The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-08-13

DuUcnereu more bOuie Vhoh Uho thquioieiOh'
1t has punctured the eye. 1t has pierced
the side. 1t has struck weakness into the
lungs. II has sent madness into the brain.
It has filled the potter's field. It has
pitched whole armies Of the suffering into
crime and wretchedness and woe. But
now that speak of Dorcas and her min
istries to the poor, shall relate only the
charities of the needle.
This woman was a representative OF all
those women who make garments for the
destitute, who knit socks for the bare
footed, who prepare bandages for the
lacerated, who fix up boxes Of clothing for
Western missionaries, who go into the
asylums of the suffering and destitute,
bearing that Gospel which is sight for the
blind and hearing for the deaf, and which
makes the lame man leap like hart, and
brings the dead to life, immortal health
bounding in their pulses. What contrast
between the practical benevolence Of this
woman and q great deal Of the charity
of this dayl This woman did not
spend her time idly planning how the poor
of Joppa were to be relieved; she took heI
needle and relieved them. She was moi
like those persons who sympathize with
imaginary sorrows and go out into the
street and laugh at the boy who has upset
his basket Of cold victuals; or like thai
charity which makes rousing speech on
the benevolent platform and goes out N
kick the beggar from the step, crying:
"Hush your miserable howlingW The
sufferers of the world want not so much
theory as practice; not SO much kind wish
es as loaves Of bread; not so much smiles
as shoes; not so much "God bless youW
as jackets and frocks. l will put one
earnest Christian man, hard-working,
against five thousand mere theorists on the
subject of charity. There are a great
many who have fine ideas on the subject
of church architecture who never in theiI
life helped to build o church. There are
men who can give you the history oi
Buddhism and Mohammedanism who nev.
or sent farthing for their evangelization.
There are women who talk beautifully about
the suffering Of the world who never had
the courage, like Dorcas, to take the needle
and assault 1t.
come now to speak Of Dorcas the Ia
mented, When death struck do yn that
good woman, oh, how much sorrow there
was in Joppal suppose there were wom'
en- there with larger fortunes; women,
perhaps, with handsomer faces, but there
was no grief at their departure like this at
the death Of Dorcas. There was not more
turmoils upturning in the Mediterranean
Sea dashing against the wharves Of that
seaport than there were surgings to and
fro Of grief in Joppa because Dorcas was
dead. There are great many who go out
OF life and are unmissed. There may be o
very large funeral; there may be great
many carriages and a plumed hearse;
there may be high-sounding eulogiums;
the bell may toll at the cemetery gate;
there may be q very fine marble shaft
reared over the resting-place; but the
whole thing may be falsehood and q
sham. The Church Of God has lost moth
ing. The world has lost nothing. 1t is
only nuisance abated.
speak TO you of Dorcas the resurrect-
ed. The apostle came to where she was
and said: "Arise," and she sat up. In
|
put that. "She sat upW Oh, what q
time there must have been when the
apostle brought her out among her old
friendsl How the tears Of Joy must have
startedl What clapping Of hands there
must have beenl What singing! What
laughterl Sound 1t all through the lane
Shout It down that dark alleyl Let al
Joppa hear i'll Dorcas is resurrected
You and have seen the same thing many
time; not dead body resuscitated, but
the deceased coming up again after death
in the good accomplished. II a maj
labors up to fifty years of age, serving
God, and then dies, we are apt to thinl
that his earthly work Is done. No. Hi
influence on earth will continue till thu
world ceases. Services rendered fol
Christ never stop. Here is a Christian
woman. She tolls for the up.building Of I
church through many anxieties, through
many self-denials, with prayers and tears
and then she dies. 1t is fifteen years sine,
she wentaway. Now the spirit Of Go,
descends upon that church; hundreds o
souls stand up and confess the faith o
| luIlsl. mas Auub Shl lsbAhh NOhuh WI
went away fifteen years ago nothing TO d
with these things? / see the Towering ou
Of her noble heart. / hear the echo o
her footsteps in all these songs over sin
forgiven, in all the prosperity Of tn
church. The good that seemed to b
buried has como up again. Dorcas Is res
urrected.
After awhile all these womanly friend
Of Christ will put down their needle fol
ever. After making garments for other
some one will make a garment for them
the last robe we ever wear-the robe fo
the grave. You will leave behind the las
cry Of pain. You will have witnessed III
} last orphanage. You will have come
: worn out from your last round Of mercy
do not know where you will sleep nc
what your epitaph will be, but there wi
: be lamp burning at that tomb and a
angel OF God guarding 1t, and through a
. the long night no rude foot will distur
) the dust. Sleep on, sleep onl Soft bee
pleasant shadows, undisturbed repost
! Sleep onl
3 "Aseep in Jesus Blessed sleepl
. From which none ever wake TO weopl"
4 Then one day there will be a sky-ren
. ing, a whirl of wheels and the fash Of
4 pageant; armies marching, chains clan
a ing, banners waving, thunders boomin
4 and that Christian woman will arise fro
the dust, and she will be suddenly su