The fact of the matter was, the seven churches of different denominations in Milton had no living connection whatever with nearly one-half the population, and that the most needy half, of the place.
The longer Philip studied the situation, the more un-Christian it looked to him, and the more he longed to change it.

He went over the ground again and again very carefully.

He talked with the different ministers, and the most advanced Christians in his own church.

There was a variety of opinion as to what might be done, but no one was ready for the radical move which Philip advocated when he came to speak on the subject the first Sunday of the month..