraordinary occasion OF
IN hopes of Il sensation. SO the audi
rnce that memorable day had some
cruel people present people who mar
rowly watch the faces of mourners nj
funerals to see what rayages grief has
made on the c0UntCnauCe.
The orgaui'T played his prelude
through and vas about TO stop whcl
he saw from the glass that hung over
the keys that Mr.. Strong had not yet
appeared. He began again ut a GER
tain measure, repeating it, ana plaYct
very slowly. by this time the churcl
was entirely filled. There was an all
of cXpcctant waiting as the orcal
again ceased, and still Philip did no
come out. \ great fear came Over