Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1881-12-01
lnthe Slums.

Domestic journal.
j think, says John B. Cough, in his
recent work, Sunshine and Shadow"
l never saw more striking effect pro-
duced on an audience than once wit
messed in London. 1 stood with de-
tective and two gentlemen at the juno
ton of three streets, listening to the din
and confusion of the very bad neigh
borhoOd. The detective had said.
snow gentlemen. you stand here by me
do not answer any questions that NAV
be put to you nor make any reply to
any remark but stand by me. Take
care of your valuables and listen"
The raw night-breeze brought to our
ears the wailing cry of neglected chill.
dren; the hOarse voice of blasphemv
and cursing; the shutting of feet; mu-
sic, with no melody; laughter, with no
mirth. Suddenly we heard a CRY of
'Murderl Murder! PoliceI" and n
half-naked woman dashed past us
her hair dishevelled, her face stream
ing with blood. "Stand STILL" said the
detective; "this is a common occur
renee. 1t is a fearful place, this. /
have brought missionaries from Africa
here, and they tell me there is no heath
enism in Africa equal to this in Chris
tian London.
Soon we heard a clear, distinct voice.
all out of place in the din; and the de-
tective said, Follow me, and 1 will
show you something worth looking at"
Wowent down the dim street, and
soon came to group, evidently COM
posed of some of the worst class of
thieves and beggars, surrounding a
plain-lOoking man in fustian Jacket.
who stood with his back against
lamp post; at his feet sat several
bleared, bloated, gin-soaked women on
the curbstone. While he stood there
he preached. Holding a pocket Tesla
ment IN his hand, he said, "Tve come
down here to bring yer good news. 1t
may seem strange that 1 should come
to place like this ere, to tell you good
news; but the Book what hold in nv
hand says its glad tidings of great Joy,
which is to all people; and that means
u.s."
Then he went on to tell of One that
was king in heaven; who had all that
heart could wish; the very angels
bowed down afOre him and covered
their faces when they spoke to him:
and he looked down on this ere
world, and he heard the people a-cry-
ing, and he seen 'em suffering, and he
came down to help 'em; but they
wouldn't have nothing to do with him.
They SLAPPED him in the face, they spit
on him, and they hung him between
two thieves" Then he said. "Wby
my dear friends, he might have sent
for twelve regiments of his Fathers
soldiers, and swept his enemies off the
face Of the earth, but he didn't. Oh.
no! He suffered for Just such poor
creatures as you and me.
Now, | want to tell you more about
him. He never turned his back on a
beggar; nobody ever came to him that
he told 'em to go away. There amt a
thief that he wouldn't welcome if he'd
come to him. There amt one of these
poor women, with her face blackened
10y the last nights fight, but his heart
is full of sympathy for Just such ones
rs she is. Why, my friends, they
brought woman to him that had been
doing wrong, and they were going to
stone her to death, according to their
law. What did he say to her? Why.
he didn't say nothing till everybody
was gone, COS he didn't want to shame
the poor creature. And when they
was all gone he spoke to her just as he
would to his own mother: "Woman.
where's them that's accusing of yer ?"
And she said, There amt none And
he said, NO more don't l, poor child;
you 60 away. and don't do so any more
That's what he said to her."
1t was a sermon, powerful in its
application to the class who heard il.
One woman lifted up her hands and
said, ooh, my Cod" another swayed
to and fro; another covered her face
with her apron; one man dashed his
hand across his eyes-t was too much
for him.
Many of these street preachers are
mechanics and working men, who have
been saved themselves. and now. in the
true spirit OF the gospel, are striving t.
save others. They may not be suited
to fastidious audience. They NAV
understand no rules of rhetoric. but
they talk from their experience. and
use language easily comprehended by
the audience who listen to them. No
one can listen to one of these street
preachers at the Seven Dials, or Gold
EN- Lane, and note the earnest attention
of the ragged audiences, without feel
ing that the speaker understands his
he rers, and they understand him.
What wonderful gospel we have,
that suits these wretched outcasts of
the slums, as well as the occupants of
paiatial mansions! Or. rather, what
precious Savior we have, who can say
and who does say to ALTO every
weary and heavy laden heart through
the world, "COme unto me and I will
give you restl'