New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-04
A PLEA FOR THE RICH.
To the Editor or The Trt6une.

SIR: A paragraph I'm THE TRIBUNE OF
March 90 based upon recent sermon by the Rev. W.
s. Ransford, I'm Its reference to the "seemng unwel-
of the churches to the poor calculated think.
give the false impression which almost invariably re-
suits from preached the interest OF charity
by those who from the best OF motives are apt to
regard only side OF life land that the saddest surface
de) worthy Of help and pity and TO speak OF the rich
being responsible for the wrougdoing OF the poor
Those who thus do not seem to realize that while
Christ truly said ''Come unto all that weary
and heavy laden and will give you rest He did not
say that the poor the only who were weary
and heavy laden for he knew that sorrow must be the
common lot OF all and that glded misery was not the
less misery because outward garb appealed so little TO
human sympathy 1t perfectly true that free churches
and means OF grace should be provided las they are By
almost every wealthy parish the city for our poorer
brehrcn there Is why those who have been
enabled by Gods bounty to pay pew-rent should not
feel did King David when he said to the owner or the
who offered It's free TO- the service OF
God: "Nay hut I Will surely buy IL with price;
neither will offerings unto the Lord my God OF
that which doth cost nothing 1t seems to be popu
lar delusion, rather matter of belief among many
Christian preachers, judging from their sermons upon
the problem OF the poor that the possession Of wealth
makes a man not only exempt frem weariness OF mind
and body and the Ills which all flesh Is her TO-
less dependent than s poor brother upon spiritual
help aud elevation They fail TO remember that the soul
needs or the one class are as great W. th"9' q" 'o
and that while God intends that the rich man should
help the poor-a ne does nobly an generously In tis
great city-he does not make hin wholly responsible,
simply ~ his wealth. Tor the tendency 10 eV III
the minds aud lives OF many OF the poor-evll when
exists, Indeed. Ia tho homes Of luxury az well. ana
wherever" envy hatred, malice holds"ay In the human
heart =,
The doctrine OF eelfrestrnlnt f. az good n doc
tre for the poor the rc aud tue fnut does not
necessarily lie the door OF the rich men ana women
OF NrvYork who by thousands earnestly striving
10 do their whole duty Gods almouers Of bounty be-
slowed BY Him that working women lead immoral lives
and prisons are cd with cOnycts. This sad CONDITION
OF affair. H. believe largely due to the fact that the
minds OF the poor are fed WITH false semttlnsnt
tt can obey Gods laws or not as they please,
simply they not lifted ont OF cottage INTO
uaace where they would probably find rs sore heart
ache aud greater temptations than they had left behind
and that the luxury which had 50 long ued ther
hearts with envy and discomfort In almost every In
stance dependent upOnand the result OF course OF thrift
perseverance, and temperance which. II acted upon in
thsr own lives would make their surroundings, II
not magnificent, at lcnst cheerful and wholesome TO
mind and body ONE WHO KNOWS Born siDEs-
Attr York, March %, 1855.