"Do you speak from personal experience, sir?" "Oh, no--no indeed, Brother Matthews; but--ah, Brother Strong has felt for some time past that you have treated him rather coldly." Dan waited. "A lack of harmony between a pastor and his Elder is very bad--ah, very bad. Ahem! Ahem! And so, considering everything we--Brother Str--that is the board have thought best that your relations with the Memorial Church should discontinue." "And when was this action taken?" asked Dan quietly. "The day before the meetings closed. We wished to have the benefit of Brother Sigman's advice before he left. He met with us and we considered the whole matter quite carefully and prayerfully. I was appointed to tell you. I should add that there is no doubt but the people will concur in the board's decision. Many of the members, I may say, were seen before we took action." Dan glanced toward his desk where, in the envelopes, lay his resignation and his answer to the Chicago church. In the excitement of McGowan's trouble he had neglected to mail them. "Of course," he questioned, quietly curious now, "the board will give me a letter?" "Ahem! We--ah, discussed that also," said the Elder. "Brother Strong and the Evangelist--and, I may say, the entire board feel that we cannot consistently do so." "May I ask why?" "Ahem! Your teaching, Brother Matthews, does not seem to be in harmony with the brotherhood. We cannot endorse it, and the talk in the community about your conduct has been very damaging; very!" "Is it charged that my teaching has been false to the principles of Christianity as taught by Christ?" "I cannot discuss that part, Brother Matthews. It is not such teaching as the churches of our brotherhood want." "Does the church, sir, believe that my character is bad?" "No, sir--no, sir! No one really believes that, but you have been--ah, injudicious. There has been so much talk, you know--" "Who has talked?" Dan interrupted. The Elder continued, "These things follow a minister all his life. We cannot recommend a man of bad repute to our sister churches; it would reflect upon us." "For the same reason that you keep in a high office in the church a man who is an unrepentant thief?" said Dan. The Elder rose. "Really, Brother Matthews, I cannot listen to such words about our Elder!" "I beg your pardon, sir," said Dan huskily. "I was thinking aloud. Please tell me one thing more. I have here a letter from a church in Chicago asking me to consider a call. Have the Elders received a letter from them?" "Ahem! Yes, we considered it at that same meeting." "And you have written them?" "We could not recommend you. I am sorry, Brother Matthews." "I believe you are," said Dan slowly. "Thank you." When the Elder was gone Dan turned sadly back to his little study; the study that had come to stand so for everything to which he had devoted his life with such holy purpose, for which he had sacrificed so much.