The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-03-20

The man to whom the question was
put made the usual excuses, that if tx
did not rent to thes< people other men
would, that there was no call for the
property by other parties and If it were
not rented to Objectionable people II
would lie empty at dead loss, and so
forth. To all of which Philip opposed
the plain will of God, that all man
has should be used in clean and honest
ways, and he could never sanction the
getting of money through such inn
moral channels. The man was finally
induced to acknowledge that it was not
just the right thing to do and especial
ly for d church member. But when
Philip pressed him to give up the whole
iniquitOus revenue and clear himself
of all connection with it the property
owner looked aghast.
"Why, Mr.. Strong, do you know
what you ask? Two-thirds OF the most
regular part of my income is derived
from these rents. 1t is out of the ques-
| ton for me to give them up. You are
| too nice in the matter. All the prop
erty owners in Milton do the same
| thing. There isn't man of any means
| in the church who isn't deriving some
revenue from this source. Why, large
part of your salary Is paid from these
very rents. You will get into trouble
| if you try to meddle in this matter. L
| don't take offense. l think you have
done your duty. And l confess it
| doesn't seem exactly the thing. But,
| as society is organized, l don't see that
we can change the matter. Better not
| try to do anything about it, Mr.. Strong.
| The church likes you and will stand by
in giving you handsome support, but
men are very touchy when their pri-
| vate business is meddled with"
Philip sat listening to this speech
| and his face grew whittier and he
| clinched his hands tighter as the man
went on. When he had finished, Philip
| spoke in low voice:
"Mr. Bentley, you do not know me
| if you think any fear of the cOnse-
! quences viii prevent my speaking to
! the members of my church on any mat
| ter where it seems to me l ought to
| speak. In this particular matter 1 be-
| lieve it is not only my right but my
| duty to speak. l would be shamed be-
fore my Lord and Master if 1 did not
declare his will in regard to the uses of
| property. This question passes over
from one of private business, with
| which l have no right to NEEDLE, into
the domain of public safety, where l
| have a right to demand that places
which are fatal to the life and morals
of the young men and women of the
town shall not be encouraged and al
lowed to subsist through the use of
property owned and controlled by men
of influence in the community and es-
pecially by the members of Christ's
body. My brother" Philip went on
after a painful pause, 'before God, in
whose presence we shall stand at last
am 1 not right in my view of this mat
ter? Would not Christ say to you just
what l am now saying?"
Mr.. Bentley shrugged his shoulders
and said something about not trying to
mix up business and religion. Philip
sat looking at the man, reading him
through and through, his heart almost
bursting in him at the thought of what
a man would do for the sake of money
At last he saw that he would gaiT
nothing by prol0nging the argument
He rose, and with the same sweet
| frankness which characterized his
opening of the subject he said: Broth
er, l wish to tell you that it is my In
tention to speak of this matter mex
Sunday in the first of my talks OIL
Christ and Modern Society," 1 be
lieve it is something he would tall
about in public, and will speak of i
as l think he would"
"You must do your duty, of course
Mr.. Strong" replied Mr. Bentley, some
what coldly, and Philip went out, feel
ing as if he had grappled with his frs
dragon in Milton and found him to b.
a very ugly one and hard to kill. Wha
. hurt him as much as the lack of spir
itual fneness of apprehension Of evi
in his church member was the knowl
edge that, as Mr.. Bentley so coarsel.
put it, his salary was largely paid ou
of the rentals of those vile abodeS. H
grew sick at heart as he dwelt upol
the disagreeable fact, and as he cam
| bdNh W tuC pttA anu "Ohl up U
his cozy study he groaned to thinl
, that it was possible through the pric
), that men paid for souls.
0 "And this because society is as it is!
r he exclaimed, as he buried his face il
!. his hands and leaned his elbows on hi
desk, while his cheeks flushed and hi
heart quivered at the thought of til
filth and vileness the money had seel
and heard which paid for the yer.
desk at which he wrote his sermons.
- But Philip Strong was not one t
give way at the first feeling of seem
ing defeat He did not too harshl
condemn his members. lie wondere
at their lack of spiritual life; but, t
his credit be it said, he did not harshl
condemn. Only, as Sunday approach
ed, he grew more clear in his own min
e, as to- his duty in the matter. EXpe
diency whispered to him: Better wal
You have only just come here. Th
people like you now. 1t will onl
cause unpleasant feelings and do II
J, good for you to launch out into a crU
sade against this thing right now
Is There are so many of your member
involved that it will certainly alienat
their support and possibly lead to you
being compelled to lose your place a