Sunday Washington globe., 1901-12-29
A DULL WEEK
But Rosalie Found Few
Things to Write.
THE FOREIGN MISSIONS AND
Those Who Support Them Queer
Contrasts in Human Nature Exem-
pIihed-Funeral Flowers and Col
lections-Dr McKim's Discourse,
with a Few Pertinent Comments.


The Christmas sermon delivered by Rev.
DR.. McKim at the Church of the Epiph-
any, while not remarkable for brilliancy or
originality, was an earnest discussion of
that ever new old story Of the Nativity
that revolution in the minds, hearts and
souls of men, and the pivot upon which
began to turn a new march of progress that
has slowly continued until to-day, talk
as thev may--cynics and atheists find
neither sympathy nor followers in suf-
fcient numbers to make any impress upon
their generation.
Some years ago when Dr. McKim was
rector of Trinity Church. New Orleans,
his able discussions thrilled my heart and
fred me to a religious enthusiasm it has
been impossible to experience in later
years.
Why is it that the beautiful truths of
philosophy-of science, of religion appeal
so readily to young minds incapable of
understanding anything but their power
and beauty, and, when these same young
minds mature, the same truths arouse Gu
riosity, interest, even puzzled thought, but
how rare do they strike home with the
full power Of conviction the Babe Of Beth
lehem meant they should
In this connection ! must tell a joke on
myself which is too good to keep. Up at
our Office land its thing expect to have
more to say about another time there is
custom in vogue of having pet theory or
charity aired by a canvass for subscrip-
tions to this cause"
The subscription is always for worthy
a.,
clerk is selected to take up the quarters all
the others are supposed to be so eager to
pay over, but one is selected who will be
sure to impress the fellow workers with the
importance Of contributing and the fact
that any monies withheld would react un-
favorably upon the lean and hungry,
Cassius who dared to either say he had no
money to spare, or horrors Of horrors! was
not in sympathy with the Cause"
Recently faithful watchman died-the
same one, in fact about whom / wrote IN
this column sometime ago--when attention
was called to his peculiar habit Of drumming
on the table with his pencil by which
some OF the clerks got into the habit Of
listening to his pencil and telling time Of
day thereby. Well, a subscription was
taken up t2Sc peri to buy flowers for the
funeral This was all right ifthe clerks had
desired voluntarily to be a concentrated
and howery expression of grief at 25c a
piece, but when it became, as 1t surely did
with many people a matter of policy. me
thinks the flowers must have lost their
sweetness and the concentration was evapo.
rated into thin air The best part Of it was
that 5000 was left, which the matron re-
ported as turned over to the widow
Doubtless my motive in writing this ac
count will be misjudged, but can stand the
pressure, knowing whereof 1 speak and
the purity OF the motives actuating me
thereto.
But about the joke on me.
Last week a young lady came around
saying she represented the Methodist
Foreign Missionary Society. or something
of that kind, and was selling peanuts at ten
cents a bag to raise money enough to keep
the Chinese from wasting too much in
settlement of their long list of crueties--
to their own race. She wanted to know,
first if loved peanuts second, if / loved
missionaries third, if loved peanuts and
missionaries sufficiently well to give ten
cents to the cause" / did not and said
so very plainly. However, ten cents was
given to her for the peanuts, which in.
wardly resolved to feed to the Innocents,
who had not yet been tainted with that
bugaboo--F Foreign Missions, with the hope
that when eating them the tender babes
would imbibe a love for Home Missions,
not necessarily to the exclusion of foreign
missions, but first and in front Of all other
charities 10 which they might give their
attention. told her something of this
(having a 6ve-year-old son myself and
Al 4 Il
about foreigners and would enjoy the
peanuts. She was very honest and assured
me the dime certainly would be given to
the cause of foreign missions-and, when
it was finally paid over, doubtless my name
went on the record as one who had been
converted
Then, to turn the tables, I mentioned
(in a note to her next day. that simple
Entertainment" was planned to be given
at the place / call home, the admission fee
to be ten cents and proceeds to be donated
to the Bruen Home for little waits, and
day nursery for children of mothers who
are breadwiuners and she was invited
forthwith to name someone who would be
willing to sell tickets To this iuforma-
ton the polite reply was sent that she
would see me later" (that is her mes.
sage). Of course she never did 'see me"
at all. and I knew she would not--that is
TO say, she did not do so voluntarily, but
when took occasion next day to tell her
that the superintendent of Bruen Home
advised me not to give the proposed en-
tertainment in their behalf, as the manage
ment was opposed to raising money in
this way she was profuse in apologies Of
how other and more important matters had
claimed her attention and made it i'm.
possible for her to remember her offer to
see me about the home mission.
And so it goes. My experience has
been that this is the mental attitude Of
most reople who go in for foreign missions,
although / know it to be fact that there
are many good true people who believe it
incumbent upou.them to deny themselves
every luxury-and their children the ne
cessities--of life, in order to be able to put
a few dollars annually in the plate when 1t
is passed around for foreign missions.
But I gave the entertainment, simply
omitting the ten cents at the door" We
all enjoyed IT, The program was composed