New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-04-17
The Johns Hopkins Fund:

The most striking and honorable con.h'io'i
imposed BY Mr.. Hopkins upon the trustees :"
this fund is. that they shall never make any
distinction on account Of race or color OF p'e-
vious condition. in the administration oil eiiner
the college, hospital, or asylum. lie mas
taken Gerard and Astor for his models as
larye-handed givers, but he becomes MS own
model as rebuker of prejudice and proscrip-
ton, and as a benefactor to the needy. One
reason for this, doubtless, is. that he gives
while he is in possession of unimpaired ana
unbiased faculties. Neither relative, doctor,
nor priest can. at present, invent for him
codicil which shall, under the assumed names
OF justice, fame, or religion, steal from his
will the very soul of philanthropy, and put
in its place the skeleton of vanity or OF fear.
In another respect he has taken Peabody
for guide. He gives while he lives to pre-
vent people from committing the sin OF pray
ing for his death, but he outshines Peabody
in the brilliancy of munificence which as
covers black and white alike. While making
humanity his heir he takes the trouble also
to make its acquaintance and shakes hahus
with it in cordial recognition OF brotherhood.
In irving to benefit the members of every
race he begins in time to test his own plans
to prove the correctness of his methods, to
instruct andIhide his agents 10 point be-
sond which IF the alienation or the mis-
application of kisfunds becomes an impossi-
bility or disgrace to subsequent trustees.
Then, S2ain, Mr.. Hopkins has been wise
beyond his predecessors in munifcence in
locating these institutions within sight OF a
great city. Humanity is always the better
for being watched, and the wiser for being
watcher. These institutions are to be stua-
ted in a populous part OF the city of Balti-
more, the grounds to be adorned with the
most approved style Of landscape gardening,
and the buildings are to equal, in model and
arrangement, the very best in the world.
These facts prove Mr.. Hopkins to be dis
coverer in the domain of charity. The pleas
ure given to every person Of taste and the
stimulus given to the better instincts of
humanity in looking at the buildings and
their surroundings and in thinking of the in
mates will be new features. The easy access
to city markets where variety may be had,
and choice exercised and economy con-
suited, will be great Improvement upon the
old contract system under which the refuse
of markets were shipped to country villages.
But the most hopeful results may be looked
for from the sight to every passer by and
from the knowledge Of every inmate, OF white
and colored. people, being treated exactly the
same.
Prescription against colored people IS
scarcely less an evil to the white man than
to the colored. The whites wound their
hearts often to soOthe their pride--they are
many time as unjust to. their own conscicn-
ces as they are to the poor colored man when
they turn him away from hospitals and asy-
lums.
Mr.. Hopkins example will tend greatly to
the breaking down Of the tyranny of fashion
over the better feelings Of the people; and
beginning in the hospital, asylum and col
legc, the equality of all worthy people
may, by and by, even reach the church, and
if, through these institutions Of Johns Hop
kins, this result should be reached, in addi-
ton to his title TO an apostleship OF human
ity he will be honored as the first great
scourger of modern unclean spirits.