Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-10-13

or conflagration midsea or collision he had
more garlands on his ocean tomb than if, ex-
piring on land, each of his million friends
had put a bouquet on his casket. In the
midst OF the garden was his sepulcher.
But that brings me to notice the m snomer
In this Jonahiic expression OF the text. Toe
prophet not only made mistake by trying
to go to Tarshsh when God told him to so
to Ninevah, but he made mistake when he
styled as weeds these growths that enwrapped
him on the day he sank. A weed is some
thing that is useless. 1t is something you
throw out from the garden. 1t is something
I that chokes the wheat. 1t is something 20
be grubbed out from among the cotton 1t
is something uns;ghtly to the eye. 1t is al
invader OF the vegetable or floral world.
But this growth tDat sprang up from the
depth of the Mediterranean or hoated on its
surface was among the most beautiful things
that Col ever makes, 1t was water plant
known as the red colored alga and no weed
at all. 1t comes from the loom OF infinite
beauty 1t is planted by heavenly love. 1t
is the star of sunken armament. 1t is a
lamp which the Lord kindled. IT is a cord
by which to bind whole sheaves Of practical
suggestion. Tt is a poam all wnose cantos
are rung by Divine goodness. Yet we all
make the mistake that Jonah made in regard
to it and call it weed.
Alb, that is the trouble ON the land as on the
sra We cal t1oss weeds that are flowers
| Pitched up on the beach OF society are chill
dren without home, without opportunity for
anything but sin, seemingly without God.
They are washed up helpless. They are called
ragamuff1ns. They are SPOKEN of as the
rakings of the world. They are waits. They
are street arabs. They are fotsam and jet
sam OF the social sea. They are something
to be LETT alone, or something II be trod on
or something to give up to decay. Nothing
but weeds. They are up the rlckety stairs OF
that garnet. They are down in the cellar o.
that tenement house. They swelter in sum-
mars when they see not one blade OF green
grass. and saiyer in winters that allow them
not one warm coat or s1awl or shoe.
Such the city missionary found in one OF
our city rookeries. and when the poor woman
was asked if she ssnt her children to school
she replied mo, SIR, [ never did send 'em
to school. | know it. they ought to learn,
but / couldn't, 1 try to shame him some
times lit is my husband, sir), but he drinks
and then beats me-look at that bruise on
my face--and tell him to see What is comm
to his children. There Peggy goes sellin
fruit every night in those cellars in Water
street. and they're hells. sir. She's learnin
all sorts of bad words there and don't get
back till IL O'clock at night. If it wasn't for
her earnin' shilln' or two in them places.
should starve. Oh, wish they was out of
the city. Yes 1t is the truth. 1 would rather
have all my children dead than on the street,
but [ can't help it"
Another one of those poor women found
by reformatory association recitei her
story OF want and woe and looked up and
said, II felt so hard to lose the children
when they died, but now I'm glad they're
gone" Ask any one OF a thousand such
children ON the streets, "Where do you liveY'
and they will answer 81 don't live no
where" They will sleep tonight in ash bar
rels, or under outdoor stairs, or on the
wharf, kicked and bruised and hungry. Who
cares for them? Once in a while city mis-
sionary, or tract distributor, or q teacher
of ragged schools will rescue one of them.
but for most people they are only weeds.
Yet Jonah did not more completely mis-
represent the red alga about his head in the
Mediterranean than most people misjudge
these poor and forlorn and dying children OF
the street. They are not weeds. They are
immortal flowers. Down in the deep sea OF
WOE, but flowers. When society and the
church of God come to appreciate their eter-
nal value, there will be more G. i. Braces
and more Van Meters and more angels OF
mercy spending their fortunes and their lives
in the rescue.
Hear it, o We philanthropc and Christian
and merciful sou.s-not weeds, bat flowers.
/ ALLURE you as the friends of all newsboys
lodging houses, OF all industrial schools, OF
all homes for friendless girls, and for the
many retormatories and humane sssocia-
tions now on foot. How much they have ~
ready accomplished Out zof what wretch |
edness, into what good homes! OH 900 o.
these picked up out of the streets antlAsenf
into country homes only tweleye children
turned out badly.
In the last thirty years number that no |
man can number OF the Migrants have been |
lifted into responsibility and usefulness and |
a Christian life. Many OF them have homes |
Of their own. Though ragged boys once and |
street girls now at the head OF prosperous |
families, honorei on earth and to be glorious |
in heaven Come of them have been Govern
ors of States. Some of them are ministers OF
the gospel. In ali departments of life those
who were thought to be weeds have turned I
out to be flowers. One OF those rescued lads
from the streets of our cities wrote to another,
saying; ~ have heard you are studying for
the ministry, So am l."
Ny hearers, implead you for the news
boys Of the streets, many ofthem the bright
est children of the city, but with no chance.
Do not step on their bare feet Dc not,
when they steal ride, cut behind. When
the paper is three cents. once in while give
]
the change. like the ring OF the letter the
newsboy sent back from Indiana, where he
had been sent 10 a good home, to New
York nswsboy's lodging house "Boys, we
should show ourselves that we are DO fools,
that we can become as respectable as any oil
the countrymen, for Franklin aud Webster
aud Clay were poor boys once, and even
George Law and Vanderbilt and Aston. And
now, boys, stand UP and let them see you
have got the real stuff in you. Come out
here and make spectacle and honorable
men. so they can say 'Tnere, that boy was
once a newsboy.'" Ny hearers, join the
Christian phiIantbrop'sts who are changing
organ grinders md bootblacSs and news
BOYS and street arabs and cigar girls into
those VINO shall be kings AMI queens unto
God forever. It is high time that JONAH
finds out that that which is about him is moi
weeds. but flowers.
AS | examine this rel alga which was
about the recreant prophet down in the
depths, when. in the words
Of MY text, he cried out. "The w2eis were
about my head and An led
HEREBY to further examine this sub rGrine
world. I an compelled to exclaim, WHAT p
wonderful God we have! l am glad that, by
living bell and Brooks deep sen souudin;
apparatus" and ever improving machinery,
We are permitted to walk tho fl Dor o. tn,
,cean and report the wonders wrought by
he great God
Stady these gardens OF the sea. Easier m
,asier shall the pro'ounds Of the ocean be-
ome TO US, and more AMI more lis opu,en,s
" color and plant unroll, especially as "Yii-
eroy submarine boat has been construct
d. making it possible to navigate under tee
ca almost as well az on the surface OF the