“I do not expect the church to act on my plan without due deliberation.  I have arrived at my own conclusions after a careful going over the entire ground.  And in the sight of all the need and degradation of the people, and in the light of all that Christ has made clear to be our duty as His disciples, it seems to me there is but one path open to us.  If we neglect to follow him as he beckons us, I believe we shall neglect the one opportunity of Calvary Church to put itself in the position of the Church of the crucified Lamb of God, who did not please Himself, who came to minister to others, who would certainly approve of any steps His Church on earth in this age might honestly make to reach men and love them, and become to them the helper and savior and life-giver which the great Head of the Church truly intended we should be.  I leave this plan, which I have proposed, before you, for your Christian thought and prayer.  And may the Holy Spirit guide us all into all the truth.  Amen.”

If Philip had deliberately planned to create a sensation, he could not have done anything more radical to bring it about.  If he had stood on the platform and fired a gun into the audience, it would not have startled the members of Calvary Church more than this calm proposal to them that they move their building a mile away from its aristocratic surroundings.  Nothing that he had said in his previous sermons had provoked such a spirit of opposition.  This time the church was roused.  Feelings of astonishment, indignation, and alarm agitated the members of Calvary Church.  Some of them gathered about Philip at the close of the service.

“It will not be possible to do this thing you propose, Brother Strong,” said one of the deacons, a leading member and a man who had defended Philip once or twice against public criticism.

“Why not?” asked Philip, simply.  He was exhausted with his effort that morning, but felt that a crisis of some sort had been precipitated by his message, and so he welcomed this show of interest which his sermon had aroused.

“The church will not agree to such a thing.”

“A number of them favor the step,” replied Philip, who had talked over the matter fully with many in the church.

“A majority will vote against it.”

“Yes, an overwhelming majority!” said one man.  “I know a good many who would not be able to go that distance to attend church, and they certainly would not join any other church on the street.  I know for one I wouldn’t.”

“Not if you thought Christ’s kingdom in this town would be advanced by it?” asked Philip, turning to this man with a directness that was almost bluntness.

“I don’t see as that would be a test of my Christianity.”