Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1891-12-16

Nothing. thank YOU" replied pale,
frail. earnest little lady of middle age.
Il have concluded not 10 give anything
TO this fund"
Rev. Wheedler and a. 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 she 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 Alright, but finally they
were convinced of the reality OF the
sisters words, and Rev.. Wheeler said.
in great surprise:
Sister Gooding, you surely do not
mean that. You must not mean il. I
Il am Mt n loss to- understand YOU"
Il do mean 1t, Brother Whecdler," she
said, in her calm, quiet way. land will
explain why: l am n firm believer in the
church, and in its influence for good, and
1 have always attempted TO advance its
cause. L have made an effort to give
something toward furthering every
good work, and would do the same
to-day in this effort you arc making, did
L not feel that there is another purpose
TO which can devote my small means
more conscicntiously. In the west
there arc thousands OF people suffering
for bread, and / conceive II my duty to
give to them what have to spare.
Charity, IL is said, begins ut home, and
l think charity and Christian duty are
not far separated. believe il our duty
To look first after the suffering of our
own land-to feed the hungry and
clothe the naked-and take care of the
heather next. This is my opinion, and
do not set it up rs guidance to others.
1 merely propose to follow it myself.
and the little / have to give shall po
toward alternating the sufferings of the
starving settlers on the western prai-
ries.''
This proved very bomb to the meet
ing. The smile of Standardization set
on every face gave way to n look of
astonishment, and the members looked
inquiringly ut each other. But on no
one did it have such effect as upon
Blatchford. Instantly he remem bercd
that many of those poor settlers were
suffering from the effects of his long
swindling boom scheme mt Paradise
Park, and for little while his con-
science priclSed him. A thought of his
daughter, too, flashed through his mind,
and for an instant he wondered il she
might not be one of those who were
starving-one whowas ground down by
another, even as hundreds were ground
down by him. He never dreamed that
she could be one of his own victims.
He began to feel sense of shame and
dread, and even q slight twinge of re-
greet, but the ever alert Sarah saw how
his mind was drifting, and thought fit
to recall it, which she did by saying:
The poor we have always with us.
Sister Gooding, and I'm sure we are ali
ever willing To aid the needy But what
are the wants of the body as compared
with the welfare of the immortal soul?
BESIDES, there are public charities for
the poor of our own land, and the gov
eminent will see that nobody starves.
We must not let trifles like this in
huence us from our duty as Christians.
we are engaged in IA good work and we
must not turn aside from it,
So be IL, Sister Blatchford," said Rev.
Wheedler. You speak with the spirit
and the understanding. We are fishers
for souls, and not feeders of the BODY.
We have higher and a mightier mis-
sion than that of catering to the appetite
OF the physical man. Our duty calls us
above such"
After little further conversation of
this kind In which each tried to con-
vince himself or herself that he or she
was walking in the marrow way."
the meeting at last broke up and
Blatchford and his wife were left alone
IN the parlor, where for some time they
remained silent. Finally Blatchford
spoke. He said:
The words of that woman have dis
turbed me, Sarah, and feel that am
to great extent responsible for the
sufferings of many of those poor peo-