Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-04-09

EGGS AND A BIT OF CHEESE; \
y a MOTHER AND A NEW BABY =
y POWERFUL EASTER SERMON =

From the Pittsburgh Leader.

FIOul lllc L 81 S"uS
"For a long time he wasn't able to
work. Seven weeks ago this baby was
born. We had no money to pay any
one to take care of me. He couldn't
go away. Last Monday the diphtherla
sign was taken from HI door. l haven't
q bite to eat in the house. | haven't
any money. We can't stay in the house
longer than the first Of the month
the rent isn't paid"
This was the plea Of a wife to save
her husband from going to prison ana
leaving herself and baby to starVe
alone.
The signs of the sorrows OF the
motherhood of poverty We're upon her:
The baby of seven weeks, snatched
from the clutches of death, was in her
arms, upon her bosom.
The man for whom h pleaded to
the judge had stolen a few eggs ana
some cheese from a store.
He didn't loot the place, as some men
would nave done for that hungry wife
and baby. He took only what would
keep off starvation until he could go
out to get work.
Jus a few eggs, and some cheese.
Could n man have taken less? Would
any man have taken less? Wouldn't
you, or I, ave taken more?
You will say that this ~tear-washed
plea saved that husband and father
from gong 10 pTlSOL. lou WILL DS
wrong if you do.
For the next six months that mar
must stay in prison, and that hungry
wife must take care of herself the best
she can.
III must find some way to keep the
fountain from going dry that her baby
does not perish from hunger.
After 1000 years of Christianity, this
is as far as we have Travelled.
A man who steals a few eggs n a
piece of cheese to save his hungry wife
and baby just born into hardship and
poverty from starvation, is sent to
prison for six months, leaving a help
less woman, barely recovered from the
ravages of maternity among the pow
erty smitten to starve or live as she
pleases.
Property must be protected. 1t is
sacred. That human life Of the lowly
which Christ loved so much, and
preached about and was crucified for,
is nothing when balanced against
sacred property.
Here is a sermon of Easter that burns
the eyes, and ears, and makes the heart
sick.
What would that Man of Sorrows
have said to the owner of a few eggs
and some cheese who would come to Him
demanding punishment of the husband
and father who took that bit that the
mother of his babe be not too hungry?
Car you imagine the scorn with
which He would have whipped the cry
for justice" to cast back into that end
less flame of ~privation a woman and
her baby because q man had taken a
few eggs and some cheese? Is it hard
to think what he would have said?
The life of a woman n baby thrown
into the scales against a few eggs and
Il little bit of cheese. Not much. Just
enough that the wife and mother need
not be too hungry. Not enough to
stop her hunger, but just enough to
fence off starvation for a few days.
This is as far as we have gone after
1000 years Of teaching the Gospel of
Love spread yer the earth by the Car
penter of Nazareth.
How many thousand more years will
have passed before all the world has
learned the lesson Jesus taught?
Were that Man of Galilee on earth to-
day He would either be under bonds to
keep the peace, or under the restraining
provisions of an injunction.
Fl would smite that Justice" that ex-
changes the life of a mother and her
babe for a few eggs and a bit of cheese.
He would challenge the law that says
two euman lives are worth less than a
few egg and a bit of cheese.
His burning words would shrivel that
law which places a few eggs and a piece
of cheese above human lives.
His tongue would help to drive from
existence that system which would
punish q husband and a father for talk
ing the only means left to him to ward
off starvation from his wife and child.
Had a John Wiseman, a sick man,
with a hungry wife, and sick baby,
been delivered to The Master by the
man who had lost those few eggs and
that piece of cheese, and fe friends,