The Doctor changed his tone. His reply was more a question than an
answer. "There are other churches?"
Dan laughed bitterly. "They have taken care of that, too." He began to
tell of the call to Chicago and the Elders' refusal to give him a letter,
but again the Doctor interrupted him. "Yes, I know about that, too."
"Well," demanded Dan almost angrily.
"Well," answered the other easily, "there are still other churches."
"You mean--."
"I mean that you are not the only preacher who has been talked about by
his church, and branded by his official board with the mark of the devil
in the name of the Lord. It's easy enough! Go farther, get a little
obscure congregation somewhere, stay long enough to get a letter, not
long enough to make another name; try another in the same fashion. Lay
low, keep quiet, stay away from conventions, watch your chance, and--when
the time is ripe--make a hit with the state workers in some other state.
You know how! It's all easy enough!"
Dan leaped to his feet. "Good God, Doctor! I have done nothing wrong. Why
should I skulk, and hide, and scheme to conceal something I never did,
for the privilege of serving a church that doesn't want me? Is this the
ministry?"
"It seems to be a large part of it," answered the other deliberately.
"My boy, it's the things that preachers have not done that they try
hardest to hide. As to why, I must confess that I am a little
near-sighted myself sometimes.
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