Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-10-08


 WORD GOOD."
 dOubtcdly been overlooked. You are one of our most liberal members, and your hand has ever been in good works. Come, how much shall I put down to your crcdit?'
 ''Nothing, thank you," replied pale, frail, earnest little lady of middle age. q have concluded not to give anything to this fund"
 Rev. Wheedler and all the others were completely nonplussed by this un- expected reply. Sister Gooding had al- ways been liberal giver of time and money to all church work, and this was the first occasion sho had ever been known to refuse to subscribe to any kind of church fund. Rev. Wheedler and the others were at first inclined to doubt their ears, and felt that they surely could not have heard aright, but finally they were convinced of the reality of the sisters words, and Rev. Wheedlcr said, in great surprise:
 ''Sister Gooding, you surely do not mean that. You must not near it. I T am at loss to understand you"
 ''I do mean it, Brother Wheedlcr," she said, in her calm, quiet way, land I will explain why: I am a firm believer in the church, and in it's influence for good, and have always attempted to advance it's cause. I have made an effort to give something toward furthcring every good work, and would do tho same to-day in this effort you are making, did I not feel that there is another purpose to which I can devote my small means more conscicntiously. In the west there arc thousands of people suffering for bread, and I conceive it my duty to 1 give to them what I have to spare. Charity, it is said, begins at home, and think charity and Christian duty are not far separated believe it our duty to look first after the suffering of our own land-to feed the hungry and clothc the naked-and take care of the heather next. This is my opinion, and I do not set it up as a guidance to others. I merely propose to follow it myself, and tho little I have to give shall go toward alleviating the sufferings of the starving settlers on the western prai- ries.''
 This proved a very bomb to the meet | ing. The smile of self-satisfaction sci on every face gave way to a look of nstonishment, and the members looked | inQuiringly at each other. But on nc one did it have such effect as upor Blatchford. Instantly he remem bereC that many of those poor settlers were suffering from the effects of his ''lOne time and easy term loans and his swindling boom scheme at Paradise Park, and for little while his con science priclzed him. A thought of his daughter, too, flashed through his mind and for an instant he wondered if she might not be one of those who were starving whowas ground down by another, even as hundreds were ground down by him. He never dreamed tha she could be one of his own victims He began to feel a sense of shame anC dread, and even a slight twinge of re gret, but the ever alert Sarah saw how his mind was drifting, and thought fl to recall it, which she did by saying:
 "The poor we have always with us Sister Gooding, and I'm sure we are al ever willing to aid the needy. But wha are the wants of the body as compare, with the welfare of the immortal soul Besides, there are public charities fo! the poor of our own land, and the gov ernmcnt will see that nobody starves We must not let trifes like this in 1uencc us from our duty as Christians We arc engaged in a good work and W
 must not turn aside from it." "So be it, Sister Blatchford," said Rev , Wheedler. "You speak with the spiri , and the understanding. We are fisher
 for souls, and not feeders of the body We have a higher and a mightier uis
 sion than that of catering to the apperit , of the physical nan. Our duty calls u
 above such"