The Brookhaven leader., 1883-04-05
Brother Gardncr's Iasn Of Charity.

alas fall, E" said Brother Gardner, ~
he. gazed down upon Elder Toots In
paralyzing way, al made some remarks
upon the subjick of charity. 1t seems
dat nv posishun was misunderstood, an
dis evenin' hope to make it plain.
"De Good Book speaks OF charity
thousand times, an big sheer OF de
people believe dat de word as used in
de Bible means dat we mus open our
purses TO de pool In de fust place,
airnestl~ believe dat de charity of de
Bible means lookin' lightly upon de
faults of our feller-men. IL means dat
we must oberlook, excuse an forgive.
Charity covereth q multitude of sinsl
Does dat mean loaf of bread passed
outer dc kitchen doah TO beggar, or
does it mean dat he who oberlooks de
faults of others shall have some OF bis
own condonedP hold to de latter.
"But let us admit dat de charity OF de
Bible means adm de poo. II arm
ten shiIlings day an work in cold an
heat an rain-if my wife economies
an | am keerful-if we go slow an
dress widin our means an manage to
lay up a 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
TO people who am poo frew their own
faultp Whar' have worked they have
loafed. Whar' have pinched dey have
souandered. Wharf 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, clethe and school family of six
and send his wife to church on Sundays.
OAR am not a wilder in dis kentry who
can { arm at least dollar a day at some
occupashun. OAR am not an orfan who
has de shadow of a right to ask any
man fur nickel.
"Our public charities am so many
frauds upon taxpayers. defy de most
ardent philanuhropiSt in dis kentry 10
show me one case whar' 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 to morrow an ham
five dollars each to one hundred solicit
ors of charity an how many would have
a 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.
ale 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' l STAN on de one
side of de queshun of charity, an ea,h
passin' dav turns up somethin' to con-
vince me dat l am correct. But now
whom I do feel fur, an to whom kin l
give? II | assist an able-bodied man to
arm his own bread, dat am charity. If
l 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 nay bur loses his horse have
a five dollar bill fur him. If he loses a
child have ten. Ii he breaks leg or
an arm I'll sheer my meat an taters
an wood wild him until he kin work
agin. II father falls sick an has
muffin ahead my kind o. charity chips in
fur shake-purse to pull him frew. If
stranger comes among us an am i'll
let US make him we'll. If fire or flood
devastate a section, let us send relief. Ii
a wilder am left helpless let US fill her
coal-bin an -four bar'l.
"In twenty years America has raised
up class numberln' tens of thousands
who shirk work, who make saloons pay,
who have doubled the number of police
and jails an prisons-who steal, rob
and ravish-who infest street corners
an prowl frew alleys-who add moth
ing except to illiteracy an vice, an she
has raised EN- up by her system of mis-
taken charity. Philanthropists may
squirm an women make wry faces, but
de preachins of de one an de sympa-
thies of de odder have made de word
charity Synonymous wild Vice and Wick
edness. Let us now assault de usr al
programmy.'-Detroit Free Press.