The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-20

A few minutes later. as looking his
best in his worn, black suit he kissed
her good-by. he felt a CULVER run through
her form; she gave a sob and caught
herself, saying:
God is so good. Beths better Wen
take courage and be more faithful than
ever
But he went out with his brain in a
whiri. He had no sermon. He could think
OF nothing to say to his people-nothing
10 say.
The mission was full-an unusual thing
Sunday morning.
rare opportunity to help many
souls" he said, land I'm not ready. 1
nave nothing TO say"
Inc hymns. the prayers, the lessons
were finished; and Jonathan stood IN
ana looked in the faces of his people.
EVERYBODY who had called on him dur
ing the past two weeks-and there had
been many. for 1t had early gone abroad
'nat the minister was unusually full
u the Holy Ghost" and prayed power
Lul strong with troubled folks were
there
All regarded him with peculiarly kind
eyes Inc story of Beths sickness and
as carefully as he had sought to hide
them-of severe economies pract!ced in
MS home was known now.
Beloved,' he said, 81 have no sermon
ready My child has been ill-at the
point OF death, as you all know So, /
sesilo before you unprepared to-day. /
am depending on God to give me some
message that will help you. And l feel
Gained to choose-as my text, Have faith in
zoo feel that in answer to prayer
1on mas saved my child just as surely as
ne healed the centurion's little daughter
years ago; and so l can. say with a full
heart Have faith in God But if he had
taken my child" the minister's voice
zen almost to a whisper; for an instant
ms eyes were blurred with the agony of
tne trial that had so lately shaken him
could l still bid you Have faith in
GodF He paused long, as questioning
himself. Then in voice low but distinct /:
Yes, l could. 1t does not matter what
the trouble may be, there is but one ar
NOR IN which we may meet it safely
1alth in God If it be death. faith that
what seems to be death is but entrance
into larger life. If it be poverty-if
the wolf be at the door-if one have not
food enough for his dear ones-faith in
God Is the one resource, the one cordial
to Keep hope alive, to inspire endeavor, to
give strength to the fainting and famished
flesh If friends be faithless-if your dear
God is your city of refuge. your one Sc
curity against madness. What is faith in
God good for, you question, if it does not
bring what we ask for? 1t is enough in
itself!' His voice rang out. clear, sweet,
triumphant. 20 my friends if we had
faith in God, there would be no black
moments and no haltlngs for us. There
would be no weakness; there would be
no failures. Our strength would always
De equal to our task
Even as he spoke, they saw him waver
and sink 10 the platform.
The doctor who attended Beth-a
worldly man whom the people didn' t
like-bent over him and said
HE has only tainted" and muttered
che hasn't had enough to eat for a
month.
St. Matthews Mission was the off
spring of a rich but indifferent parent
ST. Matthews up town had a fine organ
and a choir of glorious vioces; it had
cushioned pews; wonderful stained glass
windows by La Fargo, and a reredos by
St Gaudens. st. Matthew's was run by
one man, people said: Mr.. Richmond, who
had paid off a debt that hung over the
church, who gave the reredos and who
always made up deficits out of his own
pocket. He had taken a dislike to Jona-
than Long.
THE fellows got no go in him." he
said. "and he'll never make success of
the Mission
Meanwhile, Mr.. Richmond and the 9th
er members of the uptown church came
as rarely as possible to the Mission II
happened, however, that Mr.. Richmond
was In the Mission on the morning that
Jonathan tainted; he was there as a
critic; he was to report to the vestrv
next day, and they were to consider
whether they should not ask Mr. Long
to resign. Somebody repeated to him
what the doctor said. The DOCTOR too,
repeated his own words to Mr.. Rich
mond.
Ministers are VIGOROUSLY improvident
and bad managers" said Mr.. Richmond.
"They are never practical"
Then the doctor described the refriger-
ator arrangement, and a few other de-
vices ''for making nothing go a long
way" which he mad seen in the Long
home
The next afternoon, Jonathan called
on Mr. Richmond at his office in the
bank of which he was president The
banker had made up his mind to save
the Long family from starvation. but be-
fore he could announce his intention.
Jonathan said:
Mr.. Richmond. 1 want you to give me
some employment
do you mean to retire from the min
istry?"
Unless | am more successful, YES But
/ did not purpose resigning Just vet.
want TO give myself another trial. But
l haven't a right to expose Mary and
Beth to privations when I'm able to
work I'm a good bookkeeper. Can YOU
let me have a set of books to keep al
night? l thought as you have various
branches of business under your direc-
ton you might be able 20 give me a
job?'
Mr.. Richmond was silent, and iona
than went on: 81 think since Beth'=