The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1878-12-21
EDIToI,
ltI.nI.nI,lr.n Tr1E ponR.

last, delivered a very seasonable and
eloquent discourse on the subject of
"An open hand to the poor" taking
his text from Deut., xv., 1l-"There-
fore l command thee, saying, Thou
shalt open thine hand wide unto thy
brother, To thy poor and to thy needy
In thy land" The doctrine Of both
public and private charity to the dcsti-
tute, said the reverend gentleman, is an
outgrowth OF revealed religion; h"nce,
su,h thing as State charity, by which
The relief Of the poor is made part of
the pubic burden as much as The judi
ciaryN and other departments under
civil control. has never been known iu
any nation excepting those whose ethics,
cOmi1on law and constitutional princi
plies have been borrowed from revealed
religion. Further, just in proportion as
'nali6nabie rights OF man and the au
trOrity of the Word OF God have had
free scope in the practical workings of
the Se'tc; In that proportion have the
poor laws of nations been the more hui
name, comprehensive aud sacr dly
guarded. Wherever heathenism, alb
s'ract dPspotism or atheism have been
II the ascendant, there the poor have
been neglected or crushed because they
were pobr But wherever the Jewish
or Christian religions have entered into
the spirit and supreme law of people
t 'ere the humanity, justice and the
equality ofthe Bible have shaped the
national legislation for the relief of the
poor. Whoever saw needy Jew beg
glng for bread, even in modern times?
While in. the theocracy of Israel mendi.
cancy seems to have been unknown till
after the nation had been demOralized
by the Babylonish captivity. While it
remained under the dirett kingship and
legislation of Jehovah Gods poor were
amply shielded. Seven distinct pro-
visions formed the code Of poor laws
for that people, and the lord of Hosts
enacted item. ,...
Under the Jewish law a sixth part
of the harvest field, called "the corners
of the 6eld," was not to be reaped' but
left for the Loor. No farmer was at
liberty to CLEAN his corn field: ''the
glcanings of the field were left for the
poor" and that on pain of scourging
TO- the selfish and disobedient. The
gletGings of the vintage and the olive
were left for the poor. The trees of the
olive yard must neither be shaken nor
beaten with rods, nor the vine inspect
ed when the crop is gathered for any
clusters closely hidden in the tangled
branches. These must go to the poor.
All clusters Of grasses which fell to the
ground while gathering the viLtage
left In the field through forgetfulness
went to the poor. The entire tithe of
every third year was appropriated to
the same use. AS all these would not
aggregate suilicency for their proper
relief they were further aided by var
Gus contributions, such contributions
being imperative under given crcum-
siarees, while others were voluntary
some gave fifth, but it was scandal
Gus to give less than tenth.
Although our Lord Jesus established
a church it did not take the form or
type OF nation, consequently lie or.
dained no formal code of poor laws.
Nevertheless, lie not only recognized
tllc principles on which those Of the
Moslac economy were enacted, but in
cOrpOrated them into His religion in
all their spirit and pushed the obliga.
tiOn to obedience by the full force OF
his own example and the highest order
of compassionate precept. First of all
lie divided the whole law of God into
two great departments--love to God
aud love 20 our neighbors; and under
the second Of these He dealt with pow
erty in its vaiious phases. He. howev-
or, dealt with 1t practically and not in
a speculative spirit. AS to its necess.
ty or cause He said nothing. He found
the poor abont him needing aid under
all sorts OF misfortune, and He treated
the fact rs he found 1t. The text says:
"rhe poor shall never cease out of the
land, T" and in harmony with 1t lie said,
"'rhe poor ye have with you always"
all that he-added was, "Wheresoever
ye will ye rnay do them good" as the
only step TO be taken in the case. Then
lie did not recognize those as poor who
were 10 full health, laboT and wages,
because they had enough for present
wastt. But he regarded those as poor
who we're ia absolute need. Yet lie
did not Teproach the needy as shiltless
and waste IN the fabric of society. lie
regarded their condition as an oIdin-
anee of Immunity which could not be
properly met but by the emotions of
pity, teBcerness, self,denial and chari-
ty, the mG8t beautiful virtues of man.
Can better close the address, said
thel Doctor feelingly, than to earnestly
implore you to "open your hand wide"
TO the nee iy Of the land? Winter is upon
us many heart aches to tLink OF Its
first bitter SLOWS. Their houses. il
they have any, are chill and cheeress
their fuel is low or all gone scanty rag.
cover their shiverlng limbs, and will
them is q famine of bread. Let the
shrnl cry Of their babes fail upon your
ears, as they ascend to the ears of the
God OF SabbaOth, and open your hand,
wide to the needy of the land. One o
the living divine evidences that oul
Christianity Is from heaven is found il