Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-03-04

the soldiers, If fky can find no other object to
exercise their rage on, murder and rob the Jews.
They are most strange people-they delight
in living where there is most misery and dan
ger, and they manage to preserve, wherever they
go, their religious rights; their disposition 10
usury, trade and extortion. Two years since
600 Of them were murdered, and yet strange as
lit may appear, the brothers, sisters, &C. remain,
to perhaps in three or four more years, under
go the same fate. did not visit Tunls, II is
eight miles from the port Of the Goetta, where
we lay, it is improving in civilization rapidly,
as is also Tripoli; both these powers have aban-
doned piracy, and are resortns to commerce
and agriculture. While in the neighborhood
of ancient Carthage, we visited the remains OF
that once renowned and opulent city, they are
but few, except those which were subterraneous
works, as cisterns, Sc the fields are mass OF
the brick and marble, broken by the plough
and the workings Of the elements; how power
less and deceitful are the efforts Of man; here
were temples and palaces built for eternity,
here were millions of beings who e4uted in
their power and their magni6eence. Fate has
overthrown all their pride and their habitations,
and not one of their descendants inherit the
earth; she plays fearful part over mortals
and their designs, and when l look upon the
mighty wrecks Of cities once so glorious and
beautiful, how contemplate appear the griefs
and misfortunes of individuals, those pageants
OF day, shrinking from petty fears and pains.
! do not know that the survey OF such scenes
creates less interest for my fellow man, but it
exci,es degree Of pity that approaches to con-
tempt in seeing how less than vain are his Ell
forts 10 perpetuate his memory. Ii travel en-
larges our minds, it at the same time destroys
some of the better sympathes Of the heart, and
in seeing man degraded, debased, and subject
to the will of ignorant and terrible monsters TO
whom they bow their neck submissively: The
divinity which in his pride he sometimes as
sumes, is contracted to something so little re-
sembling the exalted essence, that perhaps we
are apt to 20 to the worst extreme, and utterly
despise what would be more rational 10 COM
miserate.
Hebrew ladder of 6sneuolence -Maimonides the
celebrated Jewish Philosopher, in his work
"Nore Nebuchim," defines the duty Of charity
in the following admirable manner. There
are, he says, eight degrees or steps in the duty
of charity.
The first, and lowest degree, is to give-but
with reluctance or regret This is the gift Of
the hand, but not of the heart.
The second, is to give cheerfully, Blu, not pro-
portionately to the distress Of the sufferer.
The third, is to give cheerfully and proper
tonably, but not until we are solicited.
The fourth, is to give cheerfully, proportion
ably, and even unsolicited; but 20 put in the
poor mans hand; thereby exciting in him the
painful emotions Of shame.
The fifth is to give charity in such way that
the distressed may receive the bounty, & know
their benefactors without being known to them.
Such was the conduct Of some Of our ancestors,
who used to tie up money in the hind corner OF
their cloaks, that the poor might take 1t upper
ceived.
The sixth, which rises still higher, Is to
know the objects of our bounty but remain UNI
known to them. Such was the conduct OF those
of our ancestors who used 10 convey their cha
ri,able gifts into poor peoples dwellings, TAX
king care that their own persons and names
should remain unknown.
The seventh is still more meritorious, name
ly, to bestow charity in such way that the
benefactor may not know the relieved object nor
they the name of their benefactor; as was done
by our charitable forefalhers during the exist
ence Of the Temple; for there was in that holy
building place called the chamber of silence
or inostentation; wherein the good deposited
secretly whatever their generous hearts sug-
sested, and from which the most respectable
poor families were maintained with equal Sc.
crecys
Lastly, the eighth and the most mertorious
of all is to anticipate charity by preventing
poverty, namely, to assist the reduced brother,
either by considerable gift or loan Of money or
by teaching him trade, or by putting him
in the way Of business, SO that he may earn an
honest livelihood and not be forced to the
dreadful alternative of holding up his hand for
charity; and to this our hol, law alludes when
it says "And if thy brother be waxen poor and
fallen in decay, then thou shalt support him;
yea though he be stranger or a sojourner; that
he may live with thee"-Levit. XIV. 49,
This is the highes, step, and the summit Of
charity's golden ladder
'Hence probably the origin Of charity boxes.
The Indians and their Gome.-A Detroit pa
per says-The surveyors, of route for road
who have returned, inform US that game, OF ev-
cry description, is more abundant this season
than III ever has been known before. The white