Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-03-03
For His Sake.

Il was ahungered, and We gave M
meat; | was thirsty, aud We gave mt
drink; | was a stranger, and We took I'M
in: naked and We clothed me- St. Matt
XIV, So, Sc.
Jack had never read the Constitu
ton which secures equal rights to al
persons, nor the Declaration of indie
pendence which declares that all mel
are born free and equal. In fact HI
could not read at all. Just at this
time his great problem was to sell
few newspapers, so that he might
buy his supper, and find shelter Of
some kind.
1t was cold, cold as "Greenland'
lev mountains" which was being
sung at the opening of a missionary
meeting in a large stone church, while
Jack was passing with his papers I'M
der his arm. He was cold and hun
CRY. Nobody wanted his papers.
The music attracted him as he
paused to see people going in. Per
haps he could get warm, so he pushed
open the door, and entered the large
church. He had not the least idea
that the hymn had any reference to
him, when the congregation sang,
ssThe heather in their blindness
Bow down to wood and stone"
He was a heather, but he did not
know it. He was as blind and igno-
rant as if he were picking golden
sands from Africa's sunny noun
tains. Just now he bowed over the
register, and warmed his hands, while
he looked around, wondering what
was going on.
Nobody noticed him; so when he
felt warmer he entered a pew near
the door, and sat down. Possibly if
Jack had been a little Chinese boy
from far off China, or little Japan
from New Guinea, or a young negro
from the Dark Continent, or even
Greenlander from those famous icy
mountains, some good Christian would
have seen him, brought him forward,
and increased the enthusiasm of the
congregation by placing real. live
specimen of heathendom before them.
unfortunately Jack was only an
ordinary little American newsboy.
We pass many of them in the bust
ness streets of our cities every day,
without wasting much consideration
upon them.
Jack understood as much of the
address as if it were given i'll Hebrew,
as probably the first great missionary
address was. Very soon hunger, ia
tigue and heat overcame him He
had just sense enough to lie down on
the floor, his head resting on his arm,
before sleep overpowered him. He
was unusually comfortable. When
his finances permitted he paid few
cents for a nights lodging in the
Newsboys' Lodging-House.- Gener-
ally he was happy if a good stable-man
of his own acquaintance allowed him
to sleep in the stable. Often he slept
out of doors, in a doorway, under a
wagon or in one, anywhere that pre-
scented a fat surface large enough 10
hold his small body. Anti-pOverty
societies were not formed then. Even
if they had been Jack would not have
known of their existence. He was
only eight years old, and rather small
for his age. He remembered his
mother because he was separated
from her a little more than year
As to his father-of course, there
must have been a father-Jack knew
nothing. He was a homeless waif,
alone among the million inhabitants
of our metropolis. Yet not alone,
for an omnipotent Father was watch
ing him, and his Elder Brother sat
beside him.
The missionary meeting was long
one. Several ministers presented the
spiritual needs of as many distant
places. Last of all, home mission
airy spoke or the heather at our doors,
tho thousands who never entered a
place of worship, never read a page
of Gods Holy Bible, to whom the
sold, old story of Jesus and His
love-" would be quite new.
Meanwhile Jack slept, and just as
the people stood for the last hymn he
began to dream. The poet says,
E'Dreams are but interludes which
Fancy makes. Fancy spread ban
quet of bread and meat before the
hungry child. A cup of steaming
coffee was just in his hand, and he
was raising it to his lips when he
awoke. People always awake just at
the point of enjoyment OF realization.
The congregation were singing
with deep feeling:
Blessings abound wher'er He reigns,
The prisoner leaps to burst his chains,
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the souls of want are blest."
Then with hearts filled with enthu-
siasm for the ignorant ones in distant
countries and in their own city, the
congregation stood in silence to re-
ceive the benediction.
Tnere was cry of some kind from
the rear of the church as the minister
finished his blessing. The people all
looked towards the corner pew as
they passed out for the sound of half
suppressed crying continued. There
was nobody in the pew at least there