Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-05-10

ing to its true and evangelical meaning,
l conceive, consists in administering to
the wants of others of such things as VIC
have, and Of such as their necessities
require. When the lame man at the
gate Of the temple, asked aims of Peter
and John, Peter told him, silver and
gold have | none, but such as have,
give to thee. Though the apostles
would administer nothing in the way he
expected assistance, yet by restoring
him to the use of his limbs, they proba-
bly, enabled him to provide for himself
And may not persons of improved un-
derstandings, without the gift of heal
ing, frequently bestow their aims in q
similar manncr,--or TO similar pur-
pose Where poverty arises from
vice, negligence, ignorance, or waste,
aims may be given to much greater eff
feet, by countcracting the evils in which
it originates, than by supplying the ply
sical wants. The latter is often like
alleyiating n disease by increasing its
virulcnce but the former applies the
remedy to the seat of the disease. The
truth is, that the provision which is
made for the poor, both publicly and
privately, often increases the evil which
it is intended to remedy, And this ari-
ses in a great measure from the attcn-
ton ofthe donors being too much di-
rected to the supply Of physical wants,
and too little to the use Of moral remc-
dies. To enable the poor to provide
for themselves, to cultivate their moral
faculties, to remove as far as possible
those temptations which usually lead
them into poverty or crime, is bestow-
ing aims in the most effectual way, as
well as most in accordance with Chris
tian benevclence.
1t is too frequently the case, that peo-
pie who are disposed to distribute u
part Of their income amongst the neces-
sitous, consider their duty performed
by the act Of giving to those who are
in want, without sufficiently rejecting
that the objects of their bounty are
probably quite as much in want of adj
vice and encouragement as of pecuniary
aid. Our minds, as well as our for
tunes, arc the gifts of our muniticent
Creator, and the injunction to give aims
ofsuch things as we have, is as appli-
cable to the treasures Of intellect as to
those of visible wealth.
That species Of aims, which consists
of advice, instruction, and encourage.
ment, is particularly important to that
class, numerous ut all times, and un-
usually increased at the present, who
are struggling and toiling under dis.
couragements and privations, to pro.
vide for themselves and their families,
without invoking the hand Of charity
How often might such as these be eff
fectually, yet delicately, assisted by
persons of wealth and influence. If the
latter would sometimes let fall, from
their ample stores Of productive en-
ployment, some handsful for the former
to CLEAN, aims might be given without
creating sense of degrading depen-
dence. But for those who are favored
with abundance, either of intellectual
or tangible wealth, to resign the aris.
tocracy of their condition, to enter in
to the feelings of their poor and igno
rant neighbors, to aid them by thci
counsel, and encourage them in thei
business, requires a degree of humilit,
which nothing but deep sense of re.
ligious obligation can infuse. Yet thi.
is the course which would be pursued
by men Of superior minds, or of ample
estates, were they duly regardiul of the
injunction to give aims of such thing.
as they have.
Not only the wealthy and powerful,
but persons of narrow and limited cir
cumstances, might unquestionably be
much more useful iii the world than they
commonly are, were they to regard with
proper attention, the text already scve.
raj times quoted, to give aims of sucf
things as they have. 1t is unquestiona.
bly, duty not to be overlooked, that we
provide if We can, for our own. Blu,
this, though duty, is not an all alb.
sorbing one. Such Of us as find the
wants of our own families absorb near.
ly all our means, are very liable, wher
objects Of bounty present, to conclude
that assistance must come from the rich
and we must retain what we have tt
meet the wants Of those nearer home.-
We may endeavOr to reconcile our.
selves to selfish policy, by supposine
that if We were wealthy we would be
liberal !; and that when we have added
a little more to our small provisions we
will then contribute more freely to the
wants Of others. But before we deter
mine to rest upon this species Of antici-
pated benc6cence, it would be well to
examine, whether this is compliance
with the sacred injunction-to give aims
of such things as we have /; whether il
may not be love of the world, rathe,
than want of power, which prompts us
to withhold, and to reflect that it is much
less inconvenicnt to ourselves TO post.
pone the accomplishment of our views
of accumulation, than it is to those who
are in want to wait till we have effected
them. l.. 6.
The DEAD NApoLEoN.-The following
account, says the New York Commercial, o,
the manner in which the bodv of Nanoloo,