Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-08-10
The Gospel in a Kiss.

4 Ht NONptl III IL MSS
Mrs W had long been known to the police
on the East Side Of New York city. A wo-
man once Of great beauty, she had become
an outcast and a common street drunkard
When on a spree, she was very disorderly and
violent and as she possessed unusual physi-
cal strength and it would hardly do to use
their clubs upon a woman, few policemen
liked TO arrest her alone Her husband, who
had been very kind and had long clung to
her, had now given her up and her children
had been taken from her She had forgotten
how many times She had been sent up to the
Island and from month to six months in
the Penitentiary and fortnight home, was
the usual course Of her life for years. At the
time Of our story, she HAD been a few days at
liberty, and was staying in the garret Of
miserable house in the worst part Of the
ward.
Her forlorn condition touched the heart Of
one Of the female missionaries connected with
the district in which she lived, and she re.
solved to see what she could do for her As
she went, she called upon a friend to con-
suit as to the best way Of approaching the
woman
&" I'm going to see Mrs W this morning,
said the missionary to her friend
You'd better not She'll toss you down
stairs
Don't you think the Lord Jesus would
visit her and do her good if He were here ?"
- Very likely, but you're not the Lord,
and have no right to expect any different
treatment from what every one else has
had"
I'm going anyhow" replied the good
woman. " I'm not going alone, but Jesus
with me. believe he will fulfill, even to
me, the promise to be with US to the end of
the world"
SO the little woman went and picking
her way to the top of the crazy stairs, found
a dark room under the caves, unfinished,
save with a single broken chair and an old
rusty stove. After her eyes were accustom-
ed to the darkness, she saw on heap of
straw, in the corner, what seemed at first like
a bundle of rags 1t was the woman she
sought, just recovering from the effects of
debauch, and but little removed from an at
tack Of delirium tremens. She sat on the
floor, moaning as in pain, with her hands
clasped about her knees, and her head lower
ed down upon them.
With prayer for aid, the ssionory step.
ped lightly across the floor, and laid her hand
gently upon the woman's shoulder Surpris-
ed and startled she looked up. 1t was a sad
face that missionary looked down upon. Sin
had trodden out every line ofits former beau
ty. Her eyes were heavy and bloodshot, /
bruised and blackened with blows her lips
were thick and puffy; and her hair tangled and
matted with dirt Without a word the mis-
sionary stopped down and gently kissed the
upturned forehead
What did you do that for ?" the woman
iercely demanded
Because, | love you
Love me me Then you don't know
who | am"
"Yes, l do, Mrs W. know who you are; and
I've come to see if | can do you good. Jesus
loves you, and | love you too" And again
she stopped down, and as she kissed the boat-
ed, dsfgured face, tear fell upon it.
Oh my God, my God, what did you
do that for ?" the poor woman moaned out
" That minds me of my mothers kiss. I've
had blows enough, and kicks and curses
enough, but no kiss since my little children
were taken from me. o my God what do |
you kiss me for Woman, woman, you'll |
kill me, and the poor creatures frame shook |
with sobs and uncomfortable emotion
The missionary then sat down at her side, |
and told her of the love Of Him who came to
seek and save the lost. She led her down |
from the garret, and took her to own home.
She washed and dressed her ; watched over
and helped her, when it seemed the mad thirst
for drink would not be denied, she brought
other friends and sympathy around her. and
saved her
Some two or three weeks after, in a mis-
sion Chapel near where she lived, Mrs. w. |
timidly rose, asking if there was mercy for
such a sinner As she stood there, her friend
came, and kneeling at her side, poured forth |
a prayer for her, which by its pathos and
pleading, and wrestling love, melted every
heart. God heard it. In few days the
outcast found peace, and was restored to her
husband and children.
But few months later, new mission
Chapel was dedicated. In the procession
marched more than two hundred women, mem
bers of a Woman's Temperance Society, many
of whom, like Mrs. W., had been picked out
of the street. At their head was woman,
refined and lady.like in hcr bearing, and con-
spicuous for her personal appearance and
modest demeanor, bearing in her hand ban
ner inscribed, " "Womans work for womans
veal"
Who is that fine looking woman asked
a gentleman present
"That is Mrs. W., whose history you will
recolect you had some little while ago"
In the course of the evening, when he
asked, Mrs. w. in what way did the gos-
pei find you ?" she replied, with trembling
lips, and eyes bright with tears, "The gospel
found me, sir, with kiss Rec. A. G. Roe,
q, I,fo,,a,