Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-05-22
The Infirmary Poor.

EDS. HERALD:
The Government has been looking after
the physical, and to some extent, the in
tellectual wants of the poor. They are
housed, clothed and schooled, and ply
sieians appointed and paid to see after
their health. The Superintendent has
gone step farther, and invited ministers
to look after the moral and religious in
terests of the inmates of the Institution.
This invitation has been frequently re-
peated, and some of the ministers have
promised to attend to the matter, and
even made appointments to preach, bur
most of these appointments seem to have
been forgotten. The Law Book by which
our clerical friends ought to be governed
has positive enactment binding directly
on them, which says: FtPreach the Gospel
TO every creature" We know that this
command means business, and we further
know, that our preachers have big job
on their hands, and when they cannot go
themselves they have the oversight of the
business, at least, in their own hands.
They are the directors of our organized
body, and there ought to be some under
their influence to whom they could say,
''come and go,'' who would obey them.
1t is true, many church members are
sleepy drones, as far as the church is con-
cerned, but active and business-like when
a dollar is the prize. Somebody is res
ponsible for this state of things. We do
not propose, however, to look after the
responsible persons in this thing, but we
10 nj, oF
grade to look it up for themselves.
We We're struck with admiration at the
thorough business-like manner in which
the meetings of the Ladies' Missionary So
ciety was conducted in the Presbyterian
Church in Washington, a few weeks ago.
The lady in the chair seemed to under
stand her business thoroughly. The Sec
retary, with her calm, self-possession,
and her consumate clerical ability, would
have graced the clerkship of the Ameri-
can House of Representatives in Con-
gress amid the storms of the organiza-
ton of the House. The lady who spoke
displayed so much ability and piety, that
we thought if the Lord should come that
way; as he did on one occasion to Sodom,
| that Washington would be certainly saved
| from the fiery ordeal which the cities of
| the plain endured. All the Churches in
Washington seemed to be represented in
that meeting, and we could not help but
look with pleasing anticipations to the
generation following such a set of women.
Then again, we thought of the far offin-
fluence they were exerting through their
organization in foreign countries and the
isles of the sea; and what blessing it
would be if the ministers, or somebody
else, would call their attention to the
poor children i'll the Infirmary. Those
children need a good Sabbath-school more
than they do preaching. They need wo-
mans gentle, constant, prayerful atten-
ton. The ladies are better teachers than
the men; and while we would not for a
moment exempt the men from their du-
ties -tesdhe poor, all we ask of them is to
see to it that the ladies have way of get
ting there, and be sure and go along with
them. Then, after they get there, if they
(the men, should be assigned a class OF
classes, it will be because they are DEEM
ed pious and competent, and they should
try and do the very best they can.
Washington is only two miles from the
Tnfirmary. We commend the spiritual
interests of its poor children to the pray
erful attention of every Church member
in Washington. f.