"
The Elder's voice trembled again. "Brother Matthews! Brother Matthews!
I--I protest! Such language, applied to an Elder is unchristian; you
know the scripture?"
"Is it not true?" persisted Dan.
"Ahem! Brother Strong may have made a mistake, may--ah, have done wrong,
but the church--the church; we must think of the good name of the cause!
Coming so soon after the revival, too!"
"Am I to understand, then, that the church will keep this man in his
place as an Elder; that you will protect him when you know his true
character?"
At the question the other stared blankly. "Why--why how could we get
along without him?"
"How can you get along with him?" asked Dan.
"But there isn't a man in Corinth who has done so much for us and for
the missionary cause! No, no, we must be more careful, Brother Matthews."
"Then for the sake of his contributions and his position in the community
the church will shield him from the results of his crime?"
The Elder squirmed uneasily in his chair.
"Is that what you mean?" insisted Dan.
"Why--I--I don't think, Brother Matthews, for the good of our cause in
Corinth, that it would be good policy to make this matter public and so
create a great stir. Brother Strong has made restitution. We must be
charitable, brother, and forgiving. You must not think too--too hard of
him. Are these people determined to push this matter?"
"Oh, no," said Dan, "not at all. They want only that which belongs to
them.
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