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


CHAPTER III.
81 have come to see you about your
sermon of yesterday morning." began
Mr.. Winter abruptly. 81 consider
what you said was a direct insult to
me personally"
Suppose 1 should say it was not so
Intended" replied Philip, with good
natured smile.
''Then 1 should say you iedv' replied
Mr.. Winter sharply.
Philip sat very still. And the two
men eyed each other in silence for a
moment. The minister reached out his
hand and laid it on the others arm,
saying as he did so: my brother, you
to accuse me unjustly of wronging
you? 1 am willing to talk the matter
over in friendly spirit, but will not
listen to personal abuse"
There was something in the tone and
manner of this declaration that sub
dued the mill owner a little. He was
an older man than Philip by 20 years,
temper. He had come to see the min
lister while in a heat of passion, and
the way Philip received him, the calm
ness and dignity Of his attitude,
thwarted his purpose. He wanted to
find a man ready to quarrel. Instead
he found a man ready to talk reason.
Mr.. Winter replied, after pause, dur
| ing which he controlled himself by a
great effort:
81 consider that you purposely select
ed me as guilty of conduct unworthy
church member and a Christian and
| made me the target of your remarks
yesterday. And wish to say that such
preaching will never do in Calvary
church while am one of it's mem
bers."
"Of course you refer to the matter
| of renting your property to saloon men
and to halls for gambling and other
| evil uses" said Philip bluntly. care
| you the only member of Calvary
church who let's his property for such
purposes?"
'It is not a preachers business to
pry into the affairs of his church mem
| bersv' replied Mr.. Winter, growing
| object to-
ain the first place, Mr.. Winter" said
Philip steadily, ''let US settle the right
and wrongs of the whole business. Is
it right for a Christian man, church
member, to rent his property for sa
looms and vicious resorts where human
life is ruined"
"That is not the question"
"What is? Philip asked, with hi:
eyes wide open to the others face.
Mr.. Winter answered sullenly: "Tht
| question is whether our business af
fairs, those of other men with me, ar'
to be dragged into the Sunday churcl
services and made the occasion Of per
sonal attacks upon us. l for one will
not sit and listen to any such preach
ing"
But aside from the matter Of pri
vate business, Mr. Winter, let us settl,
whether what you and others are dOfn:
is right. Will you let the other matte
rest a moment and tell me what is tn
duty of a Christian in the use Of hi
property"
sit is my property, and if l or m.
agent choose to rent 1t to another mai
in legal, business way, that is my af
fair. 1 do not recognize that you hav
anything to do with it."
mot If 1 am convinced that you ar
doing what is harmful to the com
munity and the church?'
"You have no business to meddle il
our private affairs!" replied Mr.. Win
ter angrily. ''And if you intend to pun
sue that method Of preaching 1 shal
withdraw my support, and most of tn
influential, paying members will follow
my example,"
1t was cowardly threat on the par
of the excited mill owner, and it rouse
Philip more than If he had been phys
ically slapped in the face. If ther
was anything in all the world that stiI
red Philip to his oceanic depths o
feeling, it was an intimation that h
was in the ministry for pay or the sal
ary, and so must be afraid of losing til
support of those members who wer
able to pay largely. He clinched hi
, fingers around the arms of his stud
, chair until his nails bent on the har
wood. His scorn and indignation burr
ed in his face, although his voice wa
calm enough.
"Mr. Winter, this whole affair is
matter of the most profound principl
with me. As long as 1 live shall be
, lieve that Christian man has no NOR
) right to rent his property for saloO
than he has to run a saloon himself
And as long as 1 live 1 shall also be
! lieve that it is a minister's duty
, preach to his church plainly upon ma
: ters which bear upon the right an
: wrong of life, no matter what is IL
, volved in those matterss Are none