Telegram-herald., 1890-05-09
A Nissionarr flrld.

TO the Ei!toT o. the IELEGEAA- HsaALD.
The apostolic commission, go We
INTO all the world and preach the gospel
10 every creature" !" has Away, been
weakened by the secular adage,
CHARITY begins at home" There has
never been a time when the church
did not realize that the harvest was
ripe N the fields near at hand and that
the labOrers were few. There can be 10
question also that an lnnumerable
multitude OF souls have been lost
under the very shadow OF the sanctuary,
while Christian teachers have gone
abroad to work.
That injunction, "IIe that careth not
for ms own, especially they OF his own
household, Is worse than an Inhdel 4"
has been but little needed compara-
lively by the church at large, and by
individual Christians; and 80 | respect
fully call the attention TO a sadly
neglected field OF labor which may be
called home or foreign missionary
field, Just as one feels inclined. 1t IS
not tar away, and no field is more
worthy of the church's care.
| refer TO the Michigan Soldiers
Home. There are over six hundred
n, IN that haven VINO need the gospel
As sadly As any equal number
OF men IN the wide world. IL is true
the state of Michigan expends $40 u
month on this work, but am sure any
one who has had any experience IN
missionary labors, will realize that this
sum Is somewhat Inadequate. Expert
ence has shown tina. 1t takes several
hundred dollars TO convert a cannlbal,
or a pagan; and II would seem that
these SIX hundred souls referred TO are
as precious rs any cannIbal.s
There IS one thing very peculiar about
Governor Luce's attitude toward
religious matters at the Soldiers Home
as compared with the State Prison. At
the latter institution a resident chaplain
Is provided. He is paid generous
salary, furnished comfortable house,
a good library, 4 large number of
testaments, religious papers, music
books, etc. He has a commodious
chapel to preach in, and every thing is
done TO make his Office respected and
useful. This is as it shCu q be; but
have vet TO learn that Governor Luce
has even suggested that the interests of
economy require that the chaplainship
be discontinued These men in
Jackson are all convicted Grim
mails; and yet | am told that
every Sabbath a gOOdly number
of Christians regularly attend divine
services at the penItentiary and bring
ttowers and take great pains to show
'the poor fellows that they are very
sorry for them and areanxiOus for their
souls salvation.
How Is 1t at the Soldiers Home? In
the over three years conducted divine
services there, ! am confident that not
nifty different persons have shown
sudlclentlnterestn IN the spiritual welfare
OF the souls of the veterans. fwno are
not ccnvicts, but the defenders of their
country's lfc) to attend upon my
preaching. IL Is doubtless true that
the preaching has been very poor, and
perhaps not always IN exact conformity
10 the traditional orthodoxy of the past,
but this hardly explains this startling
contrast between religious services al
the prison and at the home.
IL Is true that when some clergyman
from the city came to ofiiciate. few
people sometimes came with him. and
the general ard his wife would occa,
ionally attend also.
l can say for Col. Wells and
his estImable wife that they we're near
ly always there when nc was com
mandant- feel I have reason for
affirming that the religions people of
this region have abundant reason to be
much ashamed for their utter lack Of
interest IN the religious status of the
Soldiers Home, and for the ridiculous
provisions which have been made for
the preaching Of the gospel therein. It
would seem that tins simple statement
Oi the facts OF the past ought TO be- suf-
hclcnt 90 arouse the Christian people IF
tbs vicinity - a q rerent course #
conduct as regards the home. Hun
dreds OF protesting Chr. stans drive out
there ou pleasant sunday afternoons.
Why could not a few, o. least. 90 out
m the morning, and show the veterans
there that thev are nearly as high in
the SOFA. scale as the State Convicts,
and that thslr souls are as prec. .Ous IA
tne eyes % tho Lord as those Of the
FCJee Islanders
Respectfully submitted.
fHsRfF- r Grr-ov.
late Acang Clap an NJ cb soldiers