The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-11-30
For the Central Presbyterian.
Reclaim the Lost.


promise, fell into a grievous sin. The
whole family felt as if their honor was
stained. The mother, a protesting Chris
tian woman, scorned the SHINING daugh-
ter, and drove her forth into a cold and
heartless world
The homeless wanderer landed where
her guilty passions led, and the cruelty
of contempt drove her. Here she re-
manned until ill-health and the fortunes
of remorse drove her forth to seek some
more congenial home. Where should she
go? Where could she go? No money !
No friend Worse than when driven
from her mothers home, she dared not
offer to return. By stealth she wandered
into more respectable, though still not
the best part of the town. Here she
rented little shabby room Just opposite
a very respectable dwelling where decent
people lived. This she did that those re-
spectacle people might see and be able to
testify that her room was respectfully
kept. Here she lived and supported her
self by teaching little school, She was
well educated but few people would send
to her!
When she had spent six months here
and established the sincerity of her pur-
pose to reform she wrote to the far away
mother; confessed all her sin; told of her
misery and ill-health; then told of her
reform and gave the proof of it, and asked
to be allowed to return to her home, from
which she would never wander again.
The mothers reply was as relentless as
her first act had been positive. She
wrote to her daughter that she must
never again come home.
After some months a revival of religion
began in the town where the POOR outcast
lived. One evening a kind and good
woman passed the half-open door of the
little shabby house looking in she saw
leaning on the bed pale, thin, care
worn woman. The stranger stepped in
and said, "Wont you read this tract?"
The sick woman looked up a moment,
then said, "This is Miss -, is it not ?"
Yes" replied the stranger. Then the
sick woman got up and said, est down
and let me talk to you" Then going to
the door she shut and fastened it, and re-
turned and sat down and gave full out
line of the history of her life, and spoke
pltltully OF her present helpless, hopeless
condition too sick to work longer, and
no friend to notice or care for her. The
stranger said, Cant you take Jesus for
your friend p The countenance of the
sufferer was overcast with misery, despair,
and anxiety as she replied, "God' people
spurn me. They scorn me on the street,
and would despise me in their church
Were L to dare to creep inside the door
some would mock while others would
take pains to show that they have
thorough contempt for me. My own
mother, one of Gods protested children,
will not forgive me. How dare I hope
that God will. He and his people have
given me over to the devil.
Then the conversation ran as follows
Won't you come down to our church,"
No! For I dare not go in the day
time, and am too far to go at night"
Wont you come and stay all night
near the church and go?"
Umph and where would I stay,
pray? With Mrs -- of my own type?"
No! with me in my own house"
Two weeks had almost gone The
second Sabbath after the above CONVEX
sation had come and the curtains of twi-
light were gently falling over the city.
The trembling form of a frail woman was
seen gliding along the streets. Surely
the thoughts in her mind were like these
Ill go and prove this woman if she
meets me kindly at home and at church,
l will again think that there is forgive
ness with God; but if am badly treated
or sighted now, shall never hope or
try again
1 need not give further details: Enough
to add that results were as the faint hopes
of that poor outcast woman and the wish
of the gracious Savior would have them
be.
Reader, may not press upon you
few reflections drawn from this narrative,
which in all essentials is true one?
Is it not too true that false pride and
spirit Of unforgiveness is too widespread !
In our Church? Are you forgiving and
condescending like Jesus? Take care
Take care lest some poor suffering sinner
be kept from Gods house and from God |
by your foolish pride or by your unfor-
giving spirit. No one was ever in the !
least degraded by kind effort to reclaim
lost soul. No one Of you ever suffered
for kindly giving seat in your pew to
the man Of vile raiment," Games ii p. |
Some Of you will one day hear those
blessed words-Inasmuch as ye did it |
unto the least of one Of these my breth-
rem, We did it unto me. And 1 greatly