The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-17
Comments OnLiving Topics
(By Archibald Johnson.)


The Baptist Courier suggests that
preachers are at poor business to be
carrying fire arms or having guns
about the house, and the point is well
made. Recently We have read of num-
erous unfortunate accidents by
preachers who shoot too quick but
nothing so dreadful as the case of the
preacher who fired at a cat and killed
d woman. A gun is not nice for a
preacher anyhow.
Consecrated Wealth
More and more our men of means
are realizing that they are stewards
rather than owners of what they ac-
emulate, and that the world has a
claim upon them which they can not
afford to ignore. The Orphanage here
at Thomasville is a living illustration
of this great and blessed sentiment.
Houses are being provided faster than
they are needed. generally by individ-
uals. who are moved with compassion
toward the weak and helpless; and
we have no doubt but that through
the years to come the dormitories here
will be built without cost to the de-
nomination at large. This is but one
of the many avenues through which
the wealth of Christians is flowing to-
ward the needy world We can not
the growth of this spirit among our
own people with increasing delight.
Cur Baptist business men who occu-
py SO large and important a place in
the commercial realm. are laying by
in store as the Lord has prospered
them, for the good of others, and who
will dare deny that this is one great
secret of their prosperity? And hav-
ing learned the joy Of giving they will
grow and their fortunes will grow in
proportion to their giving. 1t means
l great deal for the world as we'll as
FOR the givers, that our men of money
have discovered what money was made
fer.
The NeedicSt of All.
We hope our readers will not grow
weary of our much writing in behalf
OF the little laW-breakerS of the State
who may be rescued from ruin. The
movement on foot to reach hand of
help to these children should have the
active sympathy and aid of every good
citizen. No orphanage can do this
work because they were not establish
ed for the criminal class; but no child
in all the world is so helpless and
needy as the one standing at the forks
Of the road, one road leading to life
and the other to death. They are
especially the wards of the State, and
the objects of public sympathy and
concern. Cast out from the synagogue
of responsibility they stand shivering
in no mans land-poor little wretches
without q ray of nope. A great many
of them are white children, and now
and then one may be found with solid
character behind him. How many of
us could stand the temptations to
which these children are exposed
Without a fathers hand to guide or q
cody mothers ministry to restrain
and encourage, they fall an easy prey
to the vices and evils that surge
around the world. What will be pro-
posed for the benefit of these way
ward boys we do not know, but we dc
hope that every reader of this paper
will lend his influence to anything
that promises relief. 1t is folly to talk
about the State not being able to dc
this thing; 1T can not afford not to do
something in this direction. It's utter
neglect of these children for all these
years is shame. If the people de-
mand a reformatory, reformatory
will come.
Amusement
Much is said about the matter OF
amusement for our young people now
adays. Human ingenuity is taxed to
provide proper and safe amusement
for our boys and girls, and the news
papers discuss it, and strong men are
selected to speak on the subject at our
great meetings, and light from all
sources is poured upon the question,
and still no sufficient answer to the
question, how are our young people to
be amused, has been given. Baseball
teams are organized, picncs are pro-
| Vded. clubs are formed. games are
| discovered, and time and money are
| freely expended to find some way to
| fill this long-felt want. Busy people
| dc not need to be amused. 1t is the
| idle who are discontinued and unhap-
| ny. The boys used to go out on the
| farm at sun-up and pillow until sun
| down. with the single CLEAN of a little
| fishing frolic on Saturday afternoon
| to cheer them on. No money was
spent on their amusement and they
were happy as we'll as useful. May
we not have tried in the wrong way
to satisfy this craving which we are
| told must be met? A little honest
| work is a good remedy for discomfort
! while the effort to amuse an idle brain
or body, or both, only adds to the de-
sire In every little town there are
scores of boys and girls with nothing
in the world to do. They go to school
about five hours a day and the other
/ ten that they are awake they spend
! in a fruitless effort to amuse them
selves; and foolish parents, instead of
| putting them to work where they will