The Forrest City times., 1889-12-07

Vl tul9 u8}t nlS WOulu0 QiQ HUI bVCuA her unac idly planning how the poor of your city of Joppa were to be relieved: she took her needle and relieved them. She was not like those rcfsons who symyathise with i'm. agisary sorrows, and go out in the street and laugh at tho boy who has upset his basket of cold vituals, or liko that charity which makes rousing speech On the be- nevolent platform, and goes out to kick tho begger from tho step, crying; Hush your miserable howlingr' The sufferers of tho world want not so much theory as practice; not so naues, tears as dollars; not 80 much kind wishes as loaves of bread, not so much smiles as shoes; not so much God bless yeus" as jackets and frocks. l will eut one earnest Christian man, hard working, against five thousand mere theorists on the subject of charity. There are great many who have fine ideas about church architecture who never in their life helped to build 6 church. There are men who can give you the history of Buddism and Mohammedanism, who never sent n farthiug for their evangelization. Tbero are women who talk beautifully about the suffering of the world, who never had the courage like Dorcas to take the needle and assault it.
 l come now to speak Of Dorcas the lament ed When death struck down that good woman, oh, how much sorrow there was in this town of Jopps, 1 suppose there were women hero 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 turmoil and upturning in the Mediterranean sea, dashing against the wharves of this seaport, than therc were surgings to and fro of grief because Dorcas was dead There are great many who go GU. of life and are unmissed. There may be very largo funeral, there may be great many car rtages and plumed hearse; there may bo high sounding eulogiums, the bell may toll at the cemetery gate; there may be n very fine marble shaft reared over the resting places but the whole thing may be a false hood and sham. The church of God has lost nothing, tho world has lost nothing. It is only nuisance abated; it is only grumber ceasing to find fault; it is only an idler stopped yawning; it is only dissipated fashionable parted from his wine cellar; while, on tho other hand, no esefai Christian leaves this world without being missei The church of God cries out like the prophet Howl, fir tree, for the cedar has fallen. 1" Widowhood comes and shows the garments which the departed had made Orphans are Nftcd up to look into the calm faco of the sleeping benefactress. Reclai med va. grancy comes and kisses the cold brow of her who charmed 1t away from sin, and al through tho streets of Joppa there is mourn. ing-mourning terause Dorcas is dead.
 When Josephine of France was carried out to her grave therc were a great many men and women of nomp and pride and position that went out after her; but am most affected by tho story of history that ou that day there were ten thousand of tho poor of France who followed her cenin, weeping and wailiug until tEe air rang again. because, when they lost Josephine. they lost their last earthly friend Oh, who would not rather have such ohsequies than all the tears that wers ever poured in the laehrymals that havr been exhumed from ancient cities. There may be no mass for the dead thero may be no costly sarcophagus, there may be no elaborate mausolaum; but in tho damp cellars Of tho city, and through the lonely huts of the mountain eiou, there will be mourning. mourning, mourning because Durcas is dead. .'Biessed are the dead who dlo in the Lord; they rest from their labors, and their works do follow them.n
 speak to you Of Dorcas tho resurreeted. The apostle came to where she was and said Arise; and she sat up!" In what n short compass the great writer put that ''Shc sat upl' Oh, what time thcro must have been around this town, when the apostle brought her out among her old friendsl How tho tears ef joy must have started What elappiug Of hands there must have beenl What singing, What laughter! Sound 1t all through that lane Shout 1t down that dark alley Let all haa {t Ia
 You and have seen the same thing many time; not dead body resuscstated, but the deceased coming up again after death In the good accomplished. If a man iabors up to fifty years of age, serving God, and then dies, we are apt 10 think that his earth. ly work is done No. His influence an earth will continue till the world ceases Services rendered for Christ never stop Christian woman tolls for the upouilding of a church through many anxieties, through many self denials, with prayers and tears, and then she dies. It is iifteuu years since she went away. Now the spirit of God descends upon that church: hun drcds Of souls stand up and confess the faith of Christ, Has that christian woman, who went away fifteen years ago nothing to do with these thingsl l sec the hower- ing out of her noble heart l hear the echo of her footsteps in all tho songs over sins forgiven, in all tho prosperity of the church, The good that seemed to bo buried has como up again. Dorcas is resurrectcd.
 After while all these womanly friends Of Christ will put down their needle for over. After making garments for others, some one will make a garment for them, the last robe WIG ever wear r~the robe for the grave. You will have heard the last cry of pain, You will have witnessed the last orphanage You will have como in worn out from your last round of mercy. do not know where you will sleep, nor what your epitaph wilt be, but there will be lamp burning at the tomb and an angel Of God guarding it. and through all the long night no rude foot will disturb the dust Sleep on, sleep on Soft bed, pleasant shadows, undisturbed reposel sleep on
 Asleep in Jesus Blessed sleep,
 From which none ever wake to weep.
 Then ono day there will be a sky rcnding, and whirl of wheels, and the flash of pageant; armies marching, chains clanking, banners waving, thunders booming. and that Christian woman wilt arise from the dust and she will be suddenly surrounded surrounded by the wanderers of the street whom she reclaimed, surrounded by the wounded souls to whom she had adminis- tered Daughter of God, so strangely sur rounded, what means this, It means that reward has come, that the victory is won that tho crown is ready, that the banquet is spread. Shout 1t through all tho crumb- ling earth. Sing 1t through all the flying heavens. Dorcas is resurrectedl
 In lSao. when some of the soldiers came back from the Crimean war to London. tho Queen of England distributed among thcm beautiful medals, called Crlmean medals Galleries were erected for the two houses oI paraIiament and the royal family to sit in. There was great audience to witness the distribution of tho medals X colonel who had lost both feet in tho battle of inkcrman was pulled in on n wheel cnair others came in limping on their crntches. Then the queen of England arose before them In the name of her government, and uttered words of com. mendation to the officers and mon, and dis tributed these medals, inscribed with tho has lxat.