The National tribune., 1893-12-07
THE RELIEF CORPS.
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GIVE GOODLY GIFTS.


ers When There Are Sad Homes and
Hearts to Make Happy.
We should cultivate the habit of generous
giving; of continual, amounted, unstinted
gifts. We should give as God gives; of our
best of our choicest. to those who need the
gifts of brotherly love.
We should give joyfuly, gladly, thinking
ourselves the most blessed of earth that we are
given the opportunity of helping others. 1t is
uplifting it is exalting, it is mark of our SON.
ship in the kingdom of love.
Think over all that marvellous story of our
blessed Lord the story of his first formal
utterance in the synagog, He hath sent me-
to heal the broken-hear,ed the story of the
sermon on the mount; of his miracles; of his
parallels; and what is it but the gospel of CIV
ing; the dispensation of love.
Blind are we, indeed, when we fail to see
that this is the sum and substance of living;
the beginning of life that has its fruition in
eternity.
When God gives it ia the perfect sunshine
the of life and light; it is the perfect fog
and mist, that water the dry and parched earth /;
it is the marvellous perfection of the flower;
the perfection Of the fruit and the grain. the
nut and the iuber, and rich purple clusters Of
the vine.
He gives no crusts to His children. When
they are naked He sends no worn and moldy
clothing. He spreads the beauty of the sunset
even for His most thankless ones. He makes
the rain to rain upon the just and the unjust.
THE BOX ALL HAVE SEEN.
Not long since California woman, Elizabeth
Grinnell told how church society packed a
box of "partly worn or outgrown clothing" for
the family of retired and destitute minister.
There were some pieces of old ingram carpet;
some nicely-done-up shirts, folded so as to con-
ceal the broken collar bands and the badly worn
under sides; worn wrapper, with the buttons
cut off; collars and cuffs, with frayed edges;
pair of old blankets, GHOSTS of former COM
fort"; some hats and bonnets with the
feathers and best ribbons cut off; gloves, minus
fingers, and Noah's-ark game, with the legs
and tails of half the animals missing.
There were many other worthless things, and
yet the box was not full, and it was so an
nounced by the minister the Sunday following
from the pulpit. This announcement brought
from an unknown donor, new suits of under
clothing for everyone in the family, bolt Of
bleached muslin, web of bright flannel, new
dress patterns, a suit for the boy. with knife
in the pocket, and othersthings new and good,
from Christ-like giver.
And with the gifts was note, in typewrit-
ing, to conceal the source Of giving, and it
read:
In recognition Of good and faithful service,
many times unrequited, rendered to the Church
in years gone by, the nciosed articles are affec-
tionately offered"
Then it was the women saw their frowsy
gifts in their true light. They unpacked
their box and threw out the useless articles
one by one, and in their stead placed the new,
bright, comfortable, cheering gifts. And then
and there they pledged themselves never to
solicit old clothes from congregation that
wore purple and fine linen.Hr
"That night dreamed, 'tsays the writer,
"that it was the Judgment Day. A great
many of our church people were there hearing
about the deeds done in the body
Suddenly great box was rolled in front
of the judgment seat, and in it were all the
partly-worn cast-of clothing we ever donated
for retired and destitute ministers. We were
frightened when a voice said lovingly, / was
naked and ye clothed me- Then dreamed
that we all fell on our faces and cried, for we
the frayed linen and worn old
blankets"
Dear sisters OF the Relief Corps, pledged to
befriend and comfort the old soldiers of the
Union, how are you keeping your vows? Are
your gifts the best gifts? Are your thoughts
for them the contemplating thoughts which
r. = II.
est gifts2
Unite and labor day and night. Let theirs
be the brightest banners, the sweetest flowers,
the best treasures of loving woman's limtlcss
resources for the old soldiers of the flag. Bless
and beautify their humble homes; carry sun
shine and cheer into the asylums where their
years are spent. And let every gift
be marked, In recognition Of good and faith
full service, many times unrequited rendered
to our country and our flag in years gone by,
these, our gifts, are afectonately offered"
OH, FOR SOME FRAGRANT BLossoMsl
By Annie Wi,tenmyer Saratoga, Pa
Oh for some fragrant blossoms,
Yielding the richest perfume,
Lilies, and pinks, and roses,
Aud flowers Of rare5i bloom,
To scatter along Iife's highway,
Where sickness and sorrpw meet,
And many walk brokenhcartcd
With blistered aud bleeding feet.
Open your blooming gardens
Aud let the muliitudes in,
There may be some among them
Homesick and weary OF sin;
Teach them LIES Sweetest lesson,
God'slove written out ia flowers,
Tell of his tender compassion,
His gentle, protecting powers.
Scatter your fragrant blossoms,
Treasure them not for the dead,
While human hearts breaking
Aud children crying for bread;
Utter some words of comfort,
Give Of thy loaf to cheer.
The "Well donen of The Master
Then joyfully thou shalt hear.
Keep no flowers for their collins
The dead need no words of cheer;
Their eyes are blind 10 beauty,
Their too deuf TO hear;
Give blessings to the living,
Give words of praise to the true,
For YOU deal with others
The Master will deal with you.
CHRISTMAS BELLS.
The first Ginning of the Christmas bells came |
to us from far-away Seattle. Then it was taken |
up at the great metropolis of the inland seas, |
and soon across the land from ocean |
to ocean we shall hear the united music of the |
W.RC. sounding peace on earth, good will |
towards men,"
The following Christmas can is from General