Connecticut western news., 1889-12-04

farthing for their evapgelization. There are women who talk beautifully about the suffer- ing of the world, who never had the courage like Dorcas to take the needle and assault it.
 am glad that there is not page of the worlds history which is not a record of female benevolence. God says to all lands and people, "Come, now, and hear the widows mite rattle down into the poor box" The Princess of Conti sold all her jewels that she might help the famine-stricken. Queen Blanche, the wife of Louis VIII. of France, hearing that there were some persons un- justly incarcerated in the prisons, went out amid the rabble and took stick and struck the door as Il signal that they might all strike came the prisoners. Queen Maud, the wife of Henry l., went down amid the poor and washed their sores and administered to them cordials. Mrs. Retson, at Matagorda, ap- peared on the battlefield while the missiles of death were flying around, and cared for the wounded. Is there man or woman who has ever heard of the civil war in America who has not heard of the women of the sani- tary and Christian commissions, or the fact that, before the smoke had gone up from Gettysburg and South Mountain, the women of the North met the women of the South on the battlefield, forgetting all their animosities while they bound up the wounded, and closed the eyes of the slain? Dorcas the benefac- tress.
 I come now to speak of Dorcas, the la mcnted. When death struck down that good woman, oh, how much sorrow there was in this town of Joppa! l suppose there were women here 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, flashing against the wharves of this sea- port, than there were surgings to and fro of grief because Dorcas was dead. There are great many who go out of life and are un- noiS Thara hp a there may be a great many carriages and plumed hearse; there may be hiyh-sounding eulogiums; the bell may toll at the cemetery gate: there may be very fine marble shaft reared over the resting place; but the whole thing may be falsehood and sham. The church of God has lost nothing, the world has lost nothing.
 It is only nuisance abated; it is only grumbler ceasing to find fault; it is only an idlcr stopped yawning; it is only dissipated fashionable parted from his wine cellar; while, on the other hand, no useful Christian leaves this world without being missed. The church of God cries out like the prophet: ''Howl, fir tree, for the cedar has falen." which the departed had made. Orphans are lifted up to look into the calm face of the sleeping benefactress. Reclaimed vagrancy comes and kisses the cold brow of her who charmed it away from sin, and all through the streets of Joppa there is mourning mourning because Dorcas is dead.
 When Josephine of France was carried out to her grave, there were Q great many men and women of pomp and pride and position who went after her; but 1 am most affected by the story of history that on that day there were 10000 of the poor of France who followed her coffin, weeping and wailing until the air rang again, because, when they lost Josephine they lost their last esrthly friend. Oh, who would not rather have such Obse- quies than all the tears that were ever poured s,, Inc, l.. thot hoa, from ancient cities. There may be no mass for the dead; there may be no costly sarcop- hagus; there may be no elaborate mauso- leum; but in the damp cellars of the city and through the lonely huts of the mountain glen ! there will be mourning, mourning, mourning because Dorcas is dead. 'Blessed are the dead who die ill the Lord; they do rest from their labors, and their works do follow theln."
 I speak to you of Dorcas the resurrected. The apostle came to where she was and said: "Arise; and she sat up!' In what a | short compass the great writer put that ''She sat up" Oh, what time there must | ave been around this town, when the apos- tie brought her out among her old friends /! How the tears of joy must have started! What clapping of hands there must have Sound it all through that lane! Shout it down that dark alley! Let all Joppa hear it Dorcas is resurrected!
 Lou AHu l nave Sccu Lllc ScHlc tuluS many 3 time; Tt dead body rcsuscitated, but the deceased coming up again after death ill the good accomplished. If man labors up to 50 years of age, serving God, and then dies, we are apt to think that his earthly work is | done. No, his influence on earth will con- tinue till the world ceases. Services rem dered for Christ never stop. A Christian woman tolls for the upbuiltling of church through many anxict;cs, through many self denials, with prayers and tears, and then she ,ls. Sp p{ c1,n Now the spirit of God desceuds upon that church; hundreds of souls stand up and confess the faith of Christ. Has that Chris tian woman, who went away 15 years ago nothing to do with these things? I see the Towering out of her noble heart. l hear tho echo of her footsteps in all the songs over sins forgiven, all the prosperity of the church. The good that seemed to be buried has come up again. Dorcas Is resurrected.
 After while all these wolnanly friends o1 | Christ will put down their needle forever After making garments for others, some one will make a garment for them; the last robt we ever wear-thc robe for the grave. You I will have heard the last cry of pain. You will have witnessed the last orphanage. You will have come ill worn out from your last round of mercy. I do not know where you will sleep, nor what your epitaph will be; but there will be a lamp burning at that toml and an angel of God guarding it, and through all the long night no rude foot will disturb I pleasant shadows, undisturbed repose Sleep on!
 Asleep in Jesus! Blessed sleep!
 From which none ever wake to weep.
 Then one day there will be sky rending and a whirl of wheels, and the flash of pageant; armies marching, chains clanking banners waving, thunders booming. and that | Christian woman will arise from the dust and she will be suddenly surrounded-sur rounded by the wanderers of the street whom she reclaimed, surrounded by the wounded souls to whom she had admin istered! Daugh. ter of God, so strangely surrounded, what means this? It means that reward has come that the victory js won, that the crown is ready, that the banquet is spread. Shout Il through all the crumbling earth. Sing il through all the flying heavens. Dorcas k | resurrected.
 In 1885, when some of the soldiers came back from the Crimean war to London, the Queen of England distributed among them beautiful medals, called Crimean medals Galleries were erected for the two Houses ot Parliament and the royal family to sit in | There was great audience to witness tic distribution of medals. A colonel who had lost both feet in the battle of Inkerman was pulled in on wheel chair; others came in
 limping on their crutches. Then the Queen of England arose before them in the name of her government, and uttered words o1 commendation to the officers and men, and distributed these medals, inscribed with the | four ,rroot h.ttlof;ol1, l,nn p.loLlovo IT.,