New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-20
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
CARING For THE POOR.

CARING FOR THE POOR.
ORGANIZED CHARITY NOT MRRE MACHrNE-PER-
soNAL SYMPATHY sHowN-sIsTERs OF CHARITY
AMONG PRoTgsTANTs.
To ihe Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR: Your paper of Tuesday, Jan. 2, contained
letter from Mrs. II, II. Davis which read with much
interest but only partial approval Mrs. Davis says and
here fully agree with her. that 1t is not merely money
or food which the hungry man fallen woman needs
but human COMPASSIONATE strong word and loving
touch" &c. and she adds. How much OF these VIII they
receive from corporate soceties reply that they do
receive precisely these things and why should they mott
What a corporate society but body composed OF iud
vidua Christians, who TO the benehciaries of the soc
city body OF board but as Individuals their
needy brothers and sisters as helpers and friends.
Will illustrate my meaning by referring TO TWO we'll
known Now-York societesthe association for improv-
ing the condition OF the poor and the society Tor the
relief Of poor widows with small children oth oil these
societies divide the city districts and assign to each
district a visitor manager, who has therein inc eAclu
sye charge OF the socieys beneciarcs Tho services
OF the managers visitors OF course perfectly era
tuitous In the widows Society popularity so CALICO
every manager Is from the first instructed 10 endeaVor
make the widows under her care look upon her as INC"
personal friend She is TO them not merely the amoner
of the socetys bounty she is their warm and synpa
thzlng counselor; she aids them in getting WORK. pro
cures places for their children encourages industry ana
neatncss, reprOves improvidcnee and nlth-in SNORT
ber duty "to warn, to counsel, to comfort
and command :" acd this Is the process
which Mrs Davis terms "hardening."- Does not Mrs
Davis mistake for hardness" the sclfconhol ana sell
possession which the habitual laborer amid scenes ol
poyerty and distress shows i'll the presence OF suffering
that would unnerve novicei The one. perhaps sh'''S
few tears while other considering how pest so
NAV render and To witness suffering without nm chort
TO relieve that indeed is hardening but never the hHD
OF rele'.
Mrs Davis talks of d" charitable machinerys" gong
wrong when left to itself" am not sure that kho"
what she means by charitable machinery" Does she
mean the internal arrangements Of charitable nsutu
tionsi Unuucstionaby the wsest and most conscel
10us board Of managers in the world may SOMETIMES De
,eceived in those whom they empoy-matrors and SUI
uelintondents. Does domestic lnach heIN mover so
wrong Are mothers never deceived III their nGi"esf
IN the ROnlish Church there Is an OldeI 81 women
eroIyu Sisters of Charity, who devoted 10 INC
service of the sick and tBe POOR. frOtttlahtS ;'hh
Catholics nOyclSs and poets, have alike recorded tnon
virtues aud ohantrd their praises. We'll We 700, We
PrOtesaDts, have our SISTERS 81 CDaily ~ j. dho
they nave not left for convent the pleasant MONIES
which God has given themncr rent aSufl.r ne sNccC
natural ties with which He has bound then 80 Pecu-
liar carb shields them from insult ana lnlhs tleI oiI
objects OF reverence iiut not hS lEss Is teH &
the that OF their Roman Cathollc slsttrs tHTo
are hundreds them TO-DAY abUrmg IN TINS goat CITY OF
Ours Some hospitals ~ the bedside OF ihe SIGN
sone are in ias striving raise the talen Many ae
Threading Satisome alleys and flthy courts, climbing
diiapidatcd staircases, and pmgng INTO gloomy hSe
lnents bearing comfort ard consolation to me kch te
sinful, the sunerug-but NJ novelist records ticI VIZ
tues no poet sings their praises Kay rather uoes i'9
novelist sarze them, the Journalist snecr at lheh' and
both gong with the frivolous ana inc lnou6h''sS"
stiginaiizng them as " hard society women 800
Well so lie -bcitcr perhaps, TOR them that 1t should
h.. so; SO shall they serve with more single eye But
what about the sarist aud the sneeerf Is there nO' q
,rnndI A.. c.
6esr- York, Jan. IL, 1877