The Man with the Book; or, The Bible Among the People.Weylland, John Matthias
History
The Man with the Book; or, The Bible Among the People.
Weylland, John Matthias
City missions; London City Mission
That's for the women: now for the men. You must
whitewash your rooms. ('Let the landlords do it.') If you wait until
they do it, some of you will be in your graves first. ('That's right.')
Do it yourselves. A pail of whitewash is only the price of a pot of
beer. ('That's it.') When you have done it, I will ask the collectors to
allow you back the half-pence. ('Thank'ee, sir,' etc.) Another thing
shall be done: I will see the officer of health, and, if necessary, the
vestry gentlemen, and ask them to improve your drainage and water
supply." (Here the fighting man raised his fist and exclaimed, "If they
don't!" as though his system of deposit would of a certainty influence
the local parliament.) "And then," the speaker continued, "we must keep
sober. The fever is fond of drunkards, with their horrid breath and weak
bodies, and lays hold of them first. (Sensation.) Now, to turn the fever
out, you must promise me three things: say Yes, after each of them. Good
use of air and water ('Yes, yes'); every room to be whitewashed ('Yes,
yes'); and a sober Saturday night." (Murmurs.) The speaker repeated the
last sentence in a tone of firm command: "A sober Saturday night!" and
received a shout of "Yes, yes, yes!" Then, taking the Bible from his
pocket, he held it up, and in a subdued voice continued, "There is a
great Father up there, who loves us all; but you don't pray Him to take
care of you and your children. On Sunday morning you hear the bells
ring; but none of you go to church. This is wrong of you. Remember He
has had it written down in His Holy Book that 'the curse of the Lord is
in the house (the room) of the wicked; but He blesseth the habitation of
the just.'" There was a solemn pause, and the speaker sprang from his
uncomfortable stand and passed out at the short end of the place.
[Illustration: Drunken Sammy leaning on post]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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