The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1904-10-06

occs sion OF the annual meeting OF the
city mission. Several OF the workers
had spoken OF the machinery and
methods by which the orgsnlzstio
wss carrying on lie work But not
much had been said ne 10 the actual
results OF the effort. Were men and
women and children really made bet
tsr-bsslthier in body. sounder In
mind. cleaner Ia life and more Chris
tisn In spiritf That. after all. WAS
the question In the minds OF many OF
this great congregation.
IL wss evident that the answer WAS
not essy 10 give. and one speaker
after smother ignored IL or avoided
H.
At last the presiding oficer intro
duced the superintendent OF the Res
cue Mission. A tall. npe-lookins man
stepped into the chancel. and In q
voice which easily nlied the church
began his story. The Rescue Mission
had been opened ten years before. he
said. and be had been called from
a similar work In New York 10 take
charge OF a. lis object had been 20
lay bold on men who were sunk In
the depths OF degrsda tion. and 10
bring them up 10 decency and self
respect. Its opportunities had steadily
incres sed. until during the last ten
months nifty thousand men had passed
through its doors. Light and warmth.
-. s.r<I4f f.A
games were TO be hat for the asking.
so was counsel and genuine friend
ship. But there were no actusl gifts.
except that OF Sunday morning
breakfast OF coffee sBd rolls. The
superintendent spoke with simplicity.
and with kind OF eloquent ferror
which fastened the attention OF bis
hearers The hush deepened In the
church as be paused as ~ wondering
how TO say his nnnl word. At last II
came.
-Do We really save menf That Is
the question you are all asking. OR
do we simply make their downward
path a little easier and more outward
~ decentf or course we see many
whom we do not save. IL IL not pos
sibie or best for us 10 know exactly
how many We may count al the end
OF the year as brought from darkness
TO light. Blu, there are some such.
! wac asked to-day a. came into
this church. Have you ever seen
bad man become a good many Yea
my friends. ] have.
sixteen years ago a man was lean
ing against a bcer.barrcl In a saloon
IN New York. His coat was In tat
tiers. His shoes would hardly bold
together. He had not a cent IN his
pocket or = friend In the world. He
had broken his mothers heart. be had
de~erted his wife. No door was open
10 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 10
him. You'd better so up 10 Forty
third street There's mission up
there that you might work for
nights lodging.
Nf Hisl N'HAs sttA t''f'4 sAt1 attf
mission. half-drunk. Before he went
out again. twenty -four hours later. he
had got hold OF hand that helped
him to his feet lie had heard words
OF hope-of Him Who came TO seek
not the righteous. but sinners. He
had taken new heart. and begun
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
saving wors 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.