The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-03-31
Brother Gardeners Idea Of Charity.

alas fall,"s said Brother Gardner, as
he gazed down upon Elder ToOts IN
paralyzing way, al tnade Some remarks
upon the subiick of charity. 1t seems
dat my pOSishun was misunderstood, am
dis evenin' I hope to make il plain
SIDE Good Book speaks OF charity q
people believe dat de word as usedsin
purses to de pool In de fust place,
Bible means lookin' lightly upon dc
we must oberlook, excuse an forgive.
Charity covereth a multitude Of sinst
Does dat mean a loaf of bread passed
does it mean dat ne who oberiooks de
faults of others shall have some of his
own condonedp / hold to de latter.
"But let US admit dat de charity Of de
Bible means adm de poo III arm
ten shillings q day an work in cold an
heat an rain--if my wife economies
an l am keerful-if we go slow an
dress widin our means an manage to
lay up few dollars, what man or wo-
man on airth has de right to tell US dat
] mus pass any part OF my savin's out
10 people who am poo rev their own
faultP Wharf have worked they have
loafed. Whar' have pinched dey have
squandered. Whar' have denied my
self dey have cut loose wild free hand.
"Dar' am not an able bodied man in
America who can't arm sufficient TO
board, clothe and school q family of six
and send his wife to church on Sundays.
OAR am not wilder in dis kentry who
can't airn at least a dollar day at some
occupashun.a Dar' am not an orfan who
has de shadow of right to ask any
man fur nickel. pa
''Our public charities am so many
frauds upon Taxpayers. defy de most
ardent philanthropist in dis kentry to
| show me one case whar' a city poo
fund dealt out to paupers has lifted any
/ body above akin agin. De city which
raises de moas' money has de moas'
paupers. Figgers prove it, an yet
| philanthropists won't admit dat it
proves anything.
"Let me start out tomorrow an ham
| five dollars each to one hundred solicit
ors of charity an how many would have
dollar left by night. At least half
would spend portion for beer, whisky
or tobacco, and not twenty of de lot
would buy wood, flour or clothing.
"He who gives to a tramp encOur-
ages loaferism, thieving an dozen
crimes"
"He who gives to man or woman able
to walk de streets am a supporter OF
vice an idleness."
"Dat's whar' I STAN on de one
side of de queshun of charity, an each
passin' day turns up somethin' to con-
vince me dat l am correct. But now
whom l do feel fur, an to whom kin
give? II assist an able-bodied man to
airn his own bread, dat am charity. II
1 kin prevail upon father who am
wastin' his money in drink or at cards
to put it into his family, dat am charity.
If my poo naybur loses his horse | have
five-dollar bill fur him. If he loses a
child l have ten. If he breaks a leg OF
an arm III sheer my meat an taters
an wood wild him until he kin work
agin. If father falls sick an has
muffin ahead my kind o. charity chips in
fur shake-purse to pull him frew. II
q stranger comes among us an am IL
let us make him well. II fire or flood
devastate a section, let us send relief. il
a wilder am left helpless let us fill her
, coal bin an ilour-bar1.
"In twenty years America has raised
up class numbern' tens of thousand:
who shirk work, who make saloons pay
: who have doubled the number of police
{ and jails an prisons-who steal, rot
and ravish-who infest street corner
an prowl frew alleys-who add moth
ing except to illiteracy an vice, an she
4 has raised 'em up by her system of mis-
5 taken charity. Philanthropists may
t squirm an women make wry faces, bu
de preachins of de one an de sympa
{ thies of de odder have made de wore
= charity Synonymous wild Vice and Wick
4 edness. Let us now assault de usua
5 programmy. "-Detrott Free Press.