The true reformer., 1900-07-25

Amid the greatest trlumphs IN all ages
! and lands l set down the conquestss OF the
needle. [ admit its crimes; admit it's
cruelties. 1t has had more martyrs than
| the fire; it has punctured the eye; it has
pierced the side; it has struck weakness
| into the lungs; it has sent madness into
the brain; it has filled the potter's field;
| it has pitched whole armies of the suffer-
ing into crime and wretchednesS and woe;
! But now that l am talking of Dorcas and
her ministries to the poor L shall speak
only of the charities of the needle: This
woman was a representative OF all those
who make garments for the destitute, who
knit socks for the barefooted, who prepare
bandages for the lacerated, who fix up
boxes of clothing for missionaries, who go
into the asylums of the suffering and desti-
tute bearing that gospel which is sight for
the blind and hearing for the deaf, and
which makes the lame man leap like hart
and brings the dead to life, immortal
health bounding in their pulses;
What contrast between the. practical
benevolence of this woman and great
deal of the charity of this day! Ihls
woman did not spend her time idly plan
ming how the poor of the city OF JOpPa
were to be relieved. She took her needle
and relieved them. She was not like those
persons who sympathize with imaginary
sorrows and go out in the street and iaugn
at the boy who has upset his basket OF
cold victuals, or like that charity which
makes a rousing speech on the benevolent
platform and goes out to kick the beggar
from the step, crying, Hush your miser-
able howling!" Sufferers of the world
want not so much theory are practice; not
so much tears as dollars; not so much KIND
wishes as loaves of bread; not so much
smiles as shoes; not so much God bless
vou,'' as jackets and frocks. l. Will put
one earnest Christian man, hard-working,
against 5000 mere theorists on the subject
of charity. There are great many VINO
have fine ideas about church architecture
who never in their lives helped to build
church. There are men who can give you
the history of Buddhism and Mohamme-
danism who never sent farthlng Tor
evangelzation. There are women who talk
beautifully about the suffering of the word
who never had the courage, like Dorcas'
to take the needle and assault 1T.
| I am glad that there is not a page OF the
worlds history which is not record of
female benevolence. God says to all lands
and people, Come, now, and hear the
widows mite rattle down into the poor
box" The Princess of Cont sold all her
Jewels that she might help the famine.
stricken. Queen Blanche, the wife OF
Louis VIII. of France, hearing that there
were some persons unJusrly lncarcerated
: in the prisons, went out amid the rabble
and took stick and struck the door as
signal that they might all strike it, and
down went the prison door, and out came
) the prisoners. Queen Maud, the wife OF
| Henry l., went down amid the poor and
: washed their sores and administered to
, them cordials Mrs. Retson, at Matagor-
da. appeared on the battlefield while the
| missiles of death were flying around and
) cared for the wounded. Is there man
/ or woman who has ever heard of the clvli
e war in America who has not heard OF the
] women of the sanitary and CHRISTIAN COM
4bo foo hot hofO 10
S had gone up from Gettysburg and South
n | Mountain the women of the north met the
: women of the south on the battlefield, for
|, getting all their animosities, while they
|, bound up the wounded and closed the eyes
/ of the slain? Dorcas the benefactress.
d Has that Christian woman who Went
S away fifteen years ago nothing to do with
l. these things? [ see the Towering out oi
her noble heart. l hear the echo OF her
o footsteps in all the songs over sins Tor
2, given, in all the prosperity of the church
i The good that seemed to be buried has
lie come up again. Dorcas Is resurrected!
le After awhile all these womanly friends
a. of Christ will put down their needle for
d ever After making garments for others
le some one will make a garment Tor them
d the last robe we ever wear-the robe tol
D. the grave You will have heard the las
r cry of pain. You will have witnessed th'
le last orphanage. You will have come II
w l do not know where you will sleep no
O. what your epitaph will be, but there vii
tn be a lamp burning at that tomb and al
IN angel of God guarding it, and through al
to the long night no rude foot will disturb
or the dust. Sleep on, sleep on! Soft bed
m pleasant shadows, undisturbed repose
Ia, Sleep on!
ms Asleep in Jesus! Blessed sleep
II, From which none ever wake to weep!
I'S Then one day there will be a sky rend
:: ing and a whirl of wheels and the flash 0
81 a pageant, armies marching, chains clank
ne ing, banners waving, thunders booming
:: and that Christian woman will arise iron
an the dust, and she will be suddenly SUI
u tsn rounded-surrounded by the wanderers G
,e55 the street whom she reclaimed, surrOunC
~ ~, ed by the wounded souls to whom she ha
~ administered
hc thho Daughter of God, so strangely surround
an 'no ed, what means this? 1t means that IT
az ward has come; that the victory is won
T. that the crown is ready; that the banque
,In. ,he is spread Shout it through all the cruml
'.e of ling earth! Sing it through all the fyin
~ heavens DOrcas is resurrected!
'HG In 1855, when some of the soldiers can
Lha back from the Crimean war to Londol
sre nI' the Queen of England distributed anon
ay, them beautiful medals, called Crimea
HS ;no medals. Galleries were erected for the tW
~ houses of Parliament and the royal fami
nj nj to sit in. There was great audience
nili m witness the distribution Of the medals
an an colonel who had lost both feet in the ba
md eie VI M was =, on AZ
n1u ;nu crutches, Then the Queen of England aro
ans ans before them in the name of her Cover
cry ment and uttered words of commendatic
III III to the officers and men and distribute
ems il-osI - PliI TIS . :.
Gn lill- and Sevastopol As the Queen gave the
SAy to the wounded men and the wounded of
i4Es GERS the bands of music struck up the n
Ioi loH tional air., and the people, with streamil
1r,d eyes, joined in the song:
at God save our gracious queen! =
Long live our noble queen! =
ess. God save the queeni p
| Il. IL. l.