The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-12-15
Thc Relief Fnnd.

:,
tint. | was well pleased to have had so near6a
view OF the first feminine celobrity of the cen
tury. SCI asa .ai.tl .s5557 4. g.. 3 49,
TIac Relief Fnnd. i8etss sislf
TO TIE EDITOR OF THE Press: .u0ii
j cannot refrain from Offering a single Nofd
IN reiatlonto the question now being discussed I
in your columns of what shall. be done with I,
the relief fund. The suggestion offered by I
b., . and sustainedby "Anotller b. - seems to
me open to grave objections. In the first place.
notwithstanding the faithful manner in which
the Committee have discharged their duties
and the great amount of good they have been
able to do, there still remains muchs,rffaring
to be; alleviated. The winter has but lust be-
gun, and no one can foresee what legitimate
calls may arise for the disposal Of this money
in the hard, cold months that are coming. i
say legitimate calls, for it should not be forgot
ten that this money was given for the relief of
the suffering, not to build monuments to the
liberality of the givers in the shape of church,
es. There is now in existence among us an
association of ladies formed for the purpose of
seeking out and relieving those cases of suf-
fering which, owing to the shrinking delicacy
of the tinfortunates, have not been thrust for
ward into the public sight. This association
considers its work as only begun, and is solicit
ing contributions and funds It would GER
tainly seem just and proper thatif there is a
surplus of the general fund, some portion of it
should be turned over to them to be applied to
such cases. As for the church organizations
which have lost their houses of worship, do
not deny that they have to bear great priva-
| ton; no one can feel more deeply than I do
! the Importance Of having churches and the
privilege that it is to go where one feels at
homo, but think it is just as well for churches
as for individuals to practice self-denial at
times With the single exception, L believe, of
the Swedenborgians, all the turned-out
societies have access to places of wor-
ship of their own denomination where
they are welcome, therefore they are
not without Sunday privileges, and it does
seem to me that in these circumstances they
can better afford to wait for means to rebuild
than can the hundreds of invalids, of feeble old
men and delicate women, who have lost all the
comforts to which they have been accustomed
and are living in narrow crowded rooms, or in
the temporary houses erected for Them with
thin floors and not so much as a rug to keep
out the cold; better far than the title children
whose mothers are obliged to use anything that
comes to hand as substitute for the warm
blankets and puffs that used to cover them
through the cold nights. L repeat, church or
carnations ought to be able to make sacrifices
as well as individuals. 1t they are good for
anything, if they have their foundation in the
genuine love of God and his worship, they will
stand for awhile without anything so perisha-
BILE as piles of brick and mortar to hold them
together. -ns A CHURCH MEMBER.
Mr.. EDrroR:--In yeur issue of Thursday, a
correspondent who signs himself another b.
advocates the division of the fund now re-
manning in the hands of the Relief Committee,
amongst the societies who are struggling to re-
build their places of worship destroyed by the
great fire. ~ 1lf.s- s..s.5 Z lfr.l
The honesty of his intentions, and that he
beffeves the greatest practical good will accrue
to the community at large in this use of the
fund, is, of course, beyond suspicion; but, Mr..
Editor, believe that ] am but echoing the SEN
timents of very large part of our citizens in
saying, that to use the fund in this manner,
would be little better than robbery of the poor
and destitute for whom it was SO literally Civ
en- and for whom it was solely intended
II places of worship were built with this
fund, they would be, as your correspondent SO
eloquently states, monuments to the liberality
and Christian beneyolence of those who so
generously came forward to our relief at the
time of our sorest need, but does he realize
that they would also stand as everlasting mon
urnents OF the shame and perfidy of the
people. of our fair city, who would build
their churches upon the isufierings of
the destitute in our midst ? Would
such places of worship be acceptable in the |
sight of God? '-' ''-
Does your correspondent realize that there |
are many in our midst who, without the aid of
this fund would suffer from the cold of our
long and severe winter, and would feel the bit
ter pangs of hunger? s1 ia' %a1A
Let the fund be used by the Relief Commit
tee originally intended by the givers, to re-
lievc the wants of the poor and destitute, and |
for this purpose alone. l'es9 nA75lE
A FRIEND OF THE Poor. |
Mr.. EDIToR:-Several communications have |
of late appeared in the Portland papers, evi-7
IDENTIFY put forth as "feelers,' suggesting the /
appropriation OF the Relief Fund by those hold
ing it in trust to aid in rebuilding the churches
destroyed in the fire of July. .Fss.i. -si.i1.-1
We deeply sympathize with those religious
societies, and with the city in this great loss,
and earnestly hope they will soon be rebuilt. |
But this relief proposed will reflect little hon
or upon those churches, and still less on those
who have accepted this sacred trust tor the re-
lief of the suffering. II does not yet appear
that such aid is needed; by those web inform
ed we are assured, that in most cases the
churches are abundantly aole to rebuild, and
intend to do so, as soon as certain differences
Of opinion can be reconciled. aiHfsA tSsat Il
One parish has already more than taoenty
thousand dollars to commence whit And in |
every parish there are men, who are able to do
this, il they We're as willing to use their own |
funds, as some are to take those for the purpose,
which were contributed for the suffering and
the homeless. 4 Z 80 s T2ml,g
There may be one or two parishes that are
poor, but there is wealth in the denominations
they represent and they will doubtless afford re-
lief when appealed to- b 49,
But the money in the hands of the Relief |
Committee was not contributed for such a
purpose. --4 3A' u
Appeals were made for the homeless thousands
# our city destitute of food and clothing, and
he thousands given was for their relief not to
'uild churches II
The cry of the suffering and the homeless
omes to us from Quebec; our sympathies are
moved; we take collections, levy contributions,
'et up fairs and send over thousands to give
God to the hungry and clothing to the naked
wen, the committee to whom these funds are
eht after relieving immediate suffering and
luildmg few shanties for the homeless turn
Ver 1iie remaining thousands held in trust by |