“Now, Philip,” said his wife, in some alarm, “you are not going to meddle with the singing, are you?  It will get you into trouble.  There is a musical committee in the church, and such committees are very sensitive about any interference.”

“Well,” said Philip, rousing up a little, “the singing is a very important part of the service.  And it seems to me I ought to have something important to say about it.  But you need not fear, Sarah.  I’m not going to try to change everything all at once.”

His wife looked at him a little anxiously.  She had perfect faith in Philip’s honesty of purpose, but she sometimes had a fear of his impetuous desire to reform the world.  After a little pause she spoke again, changing the subject.

“What did you think of the congregation, Philip?”

“I enjoyed it.  I thought it was very attentive.  There was a larger number out this evening than I had expected.”

“Did you like the looks of the people?”

“They were all very nicely dressed.”

“Now, Philip, you know that isn’t what I mean.  Did you like the people’s faces?”

“You know I like all sorts and conditions of men.”

“Yes, but there are audiences, and audiences.  Do you think you will enjoy preaching to this one in Calvary Church?”

“I think I shall,” replied Philip, but he said it in a tone that might have meant a great deal more.  Again there was silence, and again the minister’s wife was the first to break it.

“There was a place in your sermon to-night, Philip, where you appeared the least bit embarrassed; as you seem sometimes at home, when you have some writing or some newspaper article on your mind, and some one suddenly interrupts you with a question a good way from your thoughts.  What was the matter?  Did you forget a point?”

“No, I’ll tell you.  From where I stand on the pulpit platform, I can see through one of the windows over the front door.  There is a large electric lamp burning outside, and the light fell directly on the sidewalk, across the street.  From time to time groups of people went through that band of light.  Of course I could not see their faces very well, but I soon found out that they were mostly the young men and women operatives of the mills.  They were out strolling through the street, which, I am told, is a favorite promenade with them.  I should think as many as two hundred passed by the church while I was preaching.  Well, after awhile I began to ask myself whether there was any possible way of getting those young people to come into the church instead of strolling past?  And then I looked at the people in front of me, and saw how different they were from those outside, and wondered if it wouldn’t be better to close up the church and go and preach on the street where the people are.  And so, carrying on all that questioning with myself, while I tried to preach, causing a little ‘embarrassment,’ as you kindly call it, in the sermon.”