Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-01-26
THE POOR.

There are w classes of them !: the
pr~ovidenlia.lv poor and the crimi-
naily poor. That is. there are those
reduced to d~estituri,n by no fault OF
their Own, but by fire, or food, or
sickness, or Il improper conduct OF
Others. There are also those whose
poverty is the direct result of their
W wiiful mi-deeds. The treatment
of these tw classes should be differ
eut. The bed, which a mau voiun-
tariIy makes for himself, he should
be allow ed to occupy. 1t by l.zincs-
or intemperauce he brings himself
into a stale OF want, every consider
alton, alike for himself aud for
otIers, demands that he should be
permitted to suffer the inevitable
consequences. Thus only can W.T.
prevent laying a premium upon
crime, and at the same time, arouse
man I the necessity of industry and
sobricty.
The unfortunate deserve different
treatment. But here there must be
wisdom to guide our charitable inn
pulses. Simple poverty does NOT
furnish a sufficient ba-is for the plea
for help. 1t is best for the poor rs
vel As the rich that one should have
sugLt but that Tor which he work.
1t IS a curse to AIN man to give Linn
unueeded charity. IL matters not
ihtu how poor Il mau MAJ he, e
Should not be degraded still furulnr
BY being made a meudiraut. Help
him by giring him something to do.
But suppose that you have nothing
for him 10 do; then send him to soma
n who has. But suppose that lie
can find work nowhere. Tris is ii
possible case in some places for short
periods: but we are satisfied that the
instances arc rery rare i'll which n
man. able and willing II WORK, CALI
not flnd employment. Let all such,
ell g-d ease, be carefully examined,
and It will be found, nine times out
of ten, that the period was but short,
or that there was an unwillirgness
70 work except in some chosen field
of labor. If "A man forms a reputa-
ton for faithful industry, not one
time in a thousand will Ie fail to find
honorable work.
But there are those, who, from ex-
trrIue youth or extreme old agP,f from
sickness or other bodily infirmity.
are unable TO make a living. These
are to he classified also. Some OF
them eau do something toward their
W support. If so. they should be
required 10 do it, and should be
helped ouly so far as is necessary to
supplement their own cxertious.
This brings us to the extreme class
of the utterly helpless. With regard
to them, first, their own family, if
able, should provide for their sup
port. I rat l., a parent should take
care of "A child, II husband of q wife, II
brotirr of a sister, aud rice rerSG.
the holy associations of the home
circle makes this a natural duty.
That father, whose broad acres fill
his barns with plenty, and whose
prosperity allows him to be u money
lender, Is indeed a most unnatural
parent, who suffers his own Iunatic
Child 10 become a pauper upon the
charity of others, upon the technical
plea that he Is of age, and that, there
fore, he is no longer responsible for
him.
Il the family Is not able to provide
for the helpless INDECENT, or, if he has
no immediate family, then the church.
or other charitable institution to
which he may b,lung. should take
care of him. The mason the odd
fellows acknowledge this duty and
rarely fail to discharge It. Is it not
more imperatively the duty of the
church? Undoubtedly, yes. TIL
poor were left by our Lord as a leg
s:y TO His people; and He tells us
that what we do fer them He will
regard as having been done for Him.
Tne poor, then, Of each congreg, ton
of Christians is the sprcial charge of
that congregation. THIS duty cannot
be 8, irked or asiesi, OF thrown upon
others, without = plain betrayal Of .