The New York herald., 1878-11-25
Sermons BY Prominent Divines in this
City and Brooklyn.
THE BUILDING UP OF MAN.
Progressive ConVersion-U3eo Sc OF
Repeated Affections
HOW TO DEAL WITH POVERTY.
CHURCH OF The DISCIPLES.

CHC ECH OF The DLoCFlALo.
POVERTY AND HOW TO DEAL WITH Ir-sERAoN By
REV GEORGE H. HEPwoRTH
.'The Problem OF the Poor the subject dealt
with by the Lev. George IL. Hepworth yesterday
morning, and the selected Deuteronomy
w. n-"For the poor shall never cease out OF the
land; therefore command thee. saying, Thou shalt
open thine hand wide unto thy brother. to thy poor
and to thy needy in thy land" The prevalence OF
constantly increasing poverty. said Mr. hep~orth IL
he oppression of the political economist. Why rs
the dictum of inspired sage that the poor shall
neyer of the land.
The Christian at least. Acknowledges the duty OF
imeoration and feels himself Responsible for the
recognition OF certain movements which shall better
the condition of those who oppressed and down.
trodden by adverse and despotic circumstances. 1t
is that according to his thought society has not
reached that highwater mark OF possibility when
every man within it who is honest and willing shall
have an opportunity afforded him competent sup
port 1t is that inequalities exist. and probably
always will exist to greater or less ex-
tent. If all the money which is at present
in circulation throughout the world should be
evenly distributed to all the and women who
compose the world the inequalities complained Of
would not lessen. Within a few hours mans cum
ming, man prejudices and man vices would change
the whole current Of affairs. Those who paupers
would lay by their portion; those who reckless
would spend theirs. Our vices stand i'll the way of
possible equality. Now. the question that is rest
ing on many thoughtful minds is. What are some Of
the OF this tidal OF poverty that has set
tied all over this country, what of the
remedies that will check 1t if not altogether stay its
progress. Poverty is generally caused BY a
want of thrift in the individual or
want of ability want Of morality.
In ordinary circumstances you may count on these
the of nine-tenths of the poverty. In
these days Obliged take another factor into
account. and which has changed the whoie circun-
OF affairs aad which presents this enigma in
quite different light 1t IS an alarming fact that
the poverty of to-day is simply the ulcer side of
progress ard that the difficulty OF dealing with it is
caused by our progress. and the only hope that is
left the belief that still further progress Will
foct change and change for tho better For years
there has been fight between machinery the one
hand and manual labor on the other. Ii has been
fight for life the side Of labor and fight for hu-
man progress on the side OF the people The sewing
machine does in one hour what of poor girls
could scarcely achieve by whole days persistent
toll. One child by means Of machine throws
score OF grown people out OF work.
rpHFEREscE OF THE WEALTHY
We struck by the fact that all the better classes
of society, who in reality much interested
any one utterly Indifferent to the whole question
of the solution of the trouble that all have
fortunately been brought into. They have left this
question in the hands OK the discontents themselves
aud who trying TO compel settlement iii their
own way. A large section of this immense number
of tha uncm mploye have become tram ps they
called. They have increased largely lately, they
may be called q class OF American society. That
class they are dangerous that they contribute nothing
to the wealth OF the country that il is the business
and object OF their lives 70 take rather than give is
said by all. Mr.. Hepworth then denounced indis-
crIninate giving. and said that the chartahly dis
posed had better give their contributions to
Organized charitable institutions whose business it
investigate As the result OF his experience he
had been compelled TO sorrowfully to the con-
cluson that ninety nine cases out Of every hundred
of those that before him personally for relief
impostors. The upper part OF this class of
employed had taken the name Of communists and
would result not in progress. but in utter anarchy
II is absurd on the face OF 1t that the man of
wealth. who has earned his living while
these men have been in idleness. perhaps
pagng shall give his wealth to be distributed
By them. That is not the way God distributes. ID
II sound political economy. The plan of the Com
munst is to threaten all who have money and next
70 put their threat into execution. That may be called
philosophy, but common sense calls il highway rob-
berry, and that Is what ii Is. IGcendisrism is not
progress. That is kind OF movement that cannot
be supp sessed with too vigorous hand. In America
tolerate almost anything, but that ought be
tolerated. You may talk of Tree speech, bat you
must not allow every 70 Judge for hilnsef what
he should do i'll that regard. There certain
things in which society has right 10 say
Thou shalt not" I have a right to do
anything and everything that is within
my power to protect myself, my wife and my family
against the effect Of such theories. All that
would uproot society must be confined II violent
taken against such men and this violence
the loss ot the life OF this disurber OF society
the responsiDity rests upon the disturoer and not
ot America must be rooted out by argument and If
that al BY force and that force must far enough
81 put out of sight the philosophy of anarchy and the
threats Of the ncendiary
WHAT u THE RELIEF?
Men trying To solve the enigma from the stand
point of sound social economy and also stand
poin; of the Christian religion. Shall snrpfsed
II / tell Won that I think the remedy lies In \
larger neglcasion OF duties toward the other?
We Americans, have largely considered rights
but have given very little consideration our duties
cannot be considered too radical when say that
business should be conducted IN the interests OF all
classes. am speaking OF the way in which business
have made il 80 that is only able of best
VINO has the longest and the largest hand.
The tendency in America ID to make the
rich richer and the poor poorer. All THAI
be righted by justcr views Of political economy.
else in America there must come a social revolution.
After has provided himself and all the pos
sible wants Of his family. he is bound by hs oblig
tions To society, who projected him In his position,
10 give aud 10 give largely, II In incalc nlable
evil when heaps up riches, not only beyond
hts necessities but riches which rise higher and
higher, until lac becomes despot. This oyeruxury.
this overweening love Of show which chartrzes all
the larger centres or America Is also unspeakable
EVIL, and must be eradiratod by higher public
opinion, II we to solve the problem il
must be solved. IL s what a man IL worth that
las come 10 bs looked upon tost Of his merit.
The consequence OF this IA thai young men are
willing 70 mako money honestly, but when the time
comes to make II dishonesty the temptation ia found
to he too strong. IL " the common ambition OF New
York society either to have money to make people
believe they have. We must all learn to live within
our incomes Mr.. Hepworth concluded By showing
how expensive ~ the poor their vices and THAI
iinotenths OF their misery sprung from that; urged
the adoption of compulsory education laws and tie
obligations Of New Testament admonitons Of our du-
tics toward our nsghbors.