Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1923-02-03

SAAS ossANs wv ~ 0AWSyS SASsN w AAs~v ~
strangers here.
AT Christ Protestant Episcopal
Church, st. Paul and Chase streets:
The tramp" with the ripped coat
patched with safety pins wandered in
to the vestibule as the professional
hymn was starting. His corduroy
trousers were patched and baggy. He
wore an old khaki shirt too big a.
round the neck and half unbuttoned.
Women took him in with a startled
glance and pulled their skirts close as
they passed him and entered. He wait
ed, cap in hand, trying to smooth his
tousled, greasy hair and keep the
struggling locks out of his eyes. Men
stared at him in frank wonder, asking
with their eyes as plainly as though
they had spoken, "What can this man
want here"
Pulling himself together finally, the
tramp" shambled through the door
into the nave Of church. Six ushers
seemed paralyzed for the moment as
the tramp's eyes took in the sur
roundings. People in the rear Of the
church looked behind them and turn
ed away quickly. A little girl glued
her eyes on the strange figure and
kept them there most of the service.
Recovering their presence of mind,
two of the ushers stepped forward
with pleasant smiles.
"May ! show you q seat?" one
asked. The "bum" consented and
shuffled after the trim figure. He was
placed in pew near the rear of the
church. A moment later, however,
another usher touched the unclean
shoulder and asked whether he could
take the man further up the aisle
The tramp" refused (for, as a matter
of fact, he had seen two familiar faces
halfway up the church.)
When the opening bars of the pro-
ccssional started, everyone in the
church stood up but the shabby object.
With a start he realized that some
thing was expected of him and he a.
rose to his feet. When the congrega.
ticn sat down the "bum" remained
standing with a preoccupied air. A
few seconds later he sat down in con.
fusion.
Before the service was half over
the people about him had become used
to the homogeneous figure and began
to make advances. A man of aristo-
cratic appearance, who had backed out
of the pew moment before when he
saw his prospective companion, tipped
open prayerbook to the proper place
and handed it to the tramp" An ell
derly woman across the aisle caught
his eye and nodded with a smile. Two
young girls, who had Uttered when
the man first sat down, became grave
and only occasionally stole a glance
at him.
Things remained thus until the rec
tor rose for his sermon. His was a
plea for unfeigned Christianity; q
plea for faith and more charitable
feeling toward all men.
"No matter who you are or what
you are" said the preacher, profess
your faith this morning. If you do not
come into the Kingdom Of God now.
you have no one to blame but your
self. Do not say 4 try for when you
say that you really are not trying.
You are either Christian or you are
not, and it is your care to know the
difference"
The uncouth figure listened intently
as the minister gave several SMILES
of real Christianity. One smile was
cf a red-headed and ragged you'll,
whom he had encountered in Saliva
ticn Army band, and another was of
a Japanese criminal who had confess
ed his crimes because of his his con-
.act with two missionaries.
He declared that in each case the
men had known their faith and were
:Lle to meet the world squarely. The
"bum" felt the inference and the