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nothing good enough to send. They think their old clothes are too much worn and defaced to be given away. They do not seem quite to divest themselves of the idea that the especial ownership of their mended clothes is going to be obvious all the way down to Vicksburg and the Sea Islands. As a matter of fact, I suppose Mr. Jones's connection with his coat, and Mrs. Jones's with her gown, is generally sundered the moment it is beyond their own door; and past the first stage, even the knowledge of Mr. and Mrs. Jones themselves vanishes away. But suppose not, what harm? If a garment is worth patching, the patch is not a thing to be ashamed of; and I suppose anything that can be mended into decency and a tolerable degree of durability, is worth sending. You can easily ask yourself whether, if you were daily shivering with cold, you would consider it worth sending to you, and if you then doubt whether it will pay for transportation, you can mend it and wear it yourself, and send your strong new garments to the freed people! Appeals, to be sure, are made chiefly for second-hand clothing, but I dare say first-hand would not be refused. It might cost a sacrifice; but not one worthy to be compared with His, who for us left the glory which he had with the Father before the world was, and came down to a manger and

a cross.

But after all, it is neither pride nor poverty

which is the chief obstacle, but a certain indifference; the absence of a "realizing sense" of things. We hear as though we heard not; we go our way, one to his farm, another to his merchandise, and think of the matter no more. But when the voice of God calls," Where is the African, thy brother?" will it be a satisfactory answer to Questioner or questioned, "I know not,—I did not think much about it, one way or another"? We may go on thoughtlessly, but, rigorous and pitiless, winter marches over the freedmen. Whether we hear or forbear, they are suffering from want of food and shelter, and the voice of their blood will surely cry unto God from the ground. To feed the hungry, and clothe the naked, is the imperative duty of this hour. More than ever before, Religion demands to know faith by works. "Bring forth fruits meet for repentance," cried the Baptist; and when people asked, "What shall we do then?" he uttered no abstractions, but "He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." If Christ Jesus is the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever, the fruits meet for repentance are coats, and cloaks, and stockings for the destitute negroes. And remember, if a brother or a sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; I am very sorry for you; I wish you were comfortable; notwithstanding ye give them

not those things which are needful for the body; what doth it profit? Let us not so mock the Lord as to pretend to be his followers, if we will not cherish the poor whom, in answer to our prayers, he has given into our hands.

Events have shown the freed slaves to be far superior to what we had any reason to expect. Bravery in battle, fortitude in hardship, skill, ingenuity, industry, loyalty, sagacity, self-control, patience, have been discovered where we should have supposed only the vices and weaknesses of a cowed and abject people. No more heroic deeds illustrate the annals of this war than those which have been performed by negroes. They have been faithful to their light, though it must have shone but dimly. But if they were sottish, brutal, vicious, and lazy, to the last degree, our duty would remain the same. What they are, our race has made them. What they may be, it belongs to us to ascertain. Lazarus may lie at the gate full of sores, desiring only the fallen crumbs; but since they are the sores which our own cruelty has caused, he shall not be turned off with crumbs or crust, but shall have balm for his hurt, wine for his fainting heart, meat for his manhood's wants.

The Sanitary Commission rides on the wave of popular favor. Let us rejoice. It has struck a vein of pure, solid religion. It is the very spirit of Christ, organized into an Institution. Heaven be praised that the prophecy is fulfilled, and kings

are its nursing fathers, and queens its nursing mothers; but in caring for our own blood, let us not forget the blood that is not our own, the sadcoursing blood that has flowed through generations of sorrow. We have enough and to spare, and heaven and earth await our action. It is Christ who is an hungered and athirst. In all their affliction, he is afflicted. Shall a man rob God?

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XIX.

EDDYKNY-MUR-R-PHY.

HERE is a strange hush and shadow in the air to-day, and the Indian summer is less beautiful than it was.

All

because a little shining, smiling face is turned towards the sunset, and I see it no more. A little shining face, square and full and healthy, yet delicate and spiritual, two round cheeks, each with its own deep dimple, in which the very spirit of sunshine lurks, two eyes blue, clear, and industrious, shaded by long lovely lashes, a high, broad forehead crowned with fine silken-floss hair, face and hands, and jacket and trousers, all issuing forth in the morning tidy, spotless, all coming back at night, not to say noon, dingy and dusty and draggled; as why should they not, since the little feet that propelled them have been delving in the dust or digging in the mud all day with unwearied assiduity. If you see a little man answering this description, he will not take it amiss should you ask him his name, but will quite exult

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