New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-29
BIBLE READING.
WHAT A HOME MISSIONARY FINDS TO DO.

/ q
Tho LOT of the home missionary Is not paitcuiary
bappv one So thought the reporter after mce""s
one of them on the In the dismal gloom OK "o
afternoon in autumn. She belonged 10 mat GAS Va
missionary workers known Bible readers as fesn
inc and explaining the Scripture Is supposed 10 be the
chief part Of their work-how true supposoh h'"s
be learned from what this particular Bible reader hsa
TO say OF herself
"Can recommend laundress1 Not from nv own
experience as I cannot afford TO employ one. After
paying my m-rcnt and carfare find that 10 maho
both ends meet must be my own cook ana isuhurosS
like housekeeping. but am so tired after toihe w
and down tenement house stairs all day that haven
much energy left for home work in the very warm
weather last summer seldom made fire In my iitto
stove but lived almost altogether on fruit and berries
Sometimes get my dinner at restaurant, bur on .
salary Of s25 month this is luxury that cahnos
afford very often You see my work Is very wearing
on shoc-leather Notwithstanding the csrfare winch
have 10 pay, and then must dress nicely or else my
tenement-house people won't have the slightest 10
spect for me.
Like my work. OF course I do; otherwise
shouldn't have taken It up. II Is work that one must
do for love- as there certainly no money In H. We
should do what we are fitted for by nature, ana fet
such strong desire work In the Masters vineyaru
that after making the matter subject OF prayer
went into the Training SchOolfor Missionaries whero
I remained TIL was judged capable OF going as
Bible reader among the tenement-house popuiatioh'
and had district assigned me- where WORK Tor eleven
months in the year. | had my vacation last August
and didn't / enjoy lying on the grass ana ge'uns my
share Of fresh air!
"Acclimated to dirt and darkness and BAD smehs
don't mind darkness, now that have become ac-
customcd 10 cropping my way and steering clear OF ash
pans and waterpails and other such matters on 'he
stairs don't encounter half so much dirt now As
did at first for preach up cleanliness with almost as
much vim as do godliness, and shouldn't Ike 10
| tba noIIS
me money do good with how much more OF II nave
invested I'm sapoo than In tracts. Bad smells re-
port to the Board Of Health. and this often gets ms
into hot water with the foreign element In the houses
that visit 1t Is very hard for poor people who try
TO keep clean and respectable to be cooped up WIN
those who have no use for soap ana "atef'
do they like TO hear the Bible read mat sh'
not prepared TO say but they do like 10 narrate thedr
grievances to me. as they do not often ma good
listeners among their near neiGhbors ana as isu,n
patiently them, 1t is only natural that they sno
try to be equally civil, pfOVdeu inc cnaPoi VI '
inc prayer Is not too long
:. Fncounter tmpO,tors! Yes, often. The most en-
ergetie impostor Of my acquaintance is poor
woman who had her baby baptized In four diHer'n'
churches I'm one month and know NUMBER vi o'"i'
who haven't a particle Of conscience. OhS 'hls
morning I saw through half-open door lead
ing into a back room a strong, heaitny "'nia'
lump into bed with all her clothes on
and draw the quilt up close under her chm TWO
minutes later. when was shered mo uae rV""' ~
her daughter she was very SICK woman ihucou'
I'm spIte OF her fine color and regular pulse ana ne
good Lord only knew what her poor children "ouiu
do for food while she confined 10 her bed as ther
wasn't mouhful of bread I'm the house an OF NIun
meant that she wished me to give her mohiS W uuS
beer With she disappointed when saia Wuuu
send the doctor to her What foreign mlssba9
ca Rice Christians very numerous an .ehsncp.,
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. who unite themselves WIN the cndPo
OF some wealthy church in order 10 get their sha Oh
any leaves and fishes that may be distributed Ihess
are the people whose children are always IN need OK
hahs and sacques and shoes and everything else III
order that they NAV attend Sunday SO hoo men
think of the children have 10 beg clothes ior' TO
mind myself Of the old woman who hVei IN a Snoe.
Tile fact is am the greatest beggar IN al this part Oh
tle city a.d / sometimes think the wealthy hempeto
of the church | work tor are beginning u dread no
sight of me encounter great deal OF real wan,
hlt 30 much m0pe of the make-beeve klnd that an
NOT half so sympathetic now AS when hrst Wenl I'g
The tenement house district. though Halter myself
an, much more efficient worker now than then. With
ali due respect to Paul. charity nowadays mustn't
| be OF the kind that believeth all things
| Gratitude! Well. for that matter, the poor
are like the rich: Of them have gTaieful dlspo
sons and some have not 8, ",
| Bible reading only small part Of my work. yes.
the very smallest part. The chief concern me poor
have for their souls Is how to Keep them ana Ih'ir
bodies together and II they in real need BAKERS
bread must first and the bread Of life aiterwaI
No, mine IS not money making prfesslOn Du.
n hy the time am old TO work, shall have saved
| enough TO get me into Home for Aged and lndlgent
| Christian Females | shall be quite satisfied