The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-09-08
A Phi aathrOp!st's Mail.

Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson, the we'll.
known philanthropist of New York, is
constantly beset by applications for as
sistance from all parts of the country and
for bewildering variety of objects. In
an interview with a New York Tribune
writer she thus describes one mornings
mail: "This is my mornings mail, you
see, and the first letter opened was re-
quest to buy bell for q new church not
a hundred miles away. l am daily APP
pealed to for money to build churches,
buy bells and organs, Or assist clergy
men to means for few months vacation,
or to increase their meager salaries, till
I am lost in amazement. 1 wonder why
there is not more cOmmunions in one,
why so many creeds, why so many empty
pews, and so few practical advantages?
Now, I believe in churches and the sac
1aments; believe in all that is essential
to the growth and exaltation of human
the necessity of so many different
ways of worshipping and honoring our
Maker, and the necessity of so many diff
ferent routes to Heaven. l believe thst
greater good would be accomplished on
earth and honor to his Holy name would
be attained if some of these numerous
churches were turned into schools or
workshops. Just look over that pile OF
letters, and you will find applications for
means to accomplish all sorts of things.
Here is an application for contribution
to build church in Arkansas costing
$50, 900, which it grant, I am promised
that my name and the amount given are
to be engraved on a tablet and placed in
the church. This is solicitation for
for money to publish medical book,
which the writer says is "a gigantic be
nevolent work This is from the tinan-
cial agent of Western college. He says:
Il desire You to enjoy with us the lux
ury of building up and sustaining it.
We need larger endowment and new
building-would like the pleasure OF
giving you prominent place in the his
tory of the college
'''rhls letter is from a woman asking
for $500 IN cash, or if she, cannot have
shat amount, $26 to enable her husband
to Join the Odd Fellows, when, if he gets
sick, he will receive benefits. Chicago
writes and says that he wants $4,000 to
buy grocery with, and that if he had
such start he could manage to support
himself and family This one is from
Missouri. A physician with family and
an income of $1,000 is in need of surgical
instruments, and requests me to send
them at once. He incloses me long
list of articles that never heard OF be-
fore. Here is one from temperance
lecturer, who invites me to aid him in
the broad field of philanthropy by send
ing him about $50 worth of illustrated
views And married lady from -
City, in this State, writes to ask, would
l be so kind in my gracious goodness to
provide her with pocket money, AS her
husband is one of those kind OF men who
thinks more of his money than OF his
family, consequently keeps tight hold
upon his purse-strings.' Then here are
dozen or more solicitations for money to
start or sustain newspapers, ETC., al in
finitum ct al nauseam. These letter APP
plicants are easily disposed Of by filing
their letters. Not SO with those who are
within personal reach of me. They come.
And if by chance l an, induced to give
aid or even audience to one OF those who
have q request or n scheme to benefit
mankind, l am at once possessed OF an
afflic;ion worse to get rid of than the
neuralgia. To give, to assist, to investi-
gate and then refuse to continue, is to tie
siust like whateverthat means.
But after all said and done, to become
disguised with trying to do good, be-
cause the object benefited is unworthy,
is to render charity aworldly calculation
and not the impulse Of a grateful heart.
That fellow creature suffers is sufficient
reason for us to try to aid him, and the
remembrance of that act is, believe,
ample recompense. y Boston Adver-
fIspr