Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-10-19
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
"Rut the Greatest of these Is
Charity,

"But the Greatest Oh THESE IS
Charity
In order for man rightly, to fulfill the
mission for which he was created, it is es-
sential that his spirit should be imbued
in the highest degree with the divine in
fuence Of charity, without it, the gifts Of
fortune, or the graces Of person are value
less, and the bright endowments of learn
ing are as nothing. The mere scholar,
however deeply he may be learned in the
literature of his own or other countries,
his knowledge is nothing If he feels no
sympathy for the distresses OF his kind
if he Joy not in their joys, and sorrow not
in their sorrows. Selfshness may save
him from many pang, for the misfor'
tunes of others will not touch his heart
There ia no station in life that Charity
will not ennoble the abodes where men in
high places dwells, and the shut where
the po,r men live" Itsprovince is eternal ;
it's errands uumberless. If not the spos-
tie of civilization, it is its ministering
handmade. AS the want of the suffering
infant finds its way to the heart of ten
der parent, so the appeal Of charity ought
never to fall uuheeded on the ear of any
OF the great family of man.
When direct appeals are made to our
benevolencs, as in the case of the sorrow,
ing Garden City of the West, our object
should be to deal with the necessities OF
the case, without pausing to inquire into
the history of those in distress. Man is
suffering, and man is sacred. We can
better his condition. We can inspire
hope in the departing. The frat lessons
of adversely have tendency to soften the
heart and humble the spirit. 1t is our
duty therefore, to carry out fully the pre-
oepts which charity dictates towards the
suffering promptly, so that the weight OF
their sorrow may set as lightly as posi-
BILE upon them.
Charity is the great moral basis on
which all the virtues that adorn man and
humanize society are raised. it's the sa-
Grad stream which, pervading the human
heart, flows through the channel of benev-
olence, lberality and forbearance. Be-
nevoleuce, leading us among the necessi-
tous of our kind, will make US acquainted
with the pleasure resulting from the per-
Torrance of acts of benifcence, and will
serve to remind US that the silken cord
wherewith the whole family OF man is
bound together, is the heavenly gift OF
charity.
Our thoughts have been led to the con-
sidsration of the duty OF charity in
view of the one subject which absorbs the
thoughts of the American people, and is
the theme of sympathetic conversation
from one end of the continent to the
other. The destruction of Chicago touch
es all hearts. We can hardly realize in
thought the mental anguish and bodily
suffering of such vast mass Of people
as have been driven out of their homee.
stripped of all they possess, without food,
raiment or shelter. Imagine the thous
ands of delicate women, helpless children,
feeble old people and the sick. suffering
because of the memorable fire fiend. The
recital of the details, as We publish them,
are heart-rending.
The disaster ia of unparalleled magni
tude in its present ffscts. but none should
lose sight in their charity that this suffer
~. . 10 rlx
proach of winter amid the ashes Of their
dwellings and the wreck of theic- cher
ishod hopes. Our communities, bound
to Chicago by so many ties OF interest and
sympathy, are filled with hearts that know
how to feel for those who have been so
suddenly despoiled, and are blessed with
abundance to minister to the "homeless |
and houseless' in their great extremity |
1t il good thus to help those who need our |
help. Our duty is not to sink into quie' |
reveres concerning the "my sterious dis
pensations' of Providence, Or the bidder
compensations which will sooner or later
be brought to light. Chicago suffers in. |
tensely-more intensely than our utmost
imaginatiens can enable us to conceive,
and this fact should be enough for US.
Let our contributions consist of anything
that sustains life, makes it comfort ano
restores the feeling of peace and security
70 society. Let the people of the country |
continue in their charity, and not relax
an effort until the sorrowing city of the
prairie no longer cries for help. |