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

and houses and lands of such charac-
on moral questions, and they are there
fore to be left out of the preaching ma
terial of the pulpit? 1t is my cOnvic-
ton that many men of property in this
age are coming to regard their business
as separate and removed from God and
all relation to him. The business men
of today do not regard their property
as Gods. They always speak of it as
theirs. And they resent any interfer-
ence,' as you call it, on the part of the
pulpit Nevertheless l say 1t plainly,
regard the renting of these houses by
you and other business men in the
church to the whisky men and the cor
rupters of youth as wholly wrong and
so wrong that the Christian minister
who would keep silent when he knew
the facts would be guilty of unspeak,
able cowardice and disloyalty to his
Lord AS to your threat Of withdrawal
of support, sir, do you suppose would
be in the ministry if 1 were afraid Of
the rich men in my congregation? 1t
shows that you are not yet acquainted
with me. 1t would not hurt you to
know me betterv'
All the time Philip was talking his
manner was that of dignified indigna-
ton. His anger was never coarse OF
vulgar. But when he was reused, as
he was now, he spoke with total dis
regard for all coming consequences.
For the time being he felt as perhaps
one of the old Hebrew prophets used to
feel when the flame of inspired wrath
burned up in the soul Of the messenger
Of God.
The man who sat opposite was COM
PEELED to keep silent until Philip had
said wha. he had to say. 1t was i'm
possible for him to interrupt. Also 1t
was out of the question that man
like Mr.. Winter should understand q
nature like that of Philip Strong. He
was white to the lips with passion and
so excited that his hands trembled and
his voice shook as he replied to Philip;
"You shall answer for these insults
sir. withdraw my church pledge, and
you will see whether the business men
in the church will sustain such preach.
ing" And Mr. Winter flung himself
out of the study and down stairs, for
getting to take his hat, which he had
carried up with him. Philip caught il
up and went down stairs with it
reaching him just as he was going out
of the front door. He said simply
you forgot your hat, sir" Mr.. Winter
took it without a word and went out
slamming the door hard behind him.
Philip turned around, and there stood
his wife. Her face was very anxious.
Tell me all about it, Philip" sht
said. Sunday evening they had talked
over the fact of Mr.. Winters walking
out of the church during the service
and had anticipated some trouble
Philip related the facts of Mr.. Winter
visit, telling his wife some things tn,
mill owner had said.
What did you say, Philip, to make
him so angry? Did you give him {
piece of your mind?'
Il gave him the whole of it," replied
Philip, somewhat grimly, sat least al
of it on that particular subject that h'
could stand"
"Oh, dear! 1t seems too bad to hav'
this trouble come so soon! What will
Mr.. Winter do? He is very wealth!
and influential. Do you think-are yol
sure that in this matter you have dom
| just right, just for the best, Philip? l
is going to be very unpleasant TO
you"
"Well, Sarah, would not do differ
emily from what l have done. Wha
have l done? l have simply preache,
Gods truth, as l plainly see 1t, to m.
| church. And if 1 do not do that, wha
business have l in the ministry at all
1 regret this personal encounter wit
| Mr. Winter but 1 don't see how
could avoid it."
'Did you lose your temperY
mo-
| "There was some very loud talking
1 could hear it away in the kitchen"
"Weu, you know, Sarah, the more IL
dignant get the less inclined l feel
'holler' 1t was Mr.. Winter you hear(
He was very much excited when b
came, and nothing that 1 could consc
entiously say would have made an
| difference with him."
"Did you ask him to pray over tn
matter with your
"No. 1 do not think he was in pray
ing mood
"Were your
Philip hesitated a moment and the
replied seriously: "Yes, 1 truly believ
1 was-that is, l should not have bee
ashamed at any part of the interview
to put myself into loving commune
with my Heavenly Father"
Mrs. Strong still looked disturbe
and anxious. She was going over /
her mind the probable result of M
Winters antagonism to the ministe
1t looked to her like a very SeriOr
thing Philip was inclined to treat tn
affair with a calm philosophy, base
ON the knowledge that his conscien(
was clear of all fault in the matter.
"What do you suppose Mr.. Winte
will do?' Mrs. Strong asked.
"He threatened to withdraw b
financial support and said other payin
members would do the same"
''Do you think they will?'
81 don't know. l shouldn't wonder
they do
What viii you do then? 1t will /
dreadful to have a disturbance in til
church of this kind, Philip. 1t wi
ruin your prospects here. You will III
be able to work under all that fri
ton"
And the minister's wife sudden
broke down and had a good cry, whi
Philip comforted her, first, by sayir
two or three funny things and, secOn
ly, by asserting with positive chez
[ fIllnnSS which WAS npculiar to hi