There was something in the tone and manner of this declaration that subdued the mill-owner a little.  He was an older man than Philip by twenty years, but a man of quick and ungoverned temper.  He had come to see the minister while in a heat of passion, and the way Philip received him, the calmness and dignity of his attitude, thwarted his purpose.  He wanted to find a man ready to quarrel.  Instead he found a man ready to talk reason.  Mr. Winter replied, after a pause, during which he controlled himself by a great effort: 

“I consider that you purposely selected me as guilty of conduct unworthy a church-member and a Christian, and made me the target of your remarks yesterday.  And I wish to say that such preaching will never do in Calvary Church while I am one of its members.”

“Of course you refer to the matter of renting your property to saloon men and to halls for gambling and other evil uses,” said Philip, bluntly.  “Are you the only member of Calvary Church who lets his property for such purposes?”

“It is not a preacher’s business to pry into the affairs of his church-members!” replied Mr. Winter, growing more excited again.  “That is what I object to.”

“In the first place, Mr. Winter,” said Philip, steadily, “let us settle the right and wrongs of the whole business.  Is it right for a Christian man, a church-member, to rent his property for saloons and vicious resorts, where human life is ruined?”

“That is not the question.”

“What is?” Philip asked, with his eyes wide open to the other’s face.

Mr. Winter answered sullenly:  “The question is whether our business affairs, those of other men with me, are to be dragged into the Sunday church-services, and made the occasion of personal attacks upon us.  I for one will not sit and listen to any such preaching.”

“But aside from the matter of private business, Mr. Winter, let us settle whether what you and others are doing is right.  Will you let the other matter rest a moment, and tell me what is the duty of a Christian in the use of his property?”

“It is my property, and if I or my agent choose to rent it to another man in a legal, business way, that is my affair.  I do not recognize that you have anything to do with it.”

“Not if I am convinced that you are doing what is harmful to the community and to the church?”

“You have no business to meddle in our private affairs!” replied Mr. Winter, angrily.  “And if you intend to pursue that method of preaching, I shall withdraw my support, and most of the influential, paying members will follow my example.”

It was a cowardly threat on the part of the excited mill-owner, and it roused Philip more than if he had been physically slapped in the face.  If there was anything in all the world that stirred Philip to his oceanic depths of feeling, it was an intimation that he was in the ministry for pay or the salary, and so must be afraid of losing the support of those members who were able to pay largely.  He clenched his fingers around the arms of his study-chair until his nails bent on the hard wood.  His scorn and indignation burned in his face, although his voice was calm enough.