CHAPTER IV
An Element of Humor in Rescue Work
Unless one can see the humor in rescue work, the tragedy of it all would break the heart, ruin one's health, and keep one's mind all the time on the sorrowful stories that we hear daily.
A part of successful rescue work is the ability to bring each sorrowful case to God, lay it on His altar, and leave it behind us when we leave the Mission.
AUNT MARY
One very cold night, a few years ago, we had present among our visitors a wealthy lady and gentleman from Pittsburgh. We were most anxious that the Mission should make a good impression on them, hoping a donation of at least $25. It was a very cold night. Soon after the services opened a person, whom I shall call Charles Winters, son of an old Virginia family, came in. He was much under the influence of liquor, and began at once to make a disturbance.
I remembered his dear old gray-haired mother and his accomplished sister, and knew in a moment that if he were put out he would freeze to death or be placed in prison. Two of the helpers started to put him out; that was the easy way, and there were my guests and that prospective donation.
The men already had hold of him, when I said, “Stop, men; please let me speak to him.” Laying my hand kindly on his shoulder, I said, “Charles, sit down and behave yourself.” With a drunken laugh, he said, “I'll sit down for you, Aunt Mary, but not for these toughs.” All evening I had to go back every few minutes to quiet him, much to the amusement of my friends, who frequently to this day call me Aunt Mary. But I saved a family from shame and my donation came all right.
In most businesses old age is a handicap, but every gray hair of my white head is an asset. Nearly every evening some poor, vanquished soldier of fortune, ragged, unshaven and unshorn, comes to me and says with quivering lips, “You look just like my mother, to-night, will you care a little for me?” And I lay my arm across the soiled coat and say, “Son, the trail of every sin is on your poor soiled body; you have tried some by yourself to be good, now let us ask Jesus to help. But I shall send you up stairs under guard and to the bath-room, where you must take a very warm bath while I go to the workroom and get you clean clothes from the skin out; your clothing will go into the fumigator over night; you shall have enough to eat and be physically comforted, then we will try again with Jesus as yoke-fellow. You and I will talk to Him about it and we will try again, shall we?”
There is no use talking salvation to a hungry man or a man physically uncomfortable. We usually help a poor fellow several days before anything more than the above is said, then we show him the tendencies of his life; he sees them in the wrecks all around him. He hears the testimony of redeemed drunkards, thieves and gamblers, and sees them clothed and in their right minds; then the teachings of some Christian mother, Sunday school teacher, or preacher comes back, and lo! he prays. God's Holy Spirit acts as a searchlight, and he sees his abhorrent self as God sees him, and he cries for mercy. God comes down when the sinner calls for redeeming power, and a great psychological change takes place. If a soul really agrees to give up every sin, to take Jesus Christ as pattern and friend, Christ Himself enters into covenant relations with that soul and the man is born again. He usually lays hold mentally of some one verse of Scripture, which becomes to him a personal message from on high. I have seen many take the verse, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you,” and use it as the stepping stone into the higher life. They seek God and live His righteousness. Take the case of