Democratic messenger., 1906-10-13

come nS the poor man with that SICK
wife aud large brood OF children who
live In our back street. Why, that man
AMI his wife do not believe In God.
They never read the Bible. They new.
er pray. The angel OF God never
comes as tramp or a pauper." Does
he not. my brotherf Does he not? DO
not speak too quickly. What says
Christ In the twenty-ilfth chapter Of
Matthew: Does he say: III you would
find my messengers. you should seek
them among the palaces and In the
kings throne rooms? You should seek
them clothed In purple and fine linenw
Nay. that Is not Christ's command. He
says. III you would seek my messen.
gers. you shall find them clothed In
rags and with the pinched cheeks Of
want and wandering around from
street to street as did John Howard
Payne. piteously looking at the fireside
of happy homes and yet with no homes
of their own" Have you not read the
parable: when saw we thee an-hun-
gered and fed thee or thirsty and gave
thee drink? When saw we thee a
stranger and took thee In or naked and
clothed thecT' And the King shall
answer and say unto you. "Inasmuch
as We have done II unto one of the
least of these. my brethren. ye have
done II unto me- Does not Christ
mean by these words that when you
look after the poor you are looking
after his messengers and caring for
him?
The poor. the poor. the helpless poor!
o God. they seem TO be everywhere.
They are thy angelic visitors. How
many Of them last year have we helped
In thy name? Have we put one cloak
about the bare shoulders? Have we
lifted one morscl of food to the famish-
ing lips: Have we gone to one helpless
widow, struggling TO keep large fam
lily of little ones together. and said:
SISTER here Is coal to keep you from
freezing Here are coverlets for your
beds. Here are garments for your
wardrobe. Here Is food for your cup
board Here Is schooling for your chill
drcn. | know that God has sent you to
me that out OF my abundance | may
give you aid" Answer me friend. with
all your money and with all your luxu-
rics of the past year. did you go out Of
your way one step in order to help
Gods poor? Did you look after just
one family when there are SO many
hungry and naked ones In the city
where you dwell? What did you not
help feed just one hungry family?
Then you have slammed shut your door
of gospel opportunity in the face of the
angelic visitors" Gods poor are al
ways around. They have come TO bring
you a spiritual blessing from heaven.
as the three strangers Of old brought
a divine blessing to Abraham and Sarah
from their Master and King.
poor Fellows"
But when this noble Hebrew herds
man runs forward To prostrate himself
AT the feet of the three strangers | see
him sharply scrutinize their faces. He
not only sees that they wear the travel
stained garments of poor men. but me.
thinks hear him muticr: Poor fell
lows. Poor fellows Perhaps they are
exilcs from their own country. Per
haps on account of u kings hatred they
are fleeing for their lives Perhaps
they once had sheep and oxen and
horses and Inanservants. rs | have. but
now, on account of bitter persecution.
they have lost all must he especially
kind 10 these poor fellows who are fee
ing for their lives" Cannot you i'm
agine such thoughts passing through
Abraham's mind as he runs forward to
greet the three strangers: ! can. And
| firmly believe that when any man
goes 10 the help OF the prosecuted and
the unjustly treated he is welcoming
to his home angelic visitors" who will
always bring TO him spiritual blessing
from God.
How many people there are who are
being uniustly prosecuted, How many
there are WHO are being lied about and
misrepresentedl Like the devils that
We're torturing the poor maniac's body,
who was running naked among the
tombs OF the Gadara dead, their names
seem 10 be legion. Many of these poor
fellows who are being unjustly treated
are dying of broken hearts, as did the
late Daniel u. Tompkins who was one
OF the most pathetic characters OF
American history. In his prime no
name was more powerful in the po-
litical world than his. lie rose from
office 10 office. At last he became gov
ernor OF New York state and then
vice president OF the United States.
The White House was almost his. But
suddenly his enemies were able TO
head him on. Though his whole life
stood for honesty and purity and truth.
his political foes charged him with mis-
appropriating some Of the public funds
when he was chief executive of New
York state. lie Indignantly denied the
charge. but lie could not produce evi-
dcncc to vin,iicate himself. His enc
mics had stolen II. His forehead. like
that Of Cain. had black mark of guilt
placed upon 1t. and lie was stunned by
his fellow men as an embczzler of pub
lie funds. Thus Daniel ID. Tompkins
was compelled to retire from public