THE TRAMP AND THE HOBO.
By P. Padurson
ON the road are found two classes of men—the tramp and the hobo. The tramp is willing to work, as a rule, when he can get anything to do, while the hobo is said to pray that he may not find work, or, in other words, that nobody will offer him work. The first-named class do not ask anything for nothing, while the other class wants everything for nothing. One has the spirit of independence, while the other class is morally weak. The tramp may or may not be a Christian, while the hobo is not. A man becomes a tramp for several reasons; among the many being discouragement in life, lack of opportunity to meet those who could give him help, or men for whom he could conscientiously work. Some tramps are Christians. "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head." The apostle Paul tramped a great deal. When the disciples of old, and even Christ Himself, could not find any more Gospel work to do in one city, or were hindered from doing it, they would walk to another. With the hobo it is different. He can get along almost any place, as long as there is an empty barn or a haystack near, and he can get a piece of bread and a cup of coffee. But Christ died for both the tramp and the hobo. Now I know that some Seventh-day Adventists have copies of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, tracts, health journals, etc., laying around or stored away, that are not being used in any way. To me it seems as bad to waste the literature God gives us for the spread of the Gospel as to waste the food He gives for the body. And I believe that there is many a man on the road who is hungry for something that will satisfy his desire for truth and righteousness—a desire for peace with God. Now I propose to those who have this old literature on hand, even tho it may be a little soiled, that they distribute it along the roads where these men travel. They can make boxes or sacks and hang them upon trees and fences, with proper signs to indicate what they contain. If all our literature was put to its right and full use, I believe it would please Him who, as He walked on this earth, was often lonely and forsaken by man, and was in all points tried and tempted like as we are.