EXPERIENCES WITH TRAMPS.
By Mrs. W. H. Allerns
OUR home used to be near the railroad track, and as that seemed to be an ideal place for tramps to congregate, we often had calls from them in rapid succession. To know just how best to deal with these unfortunates, many of whom are no doubt worthy persons out of employment, is something that is entirely beyond us if we rely upon our own wisdom. The Lord has promised that His Word would be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. We can therefore come to His Word for guidance in this matter. The Golden Rule is in itself an indication of how we should treat the matter: "As ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." He tells us that He sends the rain alike upon the just and upon the unjust, and He admonishes us to be merciful even as our Father in heaven is merciful. I have had many blessed experiences in giving to these generally neglected wayfarers the best I had—not because I was afraid of them, but because I was yearning for their soul's salvation. I have often felt that such experiences were somewhat similar to our Saviour's experience with the woman at the well of Samaria. One Sabbath two travelers came to our home. It being our Lord's rest day, I invited them in to rest, explaining to them my reasons for observing this particular day as a Sabbath. They joined with us in singing praises to God, and we had an enjoyable little meeting. At its close, they felt they must take up a collection, and accordingly each of them left ten cents for the Lord's work. On another Sabbath a young man came and asked for his breakfast. I gave it to him and then invited him into the parlor to sing with us. He joined in every song, and stayed for Scripture reading and prayer. He left us in good spirits. There is no loss in this work more than in any other Gospel work, and15only our Father knows how many may be rescued in this much-neglected field. In neglecting this field and turning away these needy ones so frequently without even the bread of temporal sustenance, and almost always without a crumb of the bread of life, are we not showing respect to persons?, "But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors." A certain young man was advised not to call at our house lest he should become converted. He came, however—and got converted. I was led to talk to him about his soul's salvation. We read God's Word, and had an earnest season of prayer. He himself was led to pray, and when he arose from his knees, his countenance showed that he was a changed man. On the Sabbath following he met with us again, and during the season of prayer following the singing and reading of God's Word, two of my little girls were led to pray for him very earnestly. Tears ran down his cheeks, and he said, "This is like heaven." Surely heaven was filling our hearts with its blessings. He said, "I came here a perfect stranger, and now you seem like my own mother." We have only to open our hearts and our doors for work of this character, and the Lord will send us abundance. Let us lose no opportunity of helping poor sinners to find Jesus. "Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again." Luke 6:30.