The Portland daily press., 1885-12-14
PORTLAND BENEVOLENT SOCIETY
The Annual Address Delivered by Rev.
DR.. Bashford.

In the First Parish church last evening, the an
nual address was delivered before the Portland
Benevolent Society by Rev. DR.. Bashford of the
Chestnut street church. There was small num-
Der present, many doubtless being kept from at
tending the exercises by the driving rain storm.
After reading from the Scriptures by Rev. DR..
Hill, prayer by Rev. Dr. Dalton, and several selec-
tions by the choir, DR.. Bashford delivered an ex-
eellent address, making strong plea for the IN
PRODUCTION of the law of love into the commercial
relations of the present day. The following is
brief abstract;
In considering the condition Of the poor, among
the first facts to be considered is that many OF
this class suffer poverty from no fault OF their
own. While our industrial system Is Deteer Ihan
any previous one, it is unjust MIR. Vanderbit,
who has Just died after enjoying an income estl-
mated at S10,0OO,O0O annually, employed vast
number Of men, whose average yearly eaIllngs ear l!
needed Mr.. Vanderbt's capital. but that capital
would have been useless without the men. Ana
was fairly earned Mr. Vanderbilt inherited both
the wealth and the talent to use II. Why .nen
should the capitalist put S9990 INTO ms pOekeI
every time his men put dollar apiece into tnelrST
Socialism is proposed as remedy for TINS une-
Qual state of affairs, but socialism would NOT leao
to any permanent equality, while 1t would lower
the standard of morality among the people. II Is
unjust entailing upon the industrious the suppoft
of the idle, and it is not the scriptural mode OF
The true solution of the problem is found in the
law of love- IN renewing and increasing the power
of the individual by giving. But here we are met
with the assertion that our present industrial sys
tenn is the natural one. 1t Is the method
adopted in accordance with the law
of the survival of the littest. Evidences OF this
law are pointed out in the vegetable ana animal
Kingdoms. The strong seed becomes a vigorous
plant crowding out the weaker; the animal ives
BY destroying the less powerful Of its kind. line
system is applied to mans life, but 1t IS not the
true way of living This is shown by the fact that
the great men who made the most Of life under
this law were not satisfied Both Caesar and Ma
poIeon were restless and unhappy, being rendered
so by the divine instinct OF giving for love. And
this instinct is found in nature, superior TO inc IN
stinct of self-preseryati0n. The animal VIII dle
for its young. The patriots OF past Time, the
thousands who laid down their lives IN the war OF
the rebellion had no selfish motive, but were
actuated by patriotism and the love OF their lei
low men.
God told the vain rich man that he should re-
uure his soul of him and asked whose would be
his bOasted riches then. We cannot take our
money with us when we die, but riches may be
stored in that future life by the good deeds done
with the fortunes intrusted to us In the present
In concluding DR.. Bashford said that he be-
lieyed the present industrial system would pass
away and the time would come when men would
give freely to the less fortunate in accordanee
with their ability. He congratulated the members
of the society upon having begun the work I'D the
right way.
The meeting was then dismissed with the
benedlction by DR.. Hill.