第 15 节
作者:谁与争疯      更新:2021-02-19 00:36      字数:9322
  priest。 I was very much astonished for he had on a common suit with a
  red necktie。 I then knew he was in trouble somewhere。 He told me he
  had no money。 I told him he was welcome to stay as long as he wished。
  I gathered up some clean garments and did for him all I could。 I felt
  glad to have this catholic priest in my house。 I resolved to ask him
  concerning
  their faith。 He was one of the saddest man I ever saw and it made
  my heart ache to see him。 I knew so well what it was to have 〃a heart
  bowed down with grief and woe;〃 and I saw in this poor creature desolation。
  I asked him if he should die; what sin he would have to repent of。
  He said: 〃I may have sinned in trying to fix up a home for poor priests
  who come into disfavor with the bishops。〃 His words were: 〃There is
  no one so helpless as a catholic priest sent adrift。 A boy ten years old
  knows as well how to make a living for himself。 I have been from a boy;
  in a Jesuit College; St。 John's; near New York。 You do not know the
  sorrows of a catholic priest。 Few know that so many priests are dying from
  heart disease。 I am trying to get to San Antonio; for a priest there may
  help me some。〃 He stayed at the hotel five days。 One evening he came in
  the parlor where there was quite a company; and I was astonished to see
  him so changed。 He was no longer the shrinking; crest…fallen man; but he
  seemed bright and joined in conversation; sang and played on the piano。
  I soon found out he had been drinking。 I wanted to shield him from the
  scandal and made an excuse to call him from the room; and told him what
  I did this for。 Next morning he came down as 〃sad as night〃。 I said:
  〃Are you going to leave?〃 〃Yes;〃 he replied。 I wrote a note to the
  conductor; whom I knew well; told him the condition of this poor man; told
  him to pass him to San Antonio。 I had just three dollars; this I gave to
  him。 Oh; the gratitude in the face of this poor man。 He raised his
  hands and asked 〃Christ; and his mother; the holy martyrs; and the angels
  to bless me。〃
  In a few days I heard of a priest from Cleveland; Ohio; who through
  gambling and drinking; had spent thirty thousand dollars of the church's
  money and he was sent adrift。 The name of this priest was John Kelly
  and on our hotel register the name of this priest was written 〃John Kelly。〃
  CHAPTER VI。
  WHY MY NAME IS NOT ON A CHURCH BOOK; AND WHY THE MINISTERS WITHDREW
  FROM ME。CLOSING THE DIVES OF MEDICINE LODGE。CORA BENNETT;
  AND WHY SHE KILLED BILLY MORRIS IN A DIVE IN KIOWA。HER
  RESURRECTION。RAIDING A JOINT DRUGSTORE。
  I soon saw that I was not popular with the church at Medicine
  Lodge。 I testified to having received the 〃baptism of the Holy Ghost;〃 and
  the minister; Mr。 Nicholson; took occasion to say that I was not sound
  in the faith。 This church at this time had a board of deacons and elders;
  who I knew to be unworthy; some of them addicted to intoxicating drinks
  and other flagrant sins。 There was one man whose sincerity I never questioned;
  Mr。 Smith; who had a good report from those in and out of the
  church。
  Mr。 Nicholson; the preacher; used to go to a drugstore kept by a noted
  jointist and infidel。 He would sit with him in front of his drugstore。 I
  would rebuke him for 〃sitting in the seat of the scornful and in the way of
  sinners。〃
  Whenever I went visiting; I went where I felt I could do some
  good for Jesus; and at Thanksgiving and Christmas I invited the poor;
  crippled and blind; to a feast at my house as Jesus said to never invite
  those who were able to make a feast。
  There was a Mrs。 Tucker; who was quite young and married to an
  old man。 She worked hard; washing; to care for her five children。 I
  would take her to church and it was not long before she joined。 There
  was rejoicing in Heaven; but none in the church at Medicine Lodge。
  For two years she attended church; and not an officer or member ever
  called to see her。 I would visit her; and often take her clothes for
  her children; also read the Bible; and prayed with her。 I did not wish
  her to notice the lack of all Christian fellowship; but she saw the
  cool way in which she was treated and she stopped going to church。 A
  false report of treachery was told to this minister by her unfeeling; jealous
  husband; and without going to see this poor woman; it was decided to take
  her name from the church book;
  One Lord's Day morning; before Mr。 Nicholson commenced his sermon;
  he said: 〃It is the painful duty of the church to withdraw fellowship from
  Sister Tucker; 〃who had been living in open adultery。〃 I was sitting in
  front; and I rose to my feet。
  Mr。 Nicholson said: 〃You sit down; the elders will attend to this。〃
  I said: 〃No; the elders will not; but I will。 What you have said is
  not true about this woman。 She has been a member of the church for two
  years; and neither you nor the elders or any member of this church but
  myself have been in her home。 I do for that woman what I would want
  some one to do for me; under the same circumstances。 These elders never
  reclaim the erring or pray with the dying; but this poor little lamb has
  come in for shelter; and they are pulling the fleece off of her。〃
  All this time Mr。 Nicholson was telling me in angry tones to 〃sit
  down〃。 He then called on the elders to take me out; came down from the
  pulpit; took me by the arm intending to put me out himself; but he could
  not move me。 I turned to the audience; told them what the preacher said
  could not be proven。 The Normal was in session and there were many
  strangers present。 I sat down as calmly as if nothing had happened out of
  the usual; and waited until the close。
  Mr。 Nicholson came to me after service and said: 〃We will settle
  your case。〃
  I said: 〃Do your worst and do your best。〃
  That afternoon the elders met in the church; and withdrew from me
  because I was a 〃stumbling block;〃 and a 〃disturber of the peace。〃 This
  was a grief to me; for my beloved father; mother; brothers and sisters
  belonged to this society of Christians; and I had; since I was a child ten
  years of age。 I wept much over this; but I went to church as usual; not
  so much to the Christian church; but the Baptist; where they were very
  kind to me。
  Bro。 Wesley Cain had charge of that church and this man and his
  wife were a tower of strength to me。 What this man and wife did for the
  people of Medicine Lodge will receive approbation on 〃That Day;〃 at the
  resurrection of the just。
  Mrs。 Cain was local president of the W。 C。 T。 U。 and she was at her
  post; was self…sacrificing; and had such a sympathizing heart。 The poor
  never applied to Bro。 Cain and his noble wife in vain。 I have much to
  thank them for。
  I was Jail Evangelist at this time for the W。 C。 T。 U。 and I learned
  that almost everyone who was in jail was directly or indirectly there from
  the influence of intoxicating drinks。 I began to ask why should we have
  the result of the saloon; when Kansas was a prohibition state; and the
  constitution
  made it a crime to manufacture; barter; sell or give away intoxicating
  drinks? When I went to Medicine Lodge there were seven dives
  where drinks were sold。 I will give some reasons why they were removed。
  I began to harass these dive…keepers; although they were not as much to
  blame as the city officials who allowed them to run。 Mart Strong was a
  noted joint…keeper。 He and his son; Frank; were both bad drinking characters;
  and would sell it every chance they got。 Mart had a dive and I
  was in several times to talk to him; and he would try to flatter me and
  turn things into a joke。 When he saw I did not listen to such talk;
  treated me very rude。 One Saturday I saw quite a number of men
  into his place; and I went in also。 Saloons in Kansas generally have a
  front room to enter as a precaution; then a back room where the bar is。
  I didn't get farther than the front; for Mart came hastily; taking me by the
  shoulders and said: 〃Get out of here; you crazy woman。〃 I was singing
  this song:
  Who hath sorrow? Who hath Woe?
  They who dare not answer no;
  They whose feet to sin incline;
  While they tarry at the wine。
  CHORUS:
  They who tarry at the wine cup
  They who tarry at the wine cup。
  They who tarry at the wine cup。
  Who hath babblings; who hath strife?
  He who leads a drunkard's life;
  He whose loved ones weep and pine;
  While he tarries at the wine。
  Who hath wounds without a cause?
  He who breaks God's holy laws;
  He who scorns the Lord divine;
  While he tarries at the wine。
  Who hath redness at the eyes?
  Who brings poverty and sighs?
  Unto homes almost divine;
  While he tarries at the wine?
  Touch not; taste not; handle not:
  Drink will make the dark; dark blot;
  Like an adder it will sting;
  And at last to ruin bring;
  They who tarry at the drink。〃
  I continued to sing this; with tears running down my face。 When I
  finished the song there was a great crowd; some of the men had tears in
  their eyes as well。 James Gano; the constable; was standing near the door
  and said: 〃I wish I could take you off the streets。〃 I said: 〃Yes; you
  want to take me; a woman; whose heart is breaking to see the ruin of these
  men; the desolate homes and broken laws; and you a constable; oath…bound
  to close his man's