Instead of that, the members of the very Church of Christ on earth spend more in a single evening’s entertainment for people who don’t need it than they give to the salvation of men in a whole year.  I protest out of the soul that God gave me against such wicked selfishness.  And I will protest if society spurn me from it as a bigot, a puritan, and a boor.  For society in Christian America is not Christian in this matter—­no, not after the Christianity of Christ!”

“What can you do about it, Philip?” His wife asked the question sadly.  She had grown old fast since coming to Milton.  And a presentiment of evil would, in spite of her naturally cheery disposition, cling to her whenever she considered Philip and his work.

“I can preach on it, and I will.”

“Be wise, Philip.  You tread on difficult ground when you enter society’s realm.”

“Well, dear, I will be as wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove, although I must confess I never knew just exactly how much that verse meant.  But preach on it I must and will.”

And when the first Sunday of the month came, Philip did preach on it, to the dismay of several members of his church who were in the habit of giving entertainments and card parties on a somewhat elaborate scale.

He had never preached on the subject of amusements, and he stated that he wished it to be plainly understood that he was not preaching on the subject now.  It was a question which went deeper than that, and took hold of the very first principles of human society.  A single passage in the sermon will show the drift of it all.

“We have reached a time in the history of the world when it is the Christian duty of every man who calls himself a disciple of the Master to live on a simpler, less extravagant basis.  The world has been living beyond its means.  Modern civilization has been exorbitant in its demands.  And every dollar foolishly spent to-day means suffering for some one who ought to be relieved by that money wisely expended.  An entertainment given by people of means to other people of means in these hard times, in which money is lavished on flowers, food and dress, is, in my opinion, an act of which Christ would not approve.  I do not mean to say that he would object to the pleasure which flowers, food and dress will give.  But he would say that it is an unnecessary enjoyment and expense at this particular crisis through which we are passing.  He would say that money and time should be given where people more in need of them might have the benefit.  He would say that when a town is in the situation of ours today it is not a time for any selfish use for any material blessing.  Unless I mistake the spirit of the modern Christ, if he were here he would preach to the whole world the necessity of a far simpler, less expensive style of living, and, above all, actual self-denial on the part of society for the Brotherhood of man.  What is society doing now?  What sacrifice is it making?