Dan glanced toward his desk where, in the envelopes, lay his resignation and his answer to the Chicago church. In the excitement of McGowan's trouble he had neglected to mail them.
"Of course," he questioned, quietly curious now, "the board will give me a letter?"
"Ahem! We—ah, discussed that also," said the Elder. "Brother Strong and the Evangelist—and, I may say, the entire board feel that we cannot consistently do so."
"May I ask why?"
"Ahem! Your teaching, Brother Matthews, does not seem to be in harmony with the brotherhood. We cannot endorse it, and the talk in the community about your conduct has been very damaging; very!"
"Is it charged that my teaching has been false to the principles of
Christianity as taught by Christ?"
"I cannot discuss that part, Brother Matthews. It is not such teaching as the churches of our brotherhood want."
"Does the church, sir, believe that my character is bad?"
"No, sir—no, sir! No one really believes that, but you have been—ah, injudicious. There has been so much talk, you know—"
"Who has talked?" Dan interrupted.