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.