Judge Strong was an old campaigner. A heavy contributor to the general
work and missionary funds to which the leaders looked for the practical
solution of their modest bread and butter problems, he had the ears of
them all. Nor was the Elder slow to use his advantage. He could speak his
mind with frankness here, for these great men of the church lived far
from Corinth and, while knowing much of the Elder--the church man, knew
nothing of the Judge--the citizen and neighbor. More than this such
reports as the Elder had to make must, in the very nature of things, for
the good of the cause, be strictly private.
While the Judge was holding these little confidential chats with the
leaders, and the leaders were holding equally confidential chats with
their friends and favorites, and these in turn were doing as they had
been done by, the Elder's assistants, assigned to various church homes
in the city, were confidentially exchanging confidences with their
hostesses. And this is the simple truth of the whole matter, and the way
it all came about.
Dan was introduced to the secretary. "Ah--yes, Brother Matthews of
Corinth! Glad to meet you. Ah, excuse me I--ah, see a brother over there
with whom I must speak."
Dan was presented to the treasurer. "Oh yes, I have heard of you--at
Corinth. Why, hello, Brother Simpkins"--catching a passing preacher by
the arm--"glad to see you! How are you and how is the work?"
Dan introduced himself to one or two of those whom he had hungered to
see, those who were noted in the church papers for their broad wisdom
and saintly character, and somehow Dan felt rebuked for his forwardness
when each, from his pedestal, looked at him and said, "Oh yes; Brother
Matthews! I have heard of you, Brother Matthews!"
During the forenoon session of the second day the order of business was
reports of the churches.
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