The Crucifixion of Philip StrongSheldon, Charles M.
General
The Crucifixion of Philip Strong
Sheldon, Charles M.
Christian fiction
"Last night, it will be safe to say that those who were fortunate enough
to secure standing-room in Rev. Philip Strong's church heard and saw
things that no other church in this town ever witnessed.
"In the first place, it was a most astonishing crowd of people. Several
of the church-members were present, but they were in the minority.
They[sic] mill-men swarmed in and took possession. It is not exactly
correct to say that they lounged on the easy-cushioned pews of the
Calvary Church, for there was not room enough to lounge, but they filled
up the sanctuary and seemed to enjoy the comfortable luxury of it.
"The subject of the evening was Wealth, and the President of the Trades
Assembly of Milton made a statement of the view which working-men in
general have of wealth as related to labor of hand or brain. He stated
what to his mind was the reason for the discontent of so many at the
sight of great numbers of rich men in times of suffering, or sickness,
or lack of work. 'Why, just look at the condition of things here and in
every large city all over the world,' he said. 'Men are suffering from
the lack of common necessaries while men of means with money in the bank
continue to live just as luxuriously and spend just as much as they ever
did for things not needful for happiness. It has been in the power of
men of wealth in Milton to prevent almost if not all of the suffering
here last winter and spring. It has been in their power to see that the
tenements were better built and arranged for health and decency. It has
been in their power to do a thousand things that money and money alone
can do, and I believe they will be held to account for not doing some of
those things!'
"At this point some one in the gallery shouted out, 'Hang the
aristocrats!' Instantly Rev. Mr. Strong rose and stepped to the front of
the platform. Raising his long, sinewy arm and stretching out his open
hand in appeal, he said, while the great audience was perfectly quiet,
'I will not allow any such disturbance at this meeting. We are here, not
to denounce people, but to find the truth. Let every fair-minded man
bear that in mind.'
"The preacher sat down, and the audience cheered. Then before the
President of the Assembly could go on, a man rose in the body of the
house and asked if he might say a word.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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