Year: 1873




Chill blasts blow along the streets.
Ice and snow and all the rigors of pitt
less winter are around US. Food is dear
and fuel is scarce. How fares it with
the poor? A merchant on Front street.
Yesterday morning, had business near
the foot of Exchange street In conse-
auenee Of something ne heard, he en-
tered oue Of the little frame shanties
there. II was a horrible spot. AT the
corners, at the ~roof, along the rough
door were rents and openings The


biting wind whistled through every
chiuk. The snow entered by every
cfevice. Within it sat a woman-fer
more than sixty years she had
tO.led and sUfIered-as she sat
no fire sparkled on the Wretched hearth,
10 food was on the table-there was
only cold and hunger, and what beyond?
On Thursday last. ia room in the
Gayoso House, q wife, sitting with her
two little ones by her side, received a
letter, stating that ber husband, en-
pioyed on the steamboat Jenny Howell,
had fallen overheard. She was a widow,
her children We're fatherless; Gods care
and her rfelIOw-creature's humanity were
all that was left her in heaven or on
earth. The long period Of low water and
the succeeding frost had kept the lost
husband for many weeks without work.
This was his first trip after all their pri-
walton, and it was his last. A visitor
called-the children had been taken by
8 neighbor to her room; but the discon-
solate and bereaved woman sat in her
room, weeping in bitter agony. But
that was not all. There was no
fire in tie CRATE and no fuel to
make one; no food in the cup
board and no money to buy any
The father gone, the little ones :
his little ones-without bread, This in
Memphis while these winter blasts are
blowing and winter is sharp and keen.
Il is the season when work is scarce.
The obstmcdons to traffic rob hundreds
Of men Of their regular employment. 1t
is a time when the winter trade is over
and the spring business not yet begun,
and scores of industrious sewing women
have not work. How do these men and
women live? how are they covered
during the freezing nights? how warmed
during the tempestuous day? Who
cares? Not our city, in its cooperative
capacity, for it appropriates no money
10 save the starving or relieve the suf-
fering. The city did such things in
former years, but does not now. A Re
lief Committee has been at work
with the compassion that filled
the heart Of the Good Samaritan
flowing in their breasts. They
have done good, and every good man
viii bless them for il. More than once
The writer Of these lines has recommend
Ell sufferers TO their attention, and nobly
was the call responded to. "They went
about doing gOod;n but we learn with
more regret than we can express that 1
the means put into their hands is ex-
hausted. The wind is still piercing
the snow spreads its cold mantle around 1
the frost penetrates with merciless
harshness, yet the men and women Of
Memphis have ceased to supply this as.
sociat n for active benevOlence with /
what Is required to carry out their di-
vine object. Churches of Memphisl
now is your opportunity. The orgaDi-
zation for the extension OF assistance to
The suffering exists. You have devoted
no Sabbath's services to collections in
aid Of its objects - make those
now. The torrent of
blasphemy is overfiowing. The holy
tenets Of Him in whom is our hope,
eliminate in the assurance that His
followers shall be known by their deeds.
1t is useless arguing with vindictive
hate; it is folly TO reason with supersti-
tious credulity, but you can give the
supreme proof that your religion is true,
by doing good A prayer test is bias
phemsus, GUt a test OF Christian charity
wins Gods blessing and mans respect,
and is the appointed means of demon
strating the truth of Christianity by
Him who said: ''Let your light so shine
before men, that they mag see your good
.corLs and glOrify your Father which is
In heaven Now is the time for action.
Now is the time TO show what that love
for man can do that was lighted from
the heart that was pierced on Calvary.
1t i here, in Memphis; and RotC that you
can 'show your faith by your works"
Take up collections at every church, and
give the Relief Committee the power to
aid the poor and comfort the sOrrowing.


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