Middletown transcript., 1916-02-26
CHAPTER xxlx-continued.

/ "The decision does not lay in your
hands. Doctor Boyd" drawled nasal
voice with an unconcealed sneer in 1t.
It was clean-shaven old Joseph G.
Clark. who was not disturbed, in so
much as the parting of one hair. by all
the adverse criticism of him which
had filled column upon column of the
daily press for the past few days. "The
rector has never, in the history of
Market Square church. been given the
control OF its finances. He has in
variably been hired to preach the gos-
pei"
Sargent, Cunningham, Manning. and
even Van Plocn looked at Clark in
surprise. He was not given to open
reproof. Chisholm manifested no as
tonishment. He sat quietly in his
chair, his fingers idly drumming on
the edge of the table, but his mutton
chop beard was pink from the red
dening of the skin beneath
"The present rector of Market
Square church means to have a voice
AA Abo ACAAOCA dl4OA0 GO lOn9 d0 nC ID
the rector!" announced that young
man emphatically. and Jim Sargent
looked up at him with jerk of his
head. Rev. Smith Boyd was pale this
afternoon. but there was a something
shining through his pallor which
made the face alive; and the some
thing was not temper. Rufus Man
ming, clasping his silvery beard with
firm grip. smiled encouragingly at the
tall young orator. Il have said that
/ have, so far as / am concerned, re-
linQuished the building of the cathe-
dral," the rector went on. For this
there are two reasons. The first Is
that its building will bring us farther
away from the very purpose for which
the church was founded; the worship
of God with an humble and contrite
heart! | am ready to confess that
found On rigid self-analXsis. my lead
ing motive in urging the building of
the new cathedral to have been van
ity. l am also ready to confess, on
behalf of my congregation and vestry.
that their leading motive was vanity!"
"You have no authority to speak for
me-" interrupted Chisholm, his NUT
ton-chops now red.
"Splendor is no longer the exclusive
property of religion" resumed the rec
tor, paying no attention to the inter.
ruption. If l thought, however. that
the building Of that cathedral would
promote the spread of the gospel in
a degree commensurate with the out
lay, l would still be opposed to the
erection of the building; for the
money does not belong to us!"
60 right on and develop our con-
science" approved Manning. smiling
up at the old walnut-beamed ceiling
with its carved cherub brackets.
"The money belongs to Vedder
court" declared the rector; Ito the
distorted moral cripples which Mar
ket Square church. through the acct
dent Of commerce. has taken under
her wing. Gentlemen, in the recent
revelations concerning the vast indus
trial interests of the world. have
seen the whole blackness of modern
corporate methods; and Market
Square church is a corporation! |
wish to ask you, in how far the Mar
ket Square church has been swayed. |
In its commercial dealings, by moral
considerations?
He paused. and glanced from man to
man of his vestry. Sargent and Man. !
ming, the former Of whom knew his |
plans and the latter of whom had been |
waiting tor them to mature. smiled at |
him in perfect accord. Nicholas Van
Ploon sat quite placidy, with his
hands folded over his creaseless vest. /
Willis Cunningham, stroking his
sparse brown Vandyke. looked un-
comfortable. as if he had suddenly
been introduced into a rude brawl;
but his eye roved occasionally to
Nicholas Van Ploon. who was two
generations ahead of him in the acqui-
sition of wealth, by the brilliant proc
ess of allowing property to increase in
valuation. Chisholm glared.
You'll not find any money which is
not tainted" snapped Joseph q. Clark.
who regarded money in strictly i'm.
light. "The very dollar you
have in your pocket may have come
direct from a brothel."
"Or from Vedder court" retorted
the rector. I'VE have brothels there,
though we do not officially know it.
We have saloons there; we have gam.
bling rooms there; and from all these
Market Square church reaps
a profit! For the glory of God? II
dare you. Joseph G. Clark, or w. T.
Chisholm. to answer me that cues.
tion in the Affirmative! No de-
cent man would conduct the business