The following week Calvary Church held a meeting.  It was one of the most stormiest meetings ever held by the members.  In that meeting Mr. Winter again, to the surprise of nearly all, advised caution, and defended the minister’s action up to a certain point.  The result was a condition of waiting and expectancy, rather than downright condemnation of the proposed action on Philip’s part.  It would be presenting the church in a false light to picture it as entirely opposed, up to this date, to Philip’s preaching and ideas of Christian living.  He had built up a strong buttress of admiring and believing members in the church.  This stood, with Mr. Winter’s influence, as a breakwater against the tidal wave of opposition now beginning to pour in upon him.  There was an element in Calvary Church conservative to a degree, and yet strong in its growing belief that Christian action and Church work in the world had reached a certain crisis, which would result either in the death or life of the Church in America.  Philip’s preaching had strengthened this feeling.  His last move had startled this element, and it wished to wait for developments.  The proposal of some that the minister be requested to resign was finally overruled, and it was decided not to oppose his desertion of the parsonage, while the matter of reduction of salary was voted upon in the negative.

But feeling was roused to a high pitch.  Many of the members declared their intention of refusing to attend services.  Some said they would not pay their pledges any longer.  A prevailing minority, however, ruled in favor of Philip, and the action of the meeting was formally sent him by the clerk.

Meanwhile Philip moved out of the parsonage into his new quarters.  The daily paper, which had given a sensational account of his sermon, laying most stress upon his voluntary proposition referring to his salary, now came out with a column and a half devoted to his carrying out of his determination to abandon the parsonage and get nearer the people in the tenements.  The article was widely copied and variously commented upon.  In Milton his action was condemned by many, defended by some.  Very few seemed to understand his exact motive.  The majority took it as an eccentric move, and expressed regret in one form and another that a man of such marked intellectual power as Mr. Strong seemed to possess lacked balance and good judgment.  Some called him a crank.  The people in the tenement district were too much absorbed in their sufferings and selfishness to show any demonstration.  It remained to be seen whether they would be any better touched by him in his new home.