The Grit-advocate., 1900-07-20

the brain 1t has filled the potter s
field; it has pitched whole armies of
the suffering into crime and wretched-
ness 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 mis-
sionaries, who 60 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 hart
and brings the dead to life, immortal
health bounding in their pulses. What
a contrast between the practical be-
nevolence of this woman, and great
deal of the charity Of this day! This
woman did not spend her time idly
planning 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 sympa-
thize with imaginary sorrows, and 60
out in the street and laugh at the boy
who has upset his basket of cold vic
tuals, or like that charity which makes
q rousing speech on the benevolent
platform and goes out to kick the beg
gar from the step. crying, Hush your
miserable howling!"
Woman's Benevolence.
am glad there Is not page OF
the worlds history which is not rec
ord of female benevolence. God says
to all lands and people, Come now and
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
unjustly incarcerated In the prisons,
went out amid the rabble and took a
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 admins
tered to them cordials. Mrs. Retson,
at Matagorda. appeared on the battle
field while the missiles OF death were
flying around and cared for the wound
ed. Is there a man or woman who
has ever heard Of the civil war in
America who has not heard Of the wo-
men Of the sanitary and Christian
commissions or the fact that before
the smoke had gone up from Gettys-
Durg and South Mounlaln the moulen
of the north met the women of the
south on the battlefield, forgetting all
their animosities while they bound up
the wounded and closed the eyes of the
slain? Dorcas, the benefactress.
l come now to speak Of Dorcas, the
lamented. When death struck down
that good woman, oh, how much sor-
row there was in the town OF Joppa!
l suppose there were women there
with larger fortunes, women, perhaps,
with handsomer faces, but there was
no grief at their departure like this
at the death of Dorcas. There was not
more turmoil and upturning In the
Mediterranean sea, dashing against
the wharfs at that seaport, than there
were surgings to and fro Of grief be-
cause Dorcas was dead. There are a
great many who go out of life and are
unmissed There may be very large
funeral there may be great many
carriages and plumed hearse, there
may be some high sounding eulogiums,
the bell may toll at the cemetery gate,
there NAV be a very fine marble shaft