"Well," said Philip, slowly, as he seemed to grasp the meaning of his
wife's words, "to tell the truth, I never thought of that!" He sat down
and looked troubled. "Do you think, Sarah, that because he is a negro
the church will refuse to receive him to membership? It would not be
Christian to refuse him."
"There are other things that are Christian which the Church of Christ on
earth does not do, Philip,["] replied his wife, almost bitterly. "But
whatever else Calvary Church may do or not do, I am very certain it will
never consent to admit to membership a black man."
"But here[sic] are so few negroes in Milton that they have no church. I
cannot counsel him to unite with his own people. Calvary Church must
admit him!" Philip spoke with the quiet determination which always
marked his convictions when they were settled.
"But suppose the committee refuses to report his name favorably to the
church--what then?" Mrs. Strong spoke with a gleam of hope in her heart
that Philip would be roused to indignation that he would resign and
leave Milton.
Philip did not reply at once. He was having an inward struggle with his
sensitiveness and his interpretation of his Christ. At last he said:
"I don't know, Sarah. I shall do what I think He would. What I shall do
afterward will also depend on what Christ would do. I cannot decide it
yet. I have great faith in the Church on earth."
"And yet what has it done for you so far, Philip? The business men
still own and rent the saloons and gambling houses. The money spent by
the church is all out of proportion to its wealth. Here you give away
half your salary to build up the kingdom of God, and more than a dozen
men in Calvary who are worth fifty and a hundred thousand dollars give
less than a hundredth part of their income to Christian work in
connection with the church. It makes my blood boil, Philip, to see how
you are throwing your life away in these miserable tenements, and
wasting your appeals on a church that plainly does not intend to do,
does not want to do, as Christ would have it. And I don't believe it
ever will."
"I'm not so sure of that, Sarah," replied Philip, cheerfully. "I believe
I shall win them yet. The only thing that sometimes troubles me is, Am I
doing just as Christ would do? Am I saying what He would say in this age
of the world? There is one thing of which I am certain--I am trying to
do just as I believe He would. The mistakes I make are those which
spring from my failure to interpret His action right. And yet I do feel
deep in me that if He was pastor of this church to-day, He would do most
of the things I have done; He would preach most of the truths I have
proclaimed. Don't you think so, Sarah?"
"I don't know, Philip. Yes, I think in most things you have made an
honest attempt to interpret Him."
"And in the matter of the sexton, Sarah, wouldn't Christ tell Calvary
Church that it should admit him to its membership? Would He make any
distinction of persons? If the man is a Christian, thoroughly converted,
and wants to be baptized and unite with Christ's body on earth, would
Christ, as pastor, refuse him admission?"
"There is a great deal of race prejudice among the people. If you press
the matter, Philip, I feel sure it will meet with great opposition."
"That is not the question with me. Would Christ tell Calvary Church that
the man ought to be admitted? That is the question. I believe He
would," added Philip, with his sudden grasp of practical action. And
Mrs. Strong knew that settled it with her husband.
It was the custom in Calvary Church for the church committee on new
names for membership to meet at the minister's house on the Monday
evening preceding the preparatory service. At that service all names
presented by the committee were formally acted upon by the church. The
committee's action was generally considered final, and the voting was in
accordance with the committee's report.
So when the committee came in that evening following the Sunday that had
witnessed the conversion of the sexton, Philip had ready a list of
names, including several young men. It was a very precious list to him.
It seemed almost for the first time since he came to Milton as if the
growing opposition to him was about to be checked, and finally submerged
beneath a power of the Holy Spirit, which it was Philip's daily prayer
might come and do the work which he alone could not do. That was one
reason he had borne the feeling against himself so calmly.
Philip read the list over to the committee, saying something briefly
about nearly all the applicants for membership and expressing his joy
that the young men especially were coming into the church family. When
he reached the sexton's name he related, simply, the scene with him
after the morning service.
There was an awkward pause then. The committee was plainly astonished.
Finally one said: "Brother Strong, I'm afraid the church will object
to receiving the sexton. What is his name?"
"Henry Roland."
"Why, he has been sexton of Calvary Church for ten years," said another,
an older member of the committee, Deacon Stearns by name. "He has been
an honest, capable man. I never heard any complaint of him. He has
always minded his own business. However, I don't know how the church
will take it to consider him as an applicant for membership."
"Why, brethren, how can it take it in any except the Christian way?"
said Philip, eagerly. "Here is a man who gives evidence of being born
again. He cannot be present to-night when the other applicants come in
later, owing to work he must do, but I can say for him that he gave all
evidence of a most sincere and thorough conversion; he wishes to be
baptized; he wants to unite with the church. He is of more than average
intelligence. He is not a person to thrust himself into places where
people do not wish him--a temperate, industrious, modest, quiet workman,
a Christian believer asking us to receive him at the communion table of
our Lord. There is no church for his own people here. On what possible
pretext can the church refuse to admit him?"
"You do not know some of the members of Calvary Church, Mr. Strong, if
you ask such a question. There is a very strong prejudice against the
negro in many families. This prejudice is especially strong just at this
time, owing to several acts of depredation committed by the negroes
living down near the railroad tracks. I don't believe it would be wise
to present this name just now." Deacon Stearns appeared to speak for the
committee, all of whom murmured assent in one form or another.
"And yet," said Philip, roused to a sudden heat of indignation; "and
yet what is Calvary Church doing to help to make those men down by the
railroad tracks any better? Are we concerned about them at all except
when our coal or wood or clothing are stolen, or some one is held up
down there? And when one of them knocks at the door of the church, can
we calmly and coldly shut it in his face, simply because God made it a
different color from ours?" Philip stopped and then finished by saying
very quietly: "Brethren, do you think Christ would receive this man into
the church?"
There was no reply for a moment. Then Deacon Stearns answered: "Brother
Strong, we have to deal with humanity as it is. You cannot make people
all over. This prejudice exists and sometimes we may have to respect it
in order to avoid greater trouble. I know families in the church who
will certainly withdraw if the sexton is voted in as a member. And
still," said the old deacon, with a sigh, "I believe Christ would
receive him into His Church."
Before much more could be said, the different applicants came, and as
the custom was, after a brief talk with them about their purpose in
uniting with the church, and their discipleship, they withdrew and the
committee formally acted on the names for presentation to the church.
The name of Henry Roland, the sexton, was finally reported unfavorably,
three of the committee voting against it, Deacon Stearns at last voting
with the minister to present the sexton's name with the others.
"Now, brethren," said Philip, with a sad smile, as they rose to go, "you
know I have always been very frank in all our relations together. And I
am going to present the sexton's name to the church Thursday night and
let the church vote on it in spite of the action here to-night. You know
we have only recommending power. The church is the final authority. And
it may accept or reject any names we present. I cannot rest satisfied
until we know the verdict of the church in the matter."
"Brother Strong," said one of the committee, who had been opposed to the
sexton, "you are right as to the extent of our authority. But there is
no question in my mind as to the outcome of the matter. It is a question
of expediency. I do not have any feeling against the sexton. But I think it
would be very unwise to receive him into membership, and I do not
believe the church will receive him. If you present the name, you do so
on your own responsibility."
"With mine," said Deacon Stearns. He was the last to shake hands with
the minister, and his warm, strong grasp gave Philip a sense of
fellowship that thrilled him with a sense of courage and companionship
very much needed. He at once went up to his study after the committee
was gone. Mrs. Strong, coming up to see him later, found him as she
often did now, on his knees in prayer. Ah, thou follower of Jesus in
this century, what but thy prayers shall strengthen thy soul in the
strange days to come?
Thursday evening was stormy. A heavy rain had set in before dark and a
high wind blew great sheets of water through the streets and rattled
loose boards and shingles about the tenements. Philip would not let his
wife go out; it was too stormy. So he went his way alone, somewhat
sorrowful at heart as he contemplated the prospect of a small attendance
on what he had planned should be an important occasion.
However, some of the best members of the church were out. The very ones
that were in sympathy with Philip and his methods were in the majority
of those present, and that led to an unexpected result when the names of
the applicants for membership came before the church for action.
Philip read the list approved by the committee, and then very simply but
powerfully told the sexton's story and the refusal of the committee to
recommend him for membership.
"Now, I do not see how we can shut this disciple of Jesus out of His
Church," concluded Philip. "And I wish to present him to this church for
its action. He is a Christian; he needs our help and our fellowship;
and, as Christian believers, as disciples of the Man of all the race, as
those who believe that there is to be no distinction of souls hereafter
that shall separate them by prejudice, I hope you will vote to receive
this brother in Christ to our membership."
The voting on new members was done by ballot. When the ballots were all
in and counted it was announced that all whose names were presented were
unanimously elected except that of the sexton. There were twelve votes
against him, but twenty-six for him, and Philip declared that, according
to the constitution of the church, he was duly elected. The meeting then
went on in the usual manner characteristic of preparatory service. The
sexton had been present in the back part of the room, and at the close
of the meeting, after all the rest had gone, he and Philip had a long
talk together. When Philip reached home he and Sarah had another long
talk on the same subject. What that was we cannot tell until we come to
record the events of the Communion Sunday, a day that stood out in
Philip's memory like one of the bleeding palms of his Master, pierced
with sorrow but eloquent with sacrifice.