APPEAL FOR THE CRIPPLED CRPHAN.

Otago Witness, Volume 02, Issue 2420, 2 August 1900, Page 56

APPEAL FOR THE CRIPPLED CRPHAN.

(See Otago Daily Times, 25th July, 1900.) " Bis dat gui cito dat." A stribken sister's suppliant cry Drifts down Dunedin's distant hills; Its thrilling tones my bosom chills; Its plaintive pleading prayer pours by. 'Mid dire disease, decline, and death ; - 'Mid scenes of suffering, sobs, and sighs; Like weakly weary waif she lies, And fastens fast on Christ, her faith. Incurable! O sadd'ning thought! — • Farewell, to all her youthful dreams; -How hard her helpless state now seems:] Pleasures of life all set at nought. Limbs.-paralysed; all hope is flown; ' " God's will be done " niayHap we say J And as for her we kneel and pray, Her feeble state we all bemoan. She cannot sing of " Home, sweet home "; A mockery 't would "surely be, And, this side of Eternity, No hope of better time to come. Borne from the ward she soon will be,— o The Orphanage her resting place ; Its nurses' goodly gentle grace Will soothe her o'er life's surging sea. Dependent on sweet charity! Do we perchance such virtue own?, Oh! sympathy for sufi'rer's moan, Alas! 'tis oft a rarity. Are honours, pleasure, glory, fame, The empty things that we pursue? If we the seeds of kindness strew, 'Twill bless us more than worldly name. Just think of what life might have been r With, health and happy days assured; Then think of all the pangs endured, Of all the sufferings imseen. No father kind, no mother dear; No friends a helping" hand to lend ; To God above her prayers ascend; He is the Friend that's ever near. We fain would Christ's disciples be; His life "was filled with kindly deeds ; He aye supplies our daily needs; He'll hear the crippled orphan's plea. We pass along this way but once;

'Tis ours the chance to lessen pain; v "We shall not pass this way again ; Let's help the weak ere we go hence. One deed of kindness do to-day. Come! let your sympathy be real; Respond to her kind friends' appeal; Help the poor cripple on her way. And when you come to death's cold stream, And think of graceful acts you've done, You will with surety know of one, 'Twill cheer you more than golden dream. J. C. M'Domald.

Milburn, 26th Jufe 19QCU