The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-01-24
A Plea for the EriendIess.

Plea Tor the Frlen0leSS.
Eds. Record Union: Chief of Police
Lloyd of Oakland has struck the key
note which solves the mystery of so
much suffering and the consequent
crisis of human endurance in despair
and suicide. Who could judge of the
cause of the dire calamities now filing
our land better than one so familiar
| with the Life is not worth living side
of life. The life is worth living side
knows not how to judge; 1T can have
but a very limited, vicarous concep-
| ton of how the world looks to a man
or woman, when standing on the brink,
| looking back to what seems to them
worse than blank; to them world of
awful nothingness, compared to which
| even eternal sleep or a trust in it, is a
| boon.
During the recent week of PRAYER.
much was said concerning foreign mis-
| SION work. | believe in it to a certain
extent, that is after charity has done
| it's work at home, no matter what
reports come, telling of work done
among the "Heathen." l wonder still
why ten churches or more in Christian
Union" or united purpose, cannot fill
every seat of one ordinary church with
| people earnest in the cause of good
| There was majority of elderly people
at all the meetings who testified, either
| in words or complacent response to a
request to stand up" And so give
evidence of soul salvation. There was
noticeable absence of young people;
but much talk regarding entertain
and worldly in6noanopp N re,
| which keep them outside of
church influence. After quite decided
criticism concerning the worlds meth
DDS of sin and sinners, and a pressing
| for a change-if it could be made pos
sible-a young man arose and in very
earnest words conveyed the idea that a
change of church methods might be
conducive of changes outside; he in
vited church members to take a look
around and not blame the sinner so
harshly, while to him the worlds
| ways were the only ways that seemed
| tangible to his present outlook. /
| thought, does anyone take from a man
| his crutch until he gives him a chair?
| Can the churches do the good they
would until they build less ex
| pensive spire- crowned, debt-incumbered
churches, used only fractional part of
the week and open up first-f floor read
| ing, or soul-reSting rooms as anticipates
| to the convenient and numerous bar
| rooms and dives, where music and
warmth entice to bodily rest and re-
| taxation to worried and often despair
| ing minds, at least temporary surcease.
In New York City six young ladies
| FROM OH, Cd
depot" for bewildered, despairing
souls to come TO and rest in, while
warned and befriended by kindly words
| and advice, which in few years has
| kept thousands from taking the route
! of wrong trains of thought and secured
them as valuable workers in the cause
against evil If in Sacramento a large
plain, firSt-florr room could be secured
| through the many churches and men,
bers, and cared for by willing workers,
| ever ready to talk to troubled souls
! and at evening time plain talks and
good friendly home music, which
every heart could interpret into uni
| versal love the opening up of Gods
life in the souD, much, oh, so much Of
the warmth, enticing and spirit bracing
1nducement of saloons would go beg
ging-for men and women would learn
that from the good hearts of Gods chill
dren can come ways and means to lift
them out of wrong conditions into
right positions, as men and women
but there needs to be for the majority
of the children of men, an intermediate
method between the old life of inn
moral freedom and the too solemnly
fixed conditions Of most church plans
which offer the spiritual freedom which
only truth can give.
To those most needing salvation there
IS church atmosphere hold off. 1t
may envelop it's own little band. but in
these days of crying need, far better
that each one of these members go
forth and become a nucleus in some
plain way out in the worlds great field
OF action, among the lost or storm be-
draggled sheep and lambs Give them
good plain shelter, materially and spir-
itually, and in the great love of God
their world-soiled condition shall be-
come whittier than snow" And from
the purity of the white will manifest
through divine rays of light all beau
ties Of color which gives to earth the
rainbow of promise. So shall "all else
be added and the lowly be brought
into the higher atmosphere of being.
where nothing is too grand or good for
the children of God Oh. for more spir-
itual baptism and fewer stumbling
blocks in dogmas and doctrines, less
hight in church steeples and more
breadth of work on the ground floor.
f. T. c.