Connecticut western news., 1881-07-06
Mistaken Charity.

ED. NEws:-I see by your paper that sev- eral places are being canvassed for reception of sick and indigent children of the streets of New York, and that the canvassers are meet ing with success in finding places for the children to spend fortnight. At the first glance this looks like charity, and it ia well come thought, but 8 second thought occurs Is this true or mistaken charity? It had it's foundation here by the advent of g salarisd man from New York, telling in painted col ors the pitiful story of their existence and condition, urging people to open their homes and take them in; solicitations were made by good ladies, resulting in good hearted people consenting Gin some easel to divide their sub- sistencs with them others more wealthy pay ing for their board for the two weeks. Thus large number will be provided for, and all thls in the nawse ef chaTtty-the greatest of all virtuea But charity begins at home.
 Are there no poor children in our own cities and Statsi are there none in our midst to whom this charity would be blessing? Has there been anyone out into the highways and by-ways of tho town of Canaan, searching for place to bsstow charity, and found none ? Did they overlook the twenty five poor child ren that day after day feel the tooth of hun ger, and live on pauper fare? We fear SO. Had they even gone out among the homes of sosne of the honest laborers that toil day by day for the dollar they spend in our own town, and from whose labor we all reap 2 benefit, they could have found children that knew nothing of the delicaciss of wealthy homes, children that are citizens of our owr State, and perhaps whose fathers have de fendsd the nations honor while we made money at the public till or busy shop, children born of honest parsntags, likely to become the safeguard of our town, whose only sin ia poverty, and have never tasted the ''fatted calf or wore the ring and shoes" of the rich man. True "He that hath pity upon the poor lendssh: to the Lord," but tho com
 mand to look what he laysth out, land if hs does it shall be paid him again" is the direc
 tion to him that bestows charity. True
 there may be popular spirit in the commu
 nity that is ready to care for the paupers O
 the wealthiest city ip America, and it may bt an indication of charity If the influential Ia
 dies of the town arc engaged in this fashion
 able charity, and publicly offer to pay sun for it's aid. But this is not only detrimsnta to the neglected charity children of tho town 1t is not true charity. Charity sufersth long and is kind; charity envieth not charit, vaunteth not itself, is not puffsd up, doth no
 behave itself unseemly; charity never fail
 eth" It is, greater than faith and hope It was the act of charity, and not the anaoun
 that brought blessing on the givsr of thu widows mite., It was the fashionable wisl for notoriety, the blindness of heart, pride vain glory, hypocnsy, envy and malice, tha
 made the mere plenteous givsr uncharitabls
 It is the charity that goes unsought and give
 unasked (tbat profits the giver nothing, no even notoriety or public fame) that relieve
 the suffering poor at our door, without pass ing them by for the far away paupsrs -ths
 is true charity, and silently following the gol den rule relieves the unfortunate, comin
 from the promptings of a generous heart, an not by the solicitation of the salaried agent c some popular society. True charity is bor |, of an humble heart, and maksth the give blessed; mistaken charity is the promptin of ssle interest, pronting the givsr nothing AN OBSERVER.