"We refer to people living on the street as homeless. Actually they are houseless, not homeless. Their home is wherever they may be. A sad plight, especially with winter coming on.

"For the past few weeks, I've been out peddling books. Almost the way people used to do vacuum cleaners and hairbrushes: door to door. In every city I visited I inquired as to the number of people living on the streets. Then I asked how many churches, synagogues, and mosques there were. I was not too surprised to learn that in most cities there are about the same number of houseless people as there are congregations.

"Quite often when I make a speech to a church group — they hardly ever ask me to do anything as sacred as a sermon — someone will say, 'You complain a lot about the faithlessness of the steeples, but you never tell us what we can do to make the world better.'

"Well, how about this: Let every congregation adopt one person who lives on the streets. Ask no questions as to the worthiness of these people. Who among us is worthy? Just find them lodging, a job, friends — give them hope. That would solve the problem of people living on the streets.

" 'But how would we afford it?'

" 'The same way you afford your tall steeples, rich edifices, preachers' salaries, and all the rest. With tithes and offerings.' "