Newspaper Page Text
? December 39, 1909. THE
be very comfortable. I get so full of it
I forget who I am, and have not time to
be homesick. 1 make five visits a day,
teach sewing in their homes and visit
the old and sick. I get much comfort
from Miss Simms. As soon as I can 1
will subscribe again for your paper.
Would be glad to have a visit from you.
1 have a company room. The big bugs
or rne mill nave neen most kind to me in
every way.
A PRAYING POLICEMAN.
I had occasion the other day to go
down to the police headquarters. I
passed into the office of'the probation
officer. He is a man of fifty and has a
kindly face. When you have studied his
face for a moment, you know that he is
a Christian man, for, somehow, what we
are gets stamped on our faces sooner or
later.
There were several women and children
of the poorer classes in his office.
They had come to tell him of their
troubles. They had troubles enough. At '
last all had gone but one woman. She
had a very good face. Probably she had
seen better days. But her clothes were
a bit threadbare and her feet were prac
tically on the ground. I was on the
other side of the room and was not supposed
to hear, but I could not help It.
She was married and had one little
child. But her husband neglected her
and was often cruel. He made good
wages, but spent nearly all he made for
his own sinful pleasures and brought
very little home for the support of his
family. Worst of all, he was unfaithful
to her. It was a pitiful tale. The bighearted
policeman sat perfectly silent
until she was through. And then what
do you suppose he said? "Sister, are
you a Christian?" I had to take my
bearings again to see whether I was in
police headquarters or at church. She
assured him that she was and that she
was a member of the Methodist church.
Then he said: "You go home and do your
duty as best you can, and lay this whole
thing before your God in prayer; that is
all that you can do just now, and I believe
he will make it all right. In the
meantimp I will 1
- ..... gu ai uuv.c uuu nee your
husband and talk the whole matter over
with him and tell him he must do right,
and if he doesn't, I will most certainly
make a case out against him."
What a fine combination of faith and
works! The little woman got up and
brushed the tears away, and it seemed
to me that there was a new light in her
eye.
I must follow up that case and see
what happens. Surely nothing but good
can come. What a splendid opportunity
God gives to a policeman for doing good!
I had not thought of it before. If they
would all seize the opportunity as this
man did, this would be a far happier
world. I find that my praying policeman
is also a Presbyterian policeman. He
is a member in mighty good standing in
. one of the Presbyterian churches of Atlanta.
W. L. L.
; PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOU
PICKED UP BY THE PERIPATETIC.
It has been the fortune of the writer
during the last few months to spend
much time In "going to and fro in the
earth." (Job 1:7. With profound apologies
to the speaker and with an earnest
hope that the reader will not confuse the
miu me speaxer), especially
among "the Sons of God"; and as he has
walked "up and down" among them he
has heard and seen and considered several
things. Of some of them he purposes
to write from time to time. Here is one:
Upon one occasion he fell in with a
prominent layman with whom he traveled
not many miles. That the reader
may give the more earnest heed to what
this layman said, the writer will record a
little of his history and attainments.
Sprung of sturdy Scotch-Irish stock he
hna mQHO Dr?l?r?^ ~~
?.HMv opicumu use ui uis native ability
and has occupied many places of usefulness
and trust both in church and
state. As a ruling elder he has sat in all
the courts of the Presbyterian system.
As a citizen he is known and honored as
"Judge" and "Senator"; and in both capacities
has fought valiantly for good
morals and civic righteousness. The writer
is no prophet, neither son of a prophet,
but he boldly makes the prediction that
by this time next year this man will be
the Governor of one of the greatest and
proudest of all our States. All honor to
harnlf n?n- * *
uu. .Quail, uuuiy ciuzensnip: lillt
to his words.
The discussion was of the Church and
her needs and the writer used some such
words as these: "The need of more men
for the ministry is pathetic and appalling."
"Yes," he answered, "and will be till
the ministry is better paid."
The writer was silent; but he asked
himself very earnestly these questions:
"Can it be true that I am preaching for
money?" "Do men think this of the ministry?"
But the speaker continued: "It
is not selfishness and lack of consecration
that keep many fine young men out
of this noblest of all professions. By no
means. Men of our age and our country
?*ain. we iiomt; me wun wire and cnildren
around their tables. And this is
right; good Americanism, good Christianity."
Then laying his hand in a fatherly
way upon the author's shoulder, he
said: "They don't think about hardships
and privations for themselves. These
they would gladly bear, but they are not
willing to subject wife and children to
such sacrifices." Then with glowing eyes
and burning words he added emphatic
any, Ana tney are right."
Having had to say "no" to wife and little
ones many a time himself the writer
was silent. Can the reader imagine why?
And as he was silent then, so now he has
no answer to these words, but does desire
to pass them on. He has no wish to say
"yea" or "nay" to what he heard In this
conversation, but will the reader bear
these facts in mind?
The need of more men in the ministry
is "pathetic and appalling." The writer
knows one man, and he occupying an obscure
place, who in the past nine months,
Vf
TH * r 15
has declined as .many* calls .a^di most of
these fields are still vnrnntt
'The explanatiob of this j3horta#e' in the
supply of ministers as given above is that
of a shrewd, thoughtful, observant, successful,
broad-minded, cultured, well-informed,
and Godly man of affalrfe.
The hardships and privations resulting
from meager salaries of minister^ must
be borne by their wives and children as
well as by themselves." , 'n?.
Does the Church of Jesus Christ desire
this? Peripatetic.
. '.,1. < i
CHRISTMAS AMD THE ORPHANS.
Christmas, the time of year when
every one is supposed to be happy and
in a charitable mood, is upon us, and
many are planning and making great
preparations for the happy occasion.
ratners ana mothers, brothers and sisters,
relatives and friends, are all interested
in finding out the desires of loved
ones, and are endeavoring to see them
met. But there are a great many in our
land who have no one near and dear to
them, to remember them and make
them happy by fulfilling their desires,
prominent among whom are the orphan
children scattered over the country and
gathered in our various homes.
Shall these fatherless little ones, who
hflVfi T1A Ann +n nn?? * *U 1 * *
?>?>v mv uuc iu taic iur tut; m, UtlL WnO111
Jesus loves and claims as His own, be
forgotten and neglected at this time by
a charitable public? Shall they be neglected
and not made happy on this day of
happiness, which commemorates the
birth of him who brought "peace on
earth and good will to. men?" Surely
not if we would meet his approval who
said "If ye do good to them who do good
to you, and lend to them of whom ye
hope to receive, what thank have ye?
for sinners do even the same. Do good
hoping for nothing again, and your reward
will be great, and ye shall be the
children of the Highest." In the prophecies
he also tells us, "Is not this the fast
(feast) that I have chosen, to loose the
banflq nf wlolroHnooa ?
.. .WMVUUV0O| iu UUUU LUC UCUV7
burdens and let the oppressed go free?
Is It not to deal thy bread to the hungry,
and that thou bring the poor that are
cast out to thy house? When thou seest
the naked, that thou cover him? If thou
draw out thy soul to the hungry and
satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy
light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness
be as the noonday, and the Lord shall
guide thee continually and satisfy thy
soul in drought." Hear him again, by
thn A nnofln ?1 ? *
tuc nfuoiiV) Daj infti rui U I Ull^lUIl <111(1
undeflled before God and the Father is to
visit the fatherless and widows in their
affliction," etc. Surely, in view of these
statements, God's people will not forget
these fatherless and destitute little ones,
but will make an offering that will cheer
their sad little hearts. We plead espe
dally for the seventy-three little ones
gathered. In the Southwestern Home at
Files, Texas, that they be remembered
with gifts of money, slothing, groceries,
toys, fruft, candy, etc. and that the same
be sent to the undersigned at Itasca, Hill
county, Texas. Jas. D. McLean.