The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-06-23
For the Central Presbyterian.
The Troubles of the Rich.


Prince Demidoff has been obliged to
abandon his splendid home at San
Donata in Italy because his life became
burden to him in consequence of being
beseiged continually by hosts of beggars.
The Italians seem to make begging
science, and beg in a variety of ingenious
ways which nobody but themselves I'M
derstand All rich men are subjected
more or less, to this annoyance, and it
becomes question whether "the game
is worth the candle" even as far as this
lte is concerned. 1t is said that William
B. Astor once remarked that no man in
New York was more overwhelmed with
work than he was, and he got no pay for
it but his food and clothes. To be sure,
1t was the best of food and the best of
clothes but where is the much dreamed
OF enjoyment in being rich? And then.
how dares d Christian to desire wealth.
IN the face of such scriptural passages as
this, they that will be rich fall into
temptation and snare, and many fool
ish and hurtful lusts, Which droa0n men
m destruction and perC2itlO11 -
Good men and women sometimes con-
vey instruction through that most pop-
ular OF modern institutions, the paper
backed novel, and perhaps our Lords
teaching by parallels gives some weight
to this manner of teaching. I have INST
read one OF Jean Ingelow's, called, @Of
the Skelligs. She makes her hero,
Brandon, employ his fine income in re-
moving families from the crowded and
unhealthtul centres of civilization to the
Tlch lands OF New Zealand and Austria
ia. lie does an immense amount of
good IN this way, always keeping in
mind the old Scotch adage, +" Alms-giyers
are beggar makers. Do not give money,
but spend your money in putting the
poor In the way Of supporting them
selves comfortably and Ndecentiy. The
heroine, Dorethea Graham, has onlv
enough income to meet ho-. own er-
Penses, and so she learns wood engraving
IN order to earn money to do good with.
Dorethea's maid is one of the true Chris
uans who ask nothing in this life but the
privilege Of working. for her heavenly
Master. This woman, Anne Motion. is
familiar with all the wants and tempta-
tons OF the poor. And so the mistress
and maid work together-the one earning
the money by her work, and the other
making this money accomplish ten
told as much as it would have done in
her mistresss hands, by her own work
IN spending it. Dorethea SAYS, Anne
Motion was great comfort to me, and I
was Just the mistress to make her bapnv
She and | became fast friends in Tie
truest sense of the word. She could NOT
earn money, and did not know how to
spend It, | never attained the art of
DONG anything for the poor with my own
hands. l could not influence the men
ana the women in most cases did not like
ne 70 enter their rooms unless thew had
1oCice OF the visit and everything was in
uecent order. In the February of that
year my uncle wrote his second Letter
ana sent me ten pounds. The wonder-
ipl things that Anne Motion did VIII
mat ten pounds surprises me even to tb; i.
gay The work she did was to ~ n sii-o
nlthy, squafid, foul-smelling homes clean lean
sweet, and orderly. She taught The
ignorant creatures cleanliness and de-