The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-12-18

| WOubu J Qt8rb WIZ nHto put uoE trust IN
Christ; calm, Notwithstanding all the
tumult, g though the fire in the heav-
ems were only the gliding Of an autumn
al sunset, as though the peal Of the
trumpet were only the harmony Of an
orchestra, as though the awful voices Of
the sky were but . group of friends
bursting through gateway at eventide,
with laughter, and shouting, ''Dorcas,
the disciple" Would God that every
Mary and every Martha would this day
sit down at the feet Of Jesus.
Further, we see Dorcas the benefact-
ress. History has told the stsry of the
crown; the epic poet has sung of the
sword; the pastoral poet, with his verses
full OF the redolence Of clover tops, and
a rustic with the silk of the corn, has
sung the praises of the pillow. tell you
the praises of the needle. From the fig
leaf robe prepared in the garden of Eden
to the last stitch taken on the garment
for the poor, the needle has wrought
wonders of kindness, generosity, and
benefaction. 1t adorned the girdle of
the high priest; itfashioned the curtains
in the ancient tabernacle; it cushioned
the chariots of King Solomon; it pro-
vided the robes of Queen Elizabeth; and
in high places and in low places, by the
fire of the pioneers back log and under
the flash of the chandelier, every where.
it has clothed nakedness, it has preached
the gospel, it has overcome hosts of PEN
ury and want with the war cry of
"Stitch, stitch, stitch' The operatives
have found livelihood by it, and
through it the mansions of the employer
have been constructed. Amidst the
greatest triumphs in all ages and lands,
1 set down the conquest of the needle
l admit its crimes; admit it's cruelties
1t has had more martyrs than the fire; it
has punctured the eye; it has pierced
the side; it has struck weakness into the
lungs; it has sent madness into the
brain; it has filled the potter's fie d; it
has pitched whole armies of the suffer-
ing into crime and wretchedness and woe.
But now that am talking Of Dorcas and
her ministries to the poor, shall speak
only of 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
barefooted, who prepare bandages for
the lacerated, who fix up boxes of cloth
ing for 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 a
hart, and brings the dead to life, i'm
mortal health bounding in their pulses.
What contrast between the practical
benevolence of this woman and great
deal of charity of this day! This woman
did not spend her time 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
persons who sympathize with imaginary
sorrows, and 60 out in the street and
laugh at the boy who has upset his bas-
ket Of cold victuals, or like that charity
which makes rousing speech on the
benevolent platforms, and goes out to
kick the beggar from the step, crying:
"Hush your miserable bowling" The
sufferers Of the world want not so much
>heory as practice; not so much tears as
dollars; not so much kind wishes as
loaves Of bread; not so much smiles as
shoes; not SO much God bless yous" as
Jackets and frocks. will put one earn.
est Christian man, hard working, against
five thousand mere theorists on the sub.
ject of charity There are great many
who have fine ideas about church archi
lecture who never in their life helped
to build church. There are men who
can give you the history Of Buddhism
and Mohammedanism who never sent Q
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 it. :.
am glad thatthere is not page o
the worlds history which is not rec
+ ord OF female benevolence! God says tt
, all lands and people, Come now and hea
the widows mite rattle down into thu
5 poor box. The Princess of Cont sold al
her Jewels that she might help the fam
o inc stricken. Queen Blanche, the wifi
3 Of Louis WILL, of France, hearing tina
/. there were some persons unjustly incar
4 cerated in the prison, went out amids
+ the rabble and took stick and strucl
n the door as signal that they might al
e strike it, and down went the prison doc
: and out came the prisoners. Queer
e Maud, the wife Of Henry l., went dow
= amidst the poor and washed their sore
o and administered to them cordials. Mrs
It Retson, at Matagorda, appeared on tn
y battlefield while the missiles of deaf
were flying around, and cared for tn
;. wounded. Is there man or wOma
|. who has ever heard Of the civil war i
', America who has not heard of the wOme
7! of the Sanitary and Christian Commits
q sions, Or the fact that, before the smok
IS had gone up from Gettysburg and Sout
l. Mountain, the women of the North me
IS the women of the South on the battle
., field, forgetting all their animositie
IS while they bound up the wounded, an
IS closed the eyes of the slain? Dorcas tn
$; benefactress.
come now to speak of Dorcas the |,
s. mented. When death struck down thu
IS good woman, oh, how much sorrow thel
was in this town of Joppa! I suppos
in there were women here of larger TO
o. tunes; women, perhaps, with handsome
As faces, but there was no grief at their d
is parture like this at the death of Dorca
e. There was not more turmoil and upturl