The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1881-09-10
Communicated
STREET TALK.
by Den.
AREvIvAL.


Revered Editor.-Street Talk is usually saiiri-
cal and critical, and the above caption may lead
you, Sir, to reject at once my Incubation, as q
satire on religion. But pray read on. I could
not hope for a moment that You would give pub
LEFTY to 4 criticism on religion; but | thought
you might, on some Of its professors. Sir. with
all my quips, and chat, and jeer at many things,
let me say, that | am the son Of Christian pa
rents, and have believed in the redemption Of the
world by Christ, taught by a mother, since my
tenderest years. Therefore | am In accord and
sympathy, at once. with a revivalist who pro-
claims this truth. But | have thought that he
should not confne his Jealous exhortation 10
those who have not heard or needed the gospel.
but should proclaim il to those, who having
hears and protested, yet prescn, none Of the
evidences of its holy influence in their lives;
therefore trust that there may be
REVIVAL IN OUR cnURcHEs.
And that charity may So abound; that eur rclig-
ious Hawaiian society shall manifest only court
esy and good viii. and think no evil. But il is
not my reflection. but the expressions OF men on
the street, | want to communicate.
Pete. was at the Fort st. meeting. lie il
broken in spirit, in pocket. aud scedy in his
E@AAhNhNes III a tNiNdls GAlu Hts bOu.
man is a vain creature, and if he has nothing
big to show of, he is content to parade his sins.
OF his sores. And he will brag OF his relations
with the Lord; exclaiming: q am on the Lords
side, and | don't care who knows it," i'm a
publican and a sinner; as you know; but | don't
care about setting up any professions on that ac-
count. | honestly want to be revived but I
want a revival, in body ms well as soul. What's
the use of a salvation, that don't begin right
away ? IL conversion means easy credit in stores;
or a soft job at 500 n month, then there's some
thing in it,"
Said |; " Pete, drop your slnrs. There is a
true religion, and there are those who find in IL,
something that lifts them above all jobs, or
makes"
That's so, no Doubt replied Pete; as he
helped himselfto a cigar lying on my table which
having lit, he mumbled out the following, as he
wallowed the Havana around in his jaw. 'That's
so, Don, no doubt. There are, | believe mea
and women, with souls raised by religion above
this planet; but we don't see EN- around here. Our
religious folks cling to the dirt, rs close aS you or
| do. Their grip on the world, is what makes
us want 10 bod on. It's no use talking about
vanity, when a mans pockets full o. v%auities.
i ouIlooS gbu hhNb u uth ucdlg u put IN.
"No, Don, I aiut Tor u~psetting things. aint
no nIhilist, communist, or sand-lottcr. But when
men talk religion to me, [ want to feel that they
have got it, like those of old, who had all things
in common. want to feel that they will turn
out with their carriage and the band for a poor
regenerated soul, as readily as they would for n
soulless money bag, decorated the with grand cross
the Honorable Bilks. The Lord wants, what
everybody wants, an honest heart; even if IL has
bruised around. lie don't want religious prigs;
nor poor scalawags like me. Good Lord, Don,
| am praying all the time for a better heart.
Would any body turn his back on a
Savior? But when those who cry out a. seek
the SAVIOR are looking out so conlounded
sharp for themselves. / am not inclined
to look their way. Now, Don, don't smile your
smirk at me, as though | we're a dead beat, that
would like to testify in meeting If | thought IL
would pay. | believe in a hereafter. I believe
that there is a God over all. And | am not 70
degraded as to hope that by protesting this belief
| would get credulous religious folks to set me np
on account Of my pr%ofessed regeneration. But
want TO see the so-callcd sanctifed show the
heart Of love they profess to have. Let them be
willing at all times to sit down with a scedy man.
Let them look him up in his narrow musty
Let them take him out to drive behind
their handsome team. Perhaps that's too much,
Don, for such fellows as me to ask. Why should
| want to force fellowship on men-Christians or
otherwise? Well, | don't. Poor old Pete ia
proud. But this il II fact, Don, that one bit OF
kindly, cordial, brother fellowship. rendered per-
haps at a time Of need. is worth all the preaching
in the world and those who have got religion,
and plenty Of this worlds goods, can get up a
revival at any time. when they go forth with
their hearts in their hands"
I was touched by the earnestness Of Pete's
and showed some feeling Of interest.
he said, - Don, lend me Eve dollars"
felt that Pete was taking adyanfage of
sympathy. But Knew that be sorely needed
a little help,-and | was willing to make an
on the altar Of my awakened emotion
80 L pulled out the coin, and handed il to him.
Pete clutched my hand with both of his, az
tears started in his eyes, e%xclaiming. " Don, old
elbow this is religion. You know | am dead
broke and yon believe me to be a sponge-yet
you give me a lift ne a brother. The Lord will
reward you, if | don't" But Pete paid me
1ack-(this is a fact)-and be reused up to work,
md better things. And he has said that this
title start was, in some sort, a touch of religion
or him.