New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-16
CONTRIBUTION SERMON.


The Rev. Daniel Mclean Quackenbush of Fishkill
preached last evening in the Dutch Reformed Church,
Ninth st. The object of the to call stten
ton to the wants of that class Of women who are
principally dependent upon the needle for support aud
TO take up collection in behalf of the American Wild
ows' Relief Association, whose funds entirely ex-
hausted. The following is mere sketch of the most
important points made in the course of the sermon.
which was listened to with most profound attention.
His text was taken from Max y, v. 43, a..
He illustrated the feeling of ambition in the human
heart that induces men to endure toll and suf-
ierpg in the road to what the world Calls honor and
fame. This love of distinction planted for wise
purposes in the human heart ani its action il
aged by the Saviour-but not in the battlefield. The
Christians highest order OF hoT Is in different ded.
He spoke of the fearessness with which Jesus went TO
the grensest OF oil honOrswhen he went TO suffer
for us Christ taught his disciples what was the true
path 70 hOrOr-it il 10 become minister 70 Others
wants. This path Is open to oil, and its crown may
glitter On the brow OF the rost humble. All the SER
vice that are abie 10 render we owe to God; the
debt may be paid TO if hearts are filled with
love TO our fe,Ow-creatures who oil brethren.
H. tie ministry Of love there should be earnestDess I,
hep one another The true service of man TO man Is
rot alone in friendly words, and the earnest helper
OCT not volt till he ia cal ed 10 act by startling
cry of distress We all selfish but Christ taught
unsefsh beneyolence in the great work of charity.
bin that eks The lowest place and not the highest
The Association that has committed It's interests to my
charge offers opportunity TO oil the benevolent who
desire 10 contribute field OF labor, where they may
become ministers such as spoken of in the text
Let us glance at the history Of this new or.
eanization which hes been half a year in exist
ence and yet has been the almoner of the be-
nevoleDt to the amount OF ten Thousand dollars.
AZ the tine of the organization OF the Society, the
last week Of January the Secretary bad the names OF
about one hundred families which had been sent to
hin by their friends, frequently without their know-
edge, often against their will and sometimes with
caution that Whatever sent them should be in such
manner not 10 wound their sensitive feelings As
the organization was formed, and visitors
Legen TO 20 around, where they went 10 visit ono
widow, they often found half dozen In the same
neighborhOod-in instance four separate families
upOn one floor. They were often tonnd sick and
utterly destitute, in miserable Easements or empty
garrets. sleeping upon straw after having sold
OF pawned tier beds 10 buy food for their children.
This is fancy SKETCH got up for effect have held
in my hand tie little yellow, crumped tear-stained
tickets from the Iawnbroker that tod The tale OF SUI
ferng that bad been endured by these suffering fami-
lies during the incemency Of last winter. In the
months Of February and March the Association re.
deeme ,6J7 pawnbrokers pledges, at an expense OF
SlG7l. II is estimated that the value OF this property
to the owners is fully five times the cost and includes
not less that 900 articles Of clothing beds, bedding
sc besiCes very large quantity ofjewelry, Watches
silver spoons and other yaluables, some OF which are
old tokens of affection that link the living with the
dead. Several large Bibles with the family records
ere included among the list Of articles redeemed
For one family l42 pledges were redeemed, including
every bed and article of bedding that could be pledged
to the straw ticks, and every article Of clothing,
that the mother and daughters could not be seen by
the gentleman who called, and some Of the children
almost entirely naked. The relief that has been
given incalculabe by dollars and cents and this too
10 q class of well-born honest. ndustrOuswomen and
bright, lovely children-young heroes tho have said,
mother, We can starve and die with yOuvbut we will
mot beg or steal" Mothers who have come trembling
to the sOciety's rooms saying could not make up
my mind to come ill had tasted two days without
food or fire. and then could not any longer endure
the torment--not Of my own hunger-tut Of seeing my
poor innocent children starving. Does such dis
tress exist now will be your natural question:
Yes, it does. Not to 30 great an extent as It
did in Winter, but still among a great many
of these families, who once lived as much
above want as ANY Of us, and where there ara
many voung children they are perishing for food; aud
in this Christian land both mothers and children are
nrohibited from attending church or Sabbath school,
or quite baTefoOted that they cannot go out of their
dark rooms on the Sabbath day without feeling the
degradation that rags bring home in bitter pangs To
American hearts. II IL because this distress does ex-
ist in sad reality that the Trustees of the American
Widows Relief Association have appealed to those
who can give relief. They appeal because they have
exhausted all the liberal donations that have been
placed in their hands and much Already they
have relieved over SIX hundred families, and still.
though the Winter is gone and Summer Is here, there
many who suffering for the very crumbs which
fall from rich mems tables The gifts heretofore have
mosty from abroad this the first direct appeal
to the City.
The appeal Of the preacher was ably seconded By
Mr.. De Witt, who hoped-aithough at this season.
when SO many were abroad looking ct the boantifsl
harvest that God Is DOW giving us, largo sun could