The Van Buren press., 1870-10-18
VAN BUREN, ARK, OCTOBER ls, 1870.
The Gospel In . KISS.


police on the east side Of New York city.
A woman once of great beauty, she had
become an outcast and common street
drunkard. On spree she was very dis
orderly and violent; and as she possess
ed unusual physical strength, and 1t
would hardly do to use their clubs on
woman, few policemen liked to arrest her
alone. Her husband, who had long been
kind and reluctant to leave 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
Blackwclls Island prison; and from
month to six month in the penitentiary.
and fortnight home, was her usual
course of life for years. AT the time of
our story she had been q few days at lib
crty, and was staying in the garrett Of a
miserable house in the worst part of the
ward.
Her forlorn condition touched the
heart Of one Of the female missionaries
of the ward where she lived, and she re-
solved to see what could be done for her.
As she went she made call on a friend
to consult on the best way Of approach
ing the woman.
~ am going to see Mrs. W. this morn
ing" said the missionary to her friend
You had better not. She will toss
you down stairs"
"Do you not think the Lord Jesus
would visit her in her misery if He were
here 7"
Very likely but you are not the Lord
and have no right to expect any different
treatment from what any ono else has
had"
81 am going anyhow" replied the
good woman. 81 am going alone, but
Jesus is with me. | believe he will full
fill, even to me, the promise to be with
us ever, to the end of the world"
So the little woman went, and picking
her way to the top OF the crazy stairs,
found little, dark room under the caves,
unfurnished save with single broken
chair and an old rusty stove. After her
eyes were accustomed to the darkness,
she saw, on heap Of straw, in the cor
ner, what seemed to be mere bundle of
rags, but it was really the woman for
whom she looked, just recovering from a
debauch, and little removed from an at
tack of delrium tremens. She sat on the
floor. moaning with pain, with her hands
casped about her knees, and her head
lowered down upon them
With prayer for aid, the missionary
stepped lightly across the floor, and laid
her hand on the woman's shoulder Sur
prised and startled, she looked up. 1t
was sad face the missionary looked
down upon. Sin had trodden out every
line of its former beauty. Her eyes were
heavy and blood shot, bruised and black
cned by blows; her lips we're thick and
puffy. and her hair taugled and matted
with dirt Without word the mission
ary stopped down and gently kissed her
upturned forehead.
What did you do that fori p the wo-
man fercely demanded.
"Becausc love you"
"Love mei Me- Then you don't
know who / am"
"Yes / do, Mrs W., know who you
are, and have come to see if can do
you good. Jesus loves you, and love
you too" And again she bent down,
and as she kissed the bloated face tear
fell upon it.
"Oh my God, my God, what did you
do that for" the poor woman said in
moaning way That reminds me ofmy
mothers kiss. I've had blows enough,
and kicks and curses enough, but no
kisses since my little children were taken
from me. Oh, my God! what do you
kiss me for? Woman, woman, you'll
kill me !" and the poor creatures frame
shook with sobs and uncomfortable emo
ton.
The missionary then sat down By 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 her own home. She washed and dress
cd her; gave her help and care, when it
seemed that the thirst for drink would
not be denied. She brought other kind
friends and sympathy around her, and
saved her.
Some two or three weeks after, in a
mission chapel near where she lived, Mrs.
w. timidly rose, asking if there was mer-
cy for such u sinner AS she stood there.
her friend came, and kneeling at her side,
poured out prayer for her, which by its
pathos, and pleading, and wrestling love,
melted every heart. God heard it. In
a few days the outcast found calm and
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,
members OF woman's temperance socie-
ty, many Of whom, like Mrs. W., had
been won from the gutter. At their head
was woman refined and ladylike in her
bearing, and conspicuous for her person.
al appearance and modest demeanor,
bearing in her hand banner inscribed
"Woman's work for womans veal"
"Who is that fine looking woman 2"
asked gentleman present
THAT is Mrs. W., whose history, you
remember, you heard some time ago"
In the course Of the evening, when he
asked, Mrs. W. in what way did the Cos.
pei find your she replied, d,with trembling
lip, and eyes bright with tears, "The
Gospel found me with iss."-Rev. A.
G. Rou, in the Interior.
Don Piatt is astonished At finding