The Oskaloosa herald., 1900-02-15


and Sundays to work for the uplift OF
immortal beings. Shall we not then
have the satisfaction of knowing that
we are at least trying to do something
more than enjoy our church all by
ourselves? Shall we not be able to
hope that we have at least attempted
to obey the spirit of our sacrificing
Lord. who commanded his disciples to
go and disciple the nations? 1t seems
to me that the plan Is Christian plan.
If the churches in this neighborhood
were not so numerous. If the circum-
stances were different, 1t might not be
wise or necessary to do what | pro-
pose. But as the facts are, | solemnly
believe that this church has an oppor-
tunity before ii to show Milton and the
other churches and the world that IL is
willing TO do an unusual thing, that 1t
has within IL the spirit of complete will
ingness to reach and lift up mankind in
the way that will do it best and most
speedily. If individuals are command
ed to sacrifice and endure for Christs
sake and the Kingdoms, | do not know
why organizations should not do the
same. And in this instance something
on a large scale, something that repre-
sents large sacrifice, something that
will convince the people Of the love of
man for man, is the only thing that
will strike deep enough into the prob
lem Of the tenement district in Milton
to begin to solve it in any satisfactory
or Christian way.
81 do not expect the church to act
on my plan without due deliberation.
have arrived at my own conclusions
after a careful going over the entire
ground. And in the sight Of all the
need and degradation OF the people
and in the light or all that Christ has
made clear to be our duty as his dis
ciples it seems to me there is but one
path open to us. If we neglect to fol-
low him as he beckons us, believe
we shall neglect the one opportunity
of Calvary church to put itself in the
position of the church Of the crucitied
Lamb of God, who did not please him
self, who came to minister to others,
steps his church on earth in this age
might honestly make to reach men and
love them and become to them the
helper and savior and life giver which
the great Head Of the church truly in
tended we should be. l leave this plan
which have proposed before you for
your Christian thought and prayer.
And may the Holy Spirit guide us all
into all the truth. Amen"
If Philip had deliberately planned
to create a sensation, he could not
have done anything more radical to
bring it about. If he had stood on
the platform and fired a gun into the
audience, it would not have startled
the members of Calvary church more
than this calm proposal to them that
they move their building a mile away
from its aristocratic surroundings.
Nothing that he had said In his preyi-
Gus sermons had provoked such spir-
it of opposition. This time the church
was reused. Feelings of establishment,
indignation and alarm agitated the
members Of Calvary church. Some Of
them gathered about Philip at the close
Of the service.
1T will not be possible to do this
thing you propose, Brother Strong"
said one Of the deacons, a leading men,
Der and a man who had defended Phil
ip once or twice against public critl-
cism.
"Why mott? asked Philip simply. He
was exhausted with his effort that
morning, but felt that crisis Of some