The Washington times., 1921-01-27

SERIOUS was formeu IN the CITY Una.
the question WAS not asked, what
does Goodrich think about itY'
His whole-souled enlistment In
the cause OF what was regarded as
radical religion became, therefore,
the subject OF amazed comment In
the many clubs he now neglected.
The "sQuabble" In st. Johns. as II
was generally referred to, had been
aired In the press. but such was the
magic In name made without
conscious effort that Phil Good
rich's participation In the struggle
had palpably disarming effect.
and there were not a few men who
commonly spent their Sunday morn
ings behind plate-glass windows.
surrounded by newspapers. as we'll
as some In the athletic club (whose
contests Mr.. Goodrich sometimes
refereed). who went to st. Johns
out of curiosity and who waited
afterward for an interview with
Phil or the rector. The remark OF
one OF these was typical of others.
He had never taken much stock In
religion, but IL Goodrich went in
for 1t he thought he'd go and look
ii over.
Scarcely a day passed that Phil
did not drop In at the parish house.
And he set himself. with all the
vigor of an unsquandered manhood.
to help Holder to solve the multi
tude OF new problems by which
they were beset.
A free church was a magnificent
ideal, but how was II to be carried
on without an Etdon Parr. a Fergu-
son, Constable, a Mrs. Larrabbee or
a Gore who would make up the def
Ri a hA NJ
weekly contributions, on the en-
velope system. be relied upon. pro-
vided the people continued to come
In and NIL the pews of absent and
outraged parishioners?
ALL TRY TO HELP.
The music was the most expensive
in the city, although Mr.. Taylor. the
organist, had come to the rector
and offered to cut his salary in
half and to leave that In allegiance
until the finances could be adjusted.
And his example had been followed
by some Of the hish-paid men in
the choir.
Others had offered to sing with
out pay. And there were the ex-
penses of the parish house, an
alarming sum, now Eldon Parr had
withdrawn; the salaries of the as
sistants. Hodder. who had saved a
certain sum in past years, would
take nothing for the present. -
Asa Waring and Phil Goodrich bor-
rowed on their own responsibility.
nature of the forces Holder had
summoned was visibly apparent on
that first Sunday after what many
had called his apostasy. Instead
Of the orderly. sprucely dressed
groups of people which were wont
to lingtr in greetings before the
doors of St Johns, motley
crowd thronged the pavement and
streamed into the church, pressing
up the aisles and invading the sa-
cred precinsts where decorous pa
rishioners had for 80 many years
knelt in comfort and seclusion.
The familiar figure of Gordon At
terbury was nowhere to be seen,
and the Atterbury pew was oc-
cupid by shopgirls in gaudy hats
Eldon PARIS pew was filed. Everett
Constable's, Wallace Plimpt on's; and
the ushers who had hastily been
mustered were awestricken and
powerless.
Such a resistless invasion by the
have struck with terror some of
those who hitherto had had the
courage to stand up Loyalty in the
pastors support.
1t had q distinct flavor OF revolu-
tion; contained, for some, a grim
suggestion of a time when that
vague, irresponsible and restless
monster, the mob. would rise in its
might and brutally and inexorably
take possession of all property.
Alison had met Eleanor Goodrich
in Burton street, and as the two
made their way into the crowded
vestibule they encountered Mar ha
Preston. whose husband was Alison's
cousin. In the act of flight
You're not going in" she ex-
claimed.
"Of course we are"
Mrs. Preston stared at Alison in
amazement.
TOO MUCH FOR THEM.
IT didn't know you were still
here she said, irrelevantly. I'm
pretty liberal, my dear, as u
stand. Look at them!" She drew
up her skirts as a woman brushed
against her. 'T believe in the poor
coming to church, and all that but
this Is mere vulgar curiosity. the
result of all that odious advertising
in the newspapers. My pew is flled
with them. II had stayed should
have tainted. don't know what to
think of Mr.. Holder"
Mr.. Holder is not to blame for
the newspapers" replied Alison
warmly. She glanced around her at
the people pushing past, her eyes
shining, her color high, and there
was the ring of passion in her voice
which had on Martha Preston a pc
culiarly disquieting effect. II think
it's splendid that they are here at
all! don't care what brought
them"
Mrs. Preston stared again. She
was a pretty. intelligent woman. at
whose dinner table one was sure to
hear the discussion of some mod
ern problem;" she believed herself
to be a Socialist Her eyes sought
Eleanor Goodrich's. who stood by.
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