The Crucifixion of Philip Strong

urch, and his wife soon made everything look very homelike. The first Sunday evening after Philip preached in Milton, for the first time, he chatted with h

o-night, Philip?

vain in the least. He simply put the question to satisfy his own exacting demand on himself in preachi

and once you put one of your hands in your pocket. But your sermons were both strong a

t a moment. And

like it here, Philip

yet. There is v

like the chu

t of the choir over the front door. I think the choir ought to be down

Philip. But the singing was

sing much, and I believe in Congregational singing, even when t

the singing, are you? It will get you into trouble. There is a musical committe

he service. And it seems to me I ought to have something important to say about it.

honesty of purpose, but she sometimes had a fear of his impetuous desire to

ink of the congr

attentive. There was a larger number

the looks of

ll very nice

t isn't what I mean. Did y

all sorts and c

iences. Do you think you will enjoy pr

that might have meant a great deal more. Again there was sil

m sometimes at home, when you have some writing or some newspaper article on your mind, and some one suddenl

were mostly the young men and women operatives of the mills. They were out strolling through the street, which, I am told, is a favorite promenade with them. I should think as many as two hundred passed by the church while I was preaching. Well, after awhile I began to ask myself whether there was any possible way of getting those young people to come into the church instead of

ow, Philip, that those people outside

he question. He looked at his

haps, but they ought to have some preaching. And I cannot help thinking of what is the

work here will be bles

spiritually-minded man. He never thought his Master was honored by asking hi

g, but Christ in Philip Strong. To deny the power and worth of

Philip made this annou

you, if He were the pastor of Calvary Church in Milton to-day. So, during these talks, I wish you would, with me, try to see if you think Christ would actually say what I shall say in His place. If Christ were in Milton to-day, I believe He would speak to us about a good many things in Milton, and He would speak very plainly, and in many cases He might seem to be severe. But it would be for our good. Of cour

himneys, out of which poured great volumes of smoke. Something about the mills fascinated him. They seemed like monsters of some sort, grim, unfeeling, but terrible. As one walked by them he seemed to feel the throbbing of the hearts of live creatures. The unpainted tenements, ugly in their unfailing similarity, affected Philip with a sense of almost anger. He had a keen and truthful taste in matters of architecture, and those boxes

the houses belong t

m Winter?"

me. He is the largest owner

cept a revenue from the renting of his property to these vestibules of hell? That man! One of the leading member

tself, resolved to go to these men and have a plain talk with them about it. It seemed to him like a monstrous evil that a Christian believer, a church-member, should be renting his property to these dens of vice, and taking the money. He called on Mr. Winter; but he was out of town and would not be back until Saturday night. He went to see another member who was a large owne

, it is only what I ought to do as pastor of a church which is dearer to me than my life. And I have come to you as a brother in Christ to ask you if it seems to you like a thing which Christ would approve that you, His disciple,

t a dead loss, and so forth. To all of which Philip opposed the plain will of God, that all a man has should be used in clean and honest ways, and He could never sanction the getting of money through such immoral channels. The man was finally indu

eans in the church who isn't deriving some revenue from this source. Why, a large part of your salary is paid from these very rents. You will get into trouble if you try to meddle in this matter. I don't take offense. I think you have done your duty. And I confess it doesn't seem ex

whiter and he clenched his hands tighter as the man wen

ll in regard to the uses of property. This question passes over from one of private business, with which I have no right to meddle, into the domain of public safety, where I have a right to demand that places which are fatal to the life and morals of the young men and women of the town, shall not be encouraged and allowed to subsist th

man would do for the sake of money. At last he saw that he would gain nothing by prolonging the argument. He rose, and with the same sweet frankness which characterized his opening of the subject, he said, "Brother, I wish to

. What hurt him as much as the lack of spiritual fineness of apprehension of evil in his church-member, was the knowledge that, as Mr. Bentley so coarsely put it, his salary was largely paid out of the rentals of those vil

his elbows on his desk, while his cheeks flushed and his heart quivered at the thought of the filth

ched, he grew more clear in his own mind as to his duty in the matter. Expediency whispered to him, "Better wait. You have only just come here. The people like you now. It will only cause unpleasant feelings and do no good for you to launch out into a

e one question he asked himself was, "Would Jesus Christ, if he were pastor of Cavalry[sic] Church in Milton to-day, speak of the matter next Sunday, and speak regardless of all consequences?" Philip asked the question honestly; and, after long prayer and much communion with the Divine, he said, "

week, and his interviews were nearly all similar to the one with Mr. Bentley. He had not been able to see Mr. William Winter, the chairman of the trustees, as he had not returned home until very late Saturday night. Philip saw him come into t

nded the congregation that, according to his announcement of a week before, he would give the first of his series of mo

as a steward. The gold is God's. The silver is God's. The cattle on a thousand hills. All land and water privileges and wealth of the earth and of the seas belong primarily to the Lord of all the earth. When any of this proper

n, it was curious to note the effect on the congregation. Men who had been listening complacently to Philip's eloquent but quiet statements, as long as he confined himself to distant historical facts, suddenly became aware that the tall, palefaced, resolute and loving young preacher up there was talking right at them; and more than one mill-owner, merchant, real estate dealer, and even professional man, writhed inwardlly[sic], and nervously shifted in his cushioned pew, as Philip spoke in the plainest terms of the terrible example set the world by the use of property for purposes which were destructive to all true society, and a shame to civilization and Christianity. Philip controlled his vo

felt a certain strain on him, which did not subside even when the evening service was over. Some of the members, notably several of the mothers, thanked him, with tears in their eyes, for his morning message. Very few of the men talked with him. Mr. Winter did not come out to the ev

was near the door and opened it. There stood Mr. Winter. "I would like to see you a few moments, Mr. St

come up to my study?"

rs, and Philip shut the

t, and then sat