The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-28
THE ART OF CHARITY.

The regular weekly meeting Of the Woman,s
Social Education Society was held yesterday after
noon at Plmpton Hall, at the junction Of Ninth
and Stuyvesant streets. The President Mrs. Caro-
line E. SOule, was in the chair. There was quite
an assemolage of ladies present, who are inter-
ested In the questions that have lately been api.
Eating the public mind regarding the social well
being OF women. The meetings, lectures and ad-
dresses which are being held and given all over
this city at present by women interested In the
advancement or their sex are the result of the
labOrs OF the WOmans Congress which was held
at the Union League Theatre some months since.
The ''shriekers'' and the class Of women who have
been an annoyance TO the public for 80 many years
have no longer any part or participation In these
meetings. Among those present yesterday were
Mrs. Caroline +. SOule Mrs. Rebecca Morse, Mrs.
Laura Bronson, Mrs. Kent, Mrs. Dr. Miller Mrs. DR..
Mix, Mrs. Socum, Mrs. DIR. Hailock, Mrs. Hannah
Shepard, Mrs. Fuller, Mrs. Wilbur and others.
The society meets every Tuesday to confer among
its members and to discuss the matters which are
vital to women Mrs. Rebecca Morse, an aged and
very distinguished looking lady, read the following
paper, which was listened to with much atten-
tom
My appointed work in this association makes me
anxious to cOnfne my paper in the interest OF our
its title, which fear may nave more sound than
sense. We are partial to great presidents when
we essay difficult and unaccustomed subjects. SO
again quote De Quincy and seek in his well known
example an apology Tor my theme. His very clever
satire on murder Considered as Fine Art' has
been fully exemplified by recent and numerous IN
Stances and the modern figure of Justice wears
bandage quite transparent, and it would seem her
balances are only true to golden weights. One
murderer, old in vice, mature in years, pays the
penalty OF murder with malice aforethought by an
prison clerkship; while another, mere youth,
maddened by the abuse heaped upon a beloved
mother, provoked, possibly when seeking TO Sc
/ from 1fV ~
temptuOus sneers and unmanly outrage, in the
heat OF passion, to commit q like crime, Is doomed
to a lifelong servitude: Pray pardon the preude.
DO not enjoy the horrible, nor do seek to regae
daily bread by our daily journals. The art Of CIV
ing Is as little understood, perhaps, as any other
expect to offer anything new, only suggest other
means in hopes OF obtaining better results TITS
70 w sw or IL e
from deflement or to drop dime now and then
into the outstretched hand of the lame or blind
beggar, or into that little street musicians,
stolen, perhaps, from home and parents. and
thereby nelp to support portion or the viest
! sentimental charity; but is 1t true philanthropy
Or Is it our duty to those little Ones whom Jesus
Would it not be wiser and truer charity to seek
out the homes OF these destitute children, ana so
aa sS an in wSsa sne
child must be trained TO hie OF crime, which will
likely mature and end in our State prisons. for
nsSS%s s snd the sas the
S
expensive institutions than all the public schools
out our s land. Upon the most popular Interest,
shenC cha Of pubic economy-is not , wen that
tectiye aomes instead 81 BY
legislation these unfortunate children wards of
offending and immature from debasing infiu.
ences-the controi OF drunken fathers, the exam
Who Keep them IN far worse bondage and have SI no
parental rights or any other claim upon their
young lives. We have many private enterprises.
sustained and conducted by Christian men and
women, that do noble work. The Five Points mis-
sons gather into their various homes thousands OF
them, and, as lar as it is possible. protect them;
but they have no authority to hold them from de-
mere tie OF consequently. can claim and drag
them back to polluting de9s and haunts Of vicious
s aoa onS dt @
when sr1Hssr can psss the
asylums we shall strike at the principal, the chief
these helpless little ones-these most pitiable Of
orphans-and, indeed. OF all beggary and vice IN
as that We 2 to
effect such phllanthrOpc reforms because We have
IN ne w r
spoken appeal to those In power and place Will
have weight; we can influence and direct public
sentiment. We are, II we choose to be, q moral
force. Men cannot ignore the opinions or the good
works OF faithful, true women, Of wise wives and
mothers; SO every honest word or unselish, noble
act is power in the world, and will surely hold
men to their duty, and to perform what we thus
privilege to content ourselves BY iterating we
have no power or control In these things9 Are we
not, like the priest and Levlte OF old, passing by
the other side, still asking who is our neghbor,
with view OF escaping work to us neither pleasant
nor profitable, selfshIy preferring pleasant paths
and unrffn rdsrtfS vUn ~
and corruption by our Indifference accept IL by
our silences Do we not endorse false judgments
unjust Judge, the faithless or dishonest officta-
when we hesitate to protest because the evil is in
trenched BY high position: the wrongdoers clever
texts or elegant manners9 To return to first
premises; charity, as commonly practised. Ia an
easy virtue. Scattering small coins to avoid the
opportunity Of street beggars giving our cold and
broken victuas at the basement door. or sending
our cast off or worn out garments to some Of
the city missions when quite convenient is
not very high art in giving Our duty
than an indiscriminate almsgtving DO we thus
bind up or pour oil upon the wounds of those who
fall among thievess DO we give the fallen and the
wretched kind words, or encourage them to hope
by our pity and sympathy, or personal care to the
suffering, insuring the rest and refreshments
and to comfort them in their aIliction is one OF
the ways appointed unto us. or course to feed the
hungry and to clOthe the naked Is simply a Chris
ton duty-nay friends, tits less-only common hu-
mainly, hardly virtue. Public charities and be-
nev0ent associations f0r the gratuft0uS renel OF
every species OF distress are peculiar to Christian
ity. No other system Of civil or religious policy
has originated Them they form it's highest praise
and characteristic feature. AS individuals, each
and all Of us have social duties and interests to
which we devote time and means and doubtless
accomplish much good but working together with
well defined and concerted plans, we could attain
greater ends. To fnd the best means and insure
radical reforms, to work and see our plans per-
iected while we live, is the true art of giving to
build our own monuments not in perishabie mar
BILE or bronze, but In deeds whose influence for
good may be worldwide and endure forever. Pos
thum0us charities are but kind Of sefshness and
are usually bequcathed by those who, when alive,
would part with nothing. Pope says:-
In faith ana hope the world may disagree,
But all mankind's concerned In charity
All must be false that thwart this one great end,
And all Of God that bless mankind mead
A FALSE ALARM,