The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-01-06

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FOR THE PRESS
The Roman Catholic Priest of Lambert
vile. to his Fellow Christians Of eve
ry Denomination.
The Winter has hardly set in, and already the
number of the destitute people of my congrega-
ton is increasing at rapid rate Last summer,
work was very scarce, and by praoticing the
greatest economy it was impossible. for the sober
est men to lay aside anything for the long,
dreary winter. Many well behaved members of
my church have large family to maintain and
besides house rent to pay. What source Of
circulating anxiety Of mind must it be for their
to see their dear little children exposed to all
the rigors of hunger, of nakedness and cold,
without the immediate means of relieving them
Their strong hands, the only capital they possess
in the world, stand idle for lack of employment
They are willingly to work, but there is not the
least prospect of work for them In presence of
such an accumulation of misery, is it not our duty
to endeavor, according to our ability, to allevi-
ate it Living together in the same Borough,
are we not bound by humanity and the laws of
nature to relieve our neighbor sinking under the
heaviest pressure of Indulgence, as we would wish
to be relieved ourselves were we in similar
situation. But, as the voice of nature and the
light Of reason are not always attended to- the
Almighty has been pleased to inculcate to us
the duty Of alms-giving in the clearest and
strongest terms both in the Old and New Tesla
meut, and to give US to understand that we are
to consider our riches as the gifts of wise and
benign Providence which, in bestowing them on
us, and combining others within such narrow cir
cumstances, had in view an end worthy of itself
and intended that the superhuities of the rich
should be the patrimony ofthepoor Hence the
scripture calls the aims given to the poor debt,
and the refusal of it defrauding the poor
Son." says the Lord, 'defraud not the poor of
aims, and turn not away thy eyes from them ; bow
down thy ear cheerfully to them and pay what
thou owest, and again, II command thee to
open thy hand to thy needy and poor brother
that liveth in the land !" and again, q thou shalt
not harden thy heart, nor close thy hand, but
shalt open it to the poor man )" and again, "help
the poor because Of the commandment, and send
him not away empty handed on account of his
poverty" and again, deal thy bread to the
hungry, and bring the needy and harborless into
thy honse when thou shalt see one Naked cover
him, and despise not thy own flesh" All this
plainly shows that the poor have acquired from
God just right and title to be supplied with the
necessaries of life out of the abundance of the
rich, and that, to give aims to them in order to
solace their wants is not simple counsel but
an indispensable duty, and formal precept of
the Sovereign Master of the Universe, who has
appointed the rich his agents, and has placed
them, like Joseph, over the treasures of Egypt,
for the purpose of supplying the wants Of his
people, and succoring them in the hour of dis
tress. To neglect the poor. therefore, in their
distresses, or to withhold and refuse them what
has been thus given and appropriated for their
relief is to oppose the ordnance of Heaven, and
to counterfeit the designs Of Divine Providence.
It is to commit an act of injustice, in the sight
Of God, like to that of the unjust steward 10 the
Gospel who embezzled what the master Of the
family had entrusted to his care. It is also an
open breach ofcbarity for as the scripture says,
=" he that hath the substance Of this world, and
shall see bis brother in need, and shall put up his
bowels from him, how doth the charity of God
abide in him."
It is useless for me to dwell any longer on the
obligations Of aims giving. Every one of you
reads the word Of God, and is, therefore con-
yinced Of the truth Of this doctrine Now, in
the midst of the distress prevailing among the
poor members Of my congregation. I have re-.
solved, this winter, to direct allm attention to
one particular branch of charity, the clothing Of
the. destitute children. For that purpose, have
already secured the services Of Catholic girls who
are willing to devote two hours, every night to
sewing for the benefit of the poor. Moreover,
win purchase in few days, the best Sewing
Machine 10 the Market toenable them to perform
the greatest amount of work in the least possible
time What we presently want is cheap woolen
goods tomake clothes for the poor children
This is the great difficulty of my undertaking. and