The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-10-13

thOSe WhOm Isaiah describes as
grinding the faces of the poor. You
have seen a farmer or a mechanic put
scythe or an AK on grindstone,
while some one was turning it round
and round and the man holding the
AK bore on it harder and harder, while
the water dropped from the grind
stone and the edge of the AK from be-
ing round and dull got keener and
keener. So have seen men who were
put against the grindstone of hard
ship, and while one turned the crank
another would press the unfortunate
harder down and harder down until he
was ground away thinner and thinner
- his comforts thinner, his prospects
thinner and his face thinner. And
Isaiah shrieks out: "What mean We,
that ye grind the faces of the poor?''
Let us take another look around to
see how we may serve our generation.
Let us see as far as possible that they
have enough to wear. God looks upon
the human race and knows just how
many inhabitants the world has. The
statistics of the worlds population are
carefully taken in civilized lands, and
every few years officers of government
60 through the land and count how
many people there are in the United
States or England, and great accuracy
is reached. But when people tell US
how many inhabitants there are in
Asia or Africa at best it must be a
will ri y L. L
number of people on our planet, and
He has made enough apparel for each,
and If there be fifteen hundred million,
fifteen thousand, fifteen hundred and
fifteen people then there is enough ap-
parel for fifteen hundred million, fif-
teen thousand, fifteen hundred and fit
teen. Not slouchy apparel, not ragged
apparel, not insufficient apparel, but
appropriate apparel. At least two
suits for every being on earth, sum-
mer suit and n winter suit. A good
pair of shoes for every living mortal.
A good coat, good hat or good bon
net, and good shawl and a complete
masculine or feminine outfit of ap-
parel. A wardrobe for all nations.
adapted to all climes, and not string
or button or a pin or a hook or an
eye wanting.
But. alas, where are the good clothes
for three-fourths of the human race?
The other one-fourth have appropri-
ated them. The fact is, there needs to
be and will be redistribution. Not
by anarchistic violence. If outlawry
had its way, it would rend and tear
and diminish until, instead of three
fourths of the world not properly at
tired, four-fourths would be in rags.
l will let you know how the redis-
tribution will take place: by generosi-
ty on the part of those who have a sur
plus and increased industry on the part
of those suffering from deficit. Not all,
but the large majority of cases of pow
erty in this country are a result of
idleness or drunkenness, either on the
part OF the present sufferers or their
ancestors. In most cases the rum jug
is the maelstrom that has swallowed
down the livelihood of those who are
in rage. But things will change, and
by generosity on the part of the crowd
ed wardrobes and industry and sobriety
on the part OF the empty wardrobes
there will be enough for all to wear.
Again, let us look around and see
how we may serve our generation
What shortsighted mortals we would
be If we were anxious to clothe and
feed only the most insignificant part OF
a man-namely, his body-while we
put forth no effort to clothe and feed
and save his soul. Time is little piece
broken off great eternity. What are
we doing for the souls of this present
generation? Let me say it is genera.
tion worth saving. Most magnificen
men and women are in it. We make a
great ado about the improvements in
navigation and in locomotion, and in
art and machinery. We remark what
wonders Of telegraph and telephone
and the stethoscope. What improve.
ment is electric light over tallow
candle. Eut all these improvements
are insignificant compared with the
improvement In the human race. Ir
olden time once in awhile great anG
good man or woman would come up
and the world has made a great fuss
about it ever since; but now they are
SO numerous we scarcely speak abou,
them. We put halo about the people
of the past, but think if the times de
manded them it would be found we
have now living in this year 1898 81
Martin Luthers, so George Washing
tons, so Lady Huntingdons, so Eliza
beth Frys. During our civi! war more
splendid warriors in rorth and sout1
were developed in four years than tht
whole world developed in the pre-
vious 20 years. / challenge the 4,oo'
years before Christ and also the Il
centuries after Christ to show me th'
equal OF charity on a large scale o
George Peabody. This generation o
men and women is more worth savin;
than any one of the $50 generation
that have passed eff. Where shall w
begin? With ourselves. That is tn
pillar from which we must start. Pres
colt, the blind historian, tells us hoy
Pizarro saved his army for the righ
when they were about desertin2 hin
With his sword he made long mar
cp fhe around He said. sSNv mon n