The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-10
CHAPTER XVIII.

L
the tenements yet. My work Is just be-
ginning to count with them. And the
church-oh, Sarah. / love IL. for 1t has
such possibilities. and II must yield IN
time. And then the whisky men--I can
not bear TO have them think me beaten
driven out, defeated. And in addition TO
all the rest I have feeling that God has
a wonderful blessing in store for me ana
the church very soon. and | cannot Danish
the feeling that II accept the call 10
Fairview l should always be haunted
By that ghost of Duty murdered and run
away from which would make me un-
happy in all my future work Dear little
woman" Philip went on as he drew his
wife's head down and kissed her tenderly,
while tears OF disappointment fell from
her--'little woman. you know you are
the dearest OF all earthly beings TO me.
And my soul tells me the reason you
loved me enough To share earth's trou-
bles with me was that you knew l could
not be n coward In the face of my duty
my conscience and my God. Is IT not
so?'
The answer came in sob Of mingled
anguish and happiness:
yes Philip. but IL was only for your
sake l wanted you 10 leave this work.
II il killing YOU Yet'--and she lifted
her head. with a smile through all the
tears-"yet Philip, whittier thou goest
/ will go, and where thou lodgest ! viii
lodge: thy people shall be my people and
thy God my God Where thou diest viii
die. and there / viii be buried; the Lord
do so 10 me. and more also II aught but
death part thee and me.
There were people in Milto2 who could
not understand how a person OF such re-
fined and even naturally expensive ana
luxurious habits as the minister's wife
possessed could endure the life he had
planned for himself and his idea of Chris
tian living in general Philip could have
tod them n he had been so minded. And
this scene could have revealed IL 10 any
one who knew the minister and his wife
as they really were. That was sacred
scene TO husband and wife, something
that belonged TO them, one Of those
things which the world did not know and
had no business To know
When the first Sunday Of another
month had como, Mr.. Strong felt quite
well again. A rumor CT his call 20 Fair
view had gone out. and TO the few inti-
mate friends who asked him about II he
did not deny, but he said little. The
time was precious 10 him. He plunged
into the work with an enthusiasm and
a purpose which sprang from his knowl-
edge that he was at last really gaining
some influence In the tenement district.
The condition of affairs in that neigh
borhood was growing worse instead OF
better The amount Of vice. drunken
ness, crime and brutality made his sensi-
tive heart quiver a hundred times a day
as he went his way through IL all. His
study OF the whole question led him To
the conviction that one OF the great needs
OF the place was a new home life for the
people. The tenements were owned and
rented by men of wealth ana influence.
Many OF these men were in the church.
Discouraged as he had so often been In
his endeavor TO get the moneyed men
OF the congregation TO consecrate their
property to Christian uses. Philip came
up TO that first Sunday with a new phase
OF the same great subject which pressed
so hard for utte-ance that he could not
keep II back.
AS he faced the church this morning he
faced an audience composed OF very con-
fiicting elements. Representatives OF la
bor were conspicuous In the galleries.
People whom hs had assisted at one
time and another were scattered through
the house. mostly in the back seats un-
der the choir gallery. His own member
ship was represented by men who. while
opposed 10 his idea OF the Christian life
and his Interpretation OF Christ never
theless continued TO go and hear him
preach The incident OF the sections ap-
plication for membership and his rejec-
ton by vote had also told somewhat In
favor OF the minister. Many preachers
would have resigned after such a scene.
He had said his say about IL and then
refused to speak or be interviewed by
the papers on the subject. What Ii cost
him In suffering was his own secret. But
this morning as he rose TO give his mes
Eage In the person Of Christ, the thought
OF the continued suffering and shame and
degradation In the tenement district, the
thought OF the great wealth In the pos
-.
USE almost 10 transform the lives OF
thousands OF people II the men OF riches
I'm Calvary church would only see The
Kingdom OF God in its demands on them
this voiced his cry TO the people and
gave his sermon the significance and So
iemnity OF prophets inspiration.
''SeeH he exclaimed as he went on AZ
ter drawing n vivid picture OF the misera-
BILE condition OF life in the buildings
which could not he called homes. "see
what a change could be wrought by the
use OF a few thousand dollars down there
And here this morning IN this house men
are sitting who own very many OF those
tenements, who are getting the rent from
them every month. who could. without
suffering one single sorrow without
depriving themselves OF one necessity or
even luxury OF life, so change the sur
roundings OF these people that they
would enjoy the physical life God gave
NutUl dOu Dt dpir W rct MS lpNf III N1f
lives OF his disciples Oh. my brethren. Is
not this your opportunity What Is mon
sy compared with humanity what IS
the meaning of our discipleship unless
we are using what God has given us to
build up his kingdom The money repre-
sented by this church could rebuild the
entire tenement district The men who
own these buildings"
He paused as n he had suddenly become
aware that ne might be saying an unwise
thing. Then. after a brief hesitation. as
if he had satisfied his own doubt. he
repeated: THE men who own these
tenements-and members or other
churches besides Calvary are among the
owners-are guilty I'm the sight ~ God for
allowing human beings made In his Inn
age 10 grow up IN such horrible surround
ings when Il Is I'm the power OF money 20
stop H. Therefore they shall receive
greater condemnation at the last. when
Christ sits on the throne OF the universe
20 judge the world. For Will ne not say
IS he said long years ago. 4 was an
hunRered end ye gave me no meat. naked
and We clothed me not. sick and IN mis-
erabIe dwellings reeking with NTH and