New-York tribune., 1878-06-08
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE

| u.
WHATTWO HUNDRED DOLLARS HAVE DoNp
now MUCH THE RECTOR OF THE ANTRoS MFuo'
RIAL CHURCH WAS ABLE To DO WITH A su.,,
sUM-RELIEF, coMFoKr AND HOPE BRouo,tr
I&To MANY HOMES.
TO the EdttOr OF The Trtbane
SIR: About February last had the honor NJ "a
ceiying from you check for $500, to be distrh
uted among the poor, according to my judgment
Now that the hurry of the Winters work Is over
permit me TO account in some way for my use % I,
From the nature Of the cases for which it was EN-.
ployed no names can be used, but some indication
may be given to your host of readers Of what nse .
city pastor make Of such sum in the relief of
the silent want which comes constantly to his knol
edge, and thus, perhaps, others may be encoura0ea
to follow the example Of the liberal anonymous d.
nor. and make you the almoner of funds which ara
not trusted in the hands of the overgrown and me.
chanical societies where there is much official
soakage. Not one cent Of these 5000 has been ah
sOrbed in the expenses of any machinery Eserv
penny has gone directly into the home Of some poo
family. According to your Instructions have used
this money only for those known personally to nv
self or to some of the admirable workers amons
the poor connected with our charities. None Of 4
has been wasted in guesswork charity.
1t must needs be that through the various instru.
IOf Tue pOoI III use ny any Lying
church, numbers Of respectable worthy people win
come to be pretty well known, who from business
stagnation and enforced idleness from sickness and
other causes, are in great want. For snch cases
this money has been reserved. and slowly and care
fully used so as to go far possible None Of Il
has been used for the poor of our congregation
but the whole of it for the aid of those Of different
creeds and races. among whom we are trying To- lend
a helping hand, as wisely as we can. When We
have found such family in peculiarly tight5
place. and few dollars would remove the
almost crushing want open a new activity
restore hope and energy. minister to the suffer-
ings in q sick room. save q home from being
broken up-there, $40, s.. and even less have come
in as a Godsend. In this way between thirty and
forty families have been helped at critical moments
helped by the hands of those knowing them, and
putting into the gift that personal sympathy which
saves it from degrading the recipient. pOor
woman losing her husband. her means having been
eaten up by the expenses of his sickness and funeral
gets few dollars. and is enabled to live till she can
adjust herself to her new and dark surroundings
and begin to support her little family by her own
hands. paralytic woman, helpless and wretched.
has her last days made somewhat more comfortable
by 50 judciOusly used. worthy and intelligent
little Scotch woman. crushed down by the
cares of a large family, but brave and
cheerful and patient in her weary and jOyless life,
reports that the wages of the in the establish
ment where her husband works have been kept
back for several weeks by one of those tyrannical
wrongs which are at least as old among capitalists
as the time Of st. james and that, though they
trust her still at the little stores near her shanty'
where she deals, her boys and herself are ashamed
TO 90 longer into them with nothing TO pay on ae-
count of their long-accruing bill. Five dollars re-
stores her credit and lifts heavy load from brave
little heart. young clerk, thrown ont
of employment some months ago, and IN.
able to find an establishment where any new
hands are wanted has consumed his litts
savings his wife is confinement, and they have
nothing left but to be elected from their and
pawn their little stock Of things needfu; and few
dollars save a home, provide for the young
mothers comfort and part clouds over that couple
which seemed to shut out all light of human moth
erlness or Divine Fatherliness. Multiply these
stories to thirty-fve, and you would have my re
port to give which in full would require
more space than The TRIBUNE could spare. Could
two hundred dollars go further in the relief
of human want than by your wise plan Of placing in
the hands of those who know the poor such reserve
funds to be by them dealt out personally where
want is most severe and need most urgent
Thanking you for entrusting me with this sum,
and empowering me thus to minister so much cheer
/ am yours respectfully, X. HEBER NEWTON
NelC- York, May 81, 1873