The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-12-08


of four years one-fourth the entire pau
perism of England was taken away.
That decrease was simultaneous with the
operation of the methods embodied in
the Relief and Repression Society, and is
fairly assignable to it. And from that
time to this, we see in England strange
fact, namel ly, that while drunkenness is
on the increase, beggary is on the de-
crease, which evidently means, if it
means anything, that in England they
have not gotten on the right track in
dealing with drunkenness, but they have
gotten on the right line in dealing with
pauperism. That London society has
emigrated and set up its operations in
our cities, and now we call it the Society
for the Organisation of Charity. 1t is,
therefore, no new-hedged affair 1t is
plan of help for the poor which has been
tested under the most unfavorable cir
cumstances, and which has shown itself
to be trustworthy. This Relief Society
has not only been tried and found ade-
quate. 1t has introduced
A Conference into the Work of Charity
1T has never known before. In my ex-
perience as a pastor of a church in which
we are trying to do our duty, in some
measure, toward the poor, I was con-
vinced years ago that something should
be done to organise the city. Cases were
continually discovered in which persons
We're in the habit of receiving hei p from
three or four societies or churches, and
how much of this there might be going
on one could not tell. The very suspi-
cion of it was injurious to charity. But
the best organisation which could be eff
fected would be but denominational and
altogether inadequate. An organisation
to be effective must include not only all
denominations, but all the classes not
specially Christian. This society for the
organisation of charity is thus broadly
comprehensive, and introduces a cohe-
renee into the work which never existed
hitherto. Nor does it necessarily inter-
fere with any charitable work among
churches, nor by special societies. 1t
provides a common meeting ground for
all these agencies for improving the con-
dition of the poor Through It you can
get at the actual relief given through the
clergy and the local charities By regis
tration of cases an exhaustive catalogue
of the poverty in the whole city is de-
posture is discovered, and a saving of
means is effected This is the reason, as
minister, am in sympathy with this
society. The Church can never hand
over to any society, nor safely relegate
its duty to the poor, and would unqual-
ltiedly condemn any organisation that
would come between the Church and its
poor. But this society does not attempt
to do this. 1t simply wishes to assist the
Church. How does it do this? Well, to
me, as pastor, to my Board of Deacons,
to the members of my church, come those
who make appeal for help They are not
members either of the church or congre-
cation, we know nothing about them, we
have not time to make personal investi-
cation, and yet we are loath to send them
empty away. Such cases we can send to
this Relief Society, which will see if they
are receiving help from any other quar-
ter, and If they are worthy cases. So
that instead of interfering with the
churches it is plain that such society in
every city can be an infinite assistance
to them.
This organisation of charity embodies
intelligence also in its operations. Job
the illustrious philanthropist, SAYS. in re-
lation to his experience among the poor,
The cause which l knew not I searched
out. And woe unto the man who gives
help without doing this. He is doing
more harm than he is aware of. He is
discouraging the honest poor who see
these vagabonds by virtue of a glib
tongue preying successfully upon the
public, and he is encouraging professional
poverty by his unwise almsgiving. Trust
tulness OF human nature, wisely exercised
is noble trait, but it is not the part Of
wisdom to trust the plausible story of
strangers without some inquiry. Maybe
[ am just little sore on this point. May
be have played the silly, though beney-
olent salmon, rising to the bait of a beg
ging fly rather often. Maybe have felt
the hook somewhat more painfully than
others-in cases Of those who declare thew
must have a railway ticket to get home
or to place Of employment, or lust
few dollars, otherwise they will be turned
out or sold up by night.
The More Sudden the Calamity the
More Certain the Imposture.
Not that there are no such things as sud-
den calamities. The day and the night
IN our great cities are full of them. So
ciety is trembling pernetua11y r,pdor A..