TENNESSEE.
Material and Spiritual Value of the Yellow Fever Fund.
MISS HATTIE A. MILTON.
Various sums were sent to our treasury for the relief of the yellow fever sufferers. This little fund has been distributed in New Orleans, Memphis and Mobile. The accompanying letter from Miss Milton shows the manner of its distribution in Memphis:
“Most of those whom I found worthy of relief were people who were suffering from the effects of the fever, and could only make money enough to pay the rent. To such, a few barrels of coal or some provision and shoes gave a start, so that they could get on very well alone. We have had an unusually cold winter, and people have consequently needed more fuel, the sickly ones often having to remain in bed to keep warm. A pastor of one of the colored churches has been a great help in this work, by reporting needy cases in his part of the city. One poor woman, whom he reported, when visited, said, ‘Sure the Lord must have sent you, for I have tried ever since I had the fever to get help, but being blind could not succeed.’ She was furnished with fuel and provision. She then said, ‘You see how good the Lord is to me because I trust Him.’
“Another man had always done very well until he had the fever, from which he partially recovered, but had a relapse which laid him on his bed for months. His wife also was sick, and the family were in great distress when I visited them, and sent relief, which so encouraged them that the man was soon able to be at work again, and is doing well now. I had never gained access to this neighborhood before, but by relieving this family I gained the confidence of the people, and they invited me to hold a weekly prayer-meeting there, which is well attended. Several families which have been relieved now send their children to our Sunday-school. Although several thousand dollars were sent here to relieve yellow fever sufferers, many of the colored people received but little, some nothing. It is very sad to hear of those who were so feeble that they could not stand in the ranks to await their turn at the relief office, but sat on the ground till night came, and then receiving no attention, went home to die! One man, who had always been a good provider, sent his family to the country during the fever, but fell a victim to it himself, and died, leaving his wife a nice house and lot, but with several debts unpaid, and not a dollar for her support. Within a week after his death a beautiful baby opened its wondering eyes for the first time in this world of trouble. The poor heart-broken mother, instead of welcoming the tiny, helpless creature, only looked at it with tearful eyes and an aching heart, as she had nothing for it, most of their clothing being burned when her husband died, to prevent the spread of the disease. When I found her, the baby was three months’ old, and had never had but two garments, and the mother could not leave the three little ones, all under four years of age, to get work. She was relieved, and now the cold is nearly over, and as she has rented her house and taken small rooms herself, she saves a little money, which, with the work she can get, will, she hopes, keep the wolf from the door, and she is very thankful for the relief that came just when she most needed it.
“I will only add that this relief fund has at least doubled my field of work, besides doing much to call the attention of the people to our school. May God’s blessing rest on those interested in this good work.”