New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-22
THE CHILDREN Ar OUR DOORS.

We wish to remind thus early in the week
each reader of THE TRIBUNE who il making
preparation for Christmas (and which of them
is not D of the appeals lately published by the
Childrcn's Aid Society, the various hospitals
and other benevolent institutions in which
children are especially benefited. It seems as
if our charity and love should be more largely
given on thi. day of the birth of the Divine
Infant to the little ones than to any other class
of needy snppliauts. We all remember the
beautiful German legend that on every Christ
ma. morning the Saviour Himself in the dts
guisc of II poor barefoot child comes to each
door and asks to be taken in, To share in the
warmth and comfort inside. Blessed is the
home into which Christ enters with the cold
and hungry child And into that home from
which the poor baby is driven away, no matter
how rich or gay in it's selfish enjoyment the
loviny Elder Brother WHO came into the world
that day to bless Us all docs not enter.
The legend is true. There il not one of us
who i'm his secret heart does not acknowledge
its truth. There is not one of us who, rs he
Goes down street on Christmas morning leaving
a full. plentiful home behind and having Law
ishcd his money on costly gifts for people rs
wealthy as himself, when he looks down into
tLe depths Of misery below him. does not feel
that his Christian rejoicing in the birthday of
Jesus is "A farce and sham. "Inasmuch as We
did it not to one of the least Of these, yc did 1t
not TO Me-" If he chooses out some needy
child or woman aud ministers to their nccessi-
ties with his own hands, hc will best obey the
law of his Lord and follow His example. But
if he cannot or will not do that, let him give To
some society, making sure that 1t Is one through
which the aid will reach the poor and not stick
by the way i'll tho hands OF agents and officials.
That il much better than for him not to give at
all. We believe the Children's Aid Society to
be one deserving of earnest and cncctual help.
Let our readers examine their work for them
selves. They have six lOdging-houseS in which
last wear l1,iI2 boys and girls were sheltered
who otherwise would have been left upon the
streets or in worse haunts of vice. They have
twenty-one day and twelve night schools, sea
side homes and city missions for sick children.
The money which you would spend tor basket
Of roses may send two homeless waits out of
the crowded city to country homes for life; the
price of a ring or bit Of china which you will
give to somebody who does not need or value
il may give warm dinner to two hundred
children for month.
There are other institutions where the chill
dren are cared for in which you can spend your
money with certainty that it is well bestowed.
You can endow bed in one of the childrens
hospitals or help to provide Christmas feast
in an asylum. You can send gifts or money to
the Howard Mission, the Five Points House of
Industry, the Wilson Mission, or any other of
score of excellent and deserving institutions
where the children of the destitute are cared
for. and you may be sure that your benevolcnce
will bear good fruit. In any case, let one of
your gifts Oh the coming Christmas Day make
the poor frozen body of some baby warm and its
heart glad, remembering Who it was that took
"A child and set it in the midst of us.