Part 13 (1/2)
CHAPTER XIII.
The door of the cla.s.s-room was closed and Philip and the trustees were together. There was a moment of embarra.s.sing silence and then the spokesman for the Board, a nervous little man, said:
”Mr. Strong, we hardly know just what to say to this proposition of yours this morning about going out of the parsonage and turning it into an orphan asylum. But it is certainly a very remarkable proposition and we felt as if we ought to meet you at once and talk it over.”
”It's simply impossible,” spoke up one of the trustees. ”In the first place, it is impracticable as a business proposition.”
”Do you think so?” asked Philip, quietly.
”It is out of the question!” said the first speaker, excitedly. ”The church will never listen to it in the world. For my part, if Brother Strong wishes to----”
At that moment the s.e.xton knocked at the door and said a man was outside very anxious to see the minister and have him come down to his house.
There had been an accident, or a fight, or something. Some one was dying and wanted Mr. Strong at once. So Philip hastily excused himself and went out, leaving the trustees together.
The door was hardly shut again when the speaker who had been interrupted jumped to his feet and exclaimed:
”As I was saying, for my part, if Brother Strong wishes to indulge in this eccentric action he will not have the sanction of my vote in the matter! It certainly is an entirely unheard-of and uncalled-for proposition.”
”Mr. Strong has, no doubt, a generous motive in this proposed action,”
said a third member of the Board; ”but the church certainly will not approve any such step as the giving up of the parsonage. He exaggerates the need of such a sacrifice. I think we ought to reason him out of the idea.”
”We called Mr. Strong to the pastorate of Calvary Church,” said another; ”and it seems to me he came under the conditions granted in our call.
For the church to allow such an absurd thing as the giving up of the parsonage to this proposed outside work would be a very unwise move.”
”Yes, and more than that,” said the first speaker, ”I want to say very frankly that I am growing tired of the way things have gone since Mr.
Strong came to us. What business has Calvary Church with all these outside matters, these labor troubles and unemployed men and all the other matters that have been made the subject of preaching lately? I want a minister who looks after his own parish. Mr. Strong does not call on his own people; he has not been inside my house but once since he came to Milton. Brethren, there is a growing feeling of discontent over this matter.”
There was a short pause and then one of the members said:
”Surely, if Mr. Strong feels dissatisfied with his surroundings in the parsonage or feels as if his work lay in another direction, he is at liberty to choose another parish. But he is the finest pulpit-minister we ever had, and no one doubts his entire sincerity. He is a remarkable man in many respects.”
”Yes, but sincerity may be a very awkward thing if carried too far. And in this matter of the parsonage I don't see how the trustees can allow it. Why, what would the other churches think of it? Calvary Church cannot allow anything of the kind, for the sake of its reputation. But I would like to hear Mr. Winter's opinion; he has not spoken yet.”
The rest turned to the mill-owner, who as chairman of the Board usually had much to say, and was regarded as a shrewd and careful business adviser. In the excitement of the occasion and discussion the usual formalities of a regular Board-meeting had been ignored.
Mr. Winter was evidently embarra.s.sed. He had listened to the discussion of the minister with his head bent down and his thoughts in a whirl of emotion both for and against the pastor. His naturally inclined business habits contended against the proposition to give up the parsonage; his feelings of grat.i.tude to the minister for his personal help the night of the attack by the mob rose up to defend him. There was with it all an under-current of self-administered rebuke that the pastor had set the whole church an example of usefulness. He wondered how many of the members would voluntarily give up half their incomes for the good of humanity. He wondered in a confused way how much he would give up himself. Philip's sermon had made a real impression on him.
”There is one point we have not discussed yet,” he said at last. ”And that is Mr. Strong's offer of half his salary to carry on the work of a children's refuge or something of that kind.”
”How can we accept such an offer? Calvary Church has always believed in paying its minister a good salary, and paying it promptly; and we want our minister to live decently and be able to appear as he should among the best people,” replied the nervous little man who had been first to speak.
”Still, we cannot deny that it is a very generous thing for Mr. Strong to do. He certainly is ent.i.tled to credit for his unselfish proposal; no one can charge him with being worldly-minded,” said Mr. Winter, feeling a new interest in the subject as he found himself defending the minister.
”Are you in favor of allowing him to do what he proposes in the matter of the parsonage?” asked another.
”I don't see that we can hinder Mr. Strong from living anywhere he pleases if he wants to. The church cannot compel him to live in the parsonage.”
”No, but it can choose not to have such a minister!” exclaimed the first speaker again, excitedly; ”and I for one am most decidedly opposed to the whole thing. I do not see how the church can allow it and maintain its self-respect.”