The Western news., 1904-09-21


occasion of the annual meeting Of the
city mission. Several of the workers
had spoken of the machinery and
methods by which the organizat ton
was carrying on its work. But not
much had been said as to the actual
results Of the effort. Were men and
women and children really made bet
ter-healthier in body, sounder in
mind, cleaner in life and more Chris
tian in spirit? That, after all, was
the question in the minds of many of
this great congregation.
1t was evident that the answer was
not easy to give, and one speaker
after another ignored it or avoided
it.
At last the presiding officer intro
duced the superintendent Of the Res
cue Mission. A tall, fine-looking man
stepped into the chancel. and in a
voice which easily filled the church
began his story. The Rescue Mission
had been opened ten years before, he
said. and he had been called from
similar work in New York to take
charge of it. Its object had been to
lay hold on men who We're sunk in
the depths of degradation, and to
bring them up to decency and self
respect. Its opportunities had steadily
increased. until during the last ten
months fifty thousand men had passed
through its doors. Light and warmth,
rooms for reading, writing and for
games were to be hau for the asking.
So was counsel and genuine friend
ship. But there We're no actual gifts,
| except that Of a Sunday morning
superintendent spoke with simplicity
and with kind of eloquent fervor
which fastened the attention of his
hearers. The hush deepened in the
church as he paused, as If wondering
how to say his final word. At last it
, came.
"Do we really save men? That is
the question you are all asking. Or
do we simply make their downward
path little easier and more outward
ly decent? OF course we see many
whom we do not save. 1t is not pos
sible or best for us to know exactly
how many we may count at the end
of the year as brought from darkness
to light. But there are some such
l was asked to-day as l came into
this church, Have you ever seen a
bad man become good man.? Yes,
my friends, l have.
sixteen years ago man was lean
ing against beer-barrel in a saloon
in New York. His coat was in tat
ters. His shoes would hardly hold
pocket or friend in the world. He
had broken his mothers heart, he had
deserted his WIFE No door was open
to him-not even that of the hospital,
| for he was not sick; not that Of the
morgue, for he was not dead.
"Some one in the saloon said to
him, You'd better go up to Forty
third street. There's a mission up
there that you might work for a
nights lodging
l LO uldH NcAi, uIu Ieclcu lIllO tue
mission, half-drunk. Before he went
out again, twenty-four hours later, he
had got hold Of hand that helped
him to his feet. He had heard words
of hope--of Him Who came to seek
not the righteous, but sinners He
had taken new heart. and begun a
new upward climb. All that was six
teen years ago. Some of you know
that man to-day. All of you have
heard him speak,
With that word the superintendent
sat down, and suddenly the great
throng realized that they had been
hearing his own story-and that this
strong, quiet, earnest man was him
self the prize and crown Of just such
a saving work as he was now doing
himself.
| AS the congregation went slowly out
into the twilight, more than one
thought of the old, thrilling words,
'With men It's is impossible, but
with God all things are possible. -
Youths Companion.