The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1900-07-27

| earth WOulQ Initiate DOrcaS IN her dis
cipleship. Before you cross tn,
threshold of the hospital, before yo,
enter upon the tempta tons and trial!
of tomorrow, 1 charge you, in the
name of God and by the turmoil ant
tumult of the judgment day, o women
greatest duty of your life-the seeking
for God and being at peace with Him
| Further, we see Dorcas the benefac.
tress. History has told the story of the
crown; epic poet has sung of the
sword; the pastoral poet, with his
verses full of the redolence of clover
| tops and a-rustle with the silk of the
corn, has sung the praises of the pillow
[ tell you the praises of the needle.
From the fig leaf robe prepared in the
garden of Eden to the last stitch taken
on the garment for the poor the needle
has wrought wonders of kindness, gen
crosby and benefaction. 1t adorned
the girdle of the high priest. it fash
Toned the curtains in the ancient ia ber-
nacle, it cushioned the chariots of King
Solomon, it provided the robes of Queen
Elizabeth, and in high places and in
low places, by the fire of the pioneers
back log and under the flash of the
chandelier, everywhere. it has clothed
nakedness, it has preached the Gospel,
it has overcome hosts of penury and
want with the war cry of "Stitch,
stitch, stitch" The operatives have
found livelihood by it, and through
it the mansions of the employer are
constructed.
Amid the greatest triumphs in all
ages and lands, 1 set down the con-
quests of the needle. I admit its
had more :c-artyrs than the lire; 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 suf-
fering into crime and wretchedness
and woe. But now that / am talk
ing of Dorcas and her ministries to
the poor, I 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 mis-
sionaries, who go into the asylums of
the suffering and destitute, bearing |
that Gospel which is sight for the
blind and hearing for the deaf, and
which makes the lame man leap like
a hare and brings the dead to life,
immortal health bounding in their
pulses. What a contrast between the
practical benevolerce of this woman
and great deal of the charity of this
lay! This woman did lot spend her
time idly planning how the poor of
The city of Joppa were to be relieved;
'he took her needle and relieved them
She was not like those persons who
with imaginary SORROWS,
Ind go out in the street and laugh at
he boy who has upset his basket of
odd victuals, or like that charity
which makes a rousing speech on the
benevolent platform and goes out to
lick the beggar from the step, crying:
Hush your miserable howling!" Suf-
erers of the world want not so much
heory as practice; not so much tears
S dollars; not so much kind wishes as
caves of bread; not so much smiles
S shoes; not so much God bless
ous!" as jacAets and frocks. I will I
ut one earnest Christian man, hard (
against 5000 mere theorists !
hn 80 Oh 4
great many who have fine ideas J
bout church architecture who never S
! their life helped to build church. c
here are men who can give you the a
istory of Buddhism and Mohamme- t
anism who never sent farthing for l
There are women who t
Xix beautifully about the suffering of h
lie world, who never had the courage, h
Ike Dorcas, to take the needle and f
'sault it C
l am glad that there is not a page b
the worlds history which is not a r.
cord o. female benevolence. God
US to all lands and people: Come o
wv and hear the widows mite rattle f,
'wn into the poor box. The princess o
Cont sold all her jewels that she fl
light help the famine stricken. Queen Il
anche, the wife of Louis VIII. of h
'ance, hearing that there were some hi
rsons unjustly incarcerated in the Y
isons, went out amid the rabble and y
ok a stick and struck the door as a k
ynal that they might all strike it. "
ID down went the prison door, and a
It came the prisoners. Queen Maud, al
e wife of Henry I, went down amid al
e poor and washed their sores and II
to them cordials. Mrs. 81