The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-01-17
assistance, the charity ball" is re-
sorted to.

The pampered daughters of wealth
and fashion see in it one of their Glove
ly" opportunities to excite the jeal-
ousies of rivals in fashionable life. The
womanly sympathy that personal famll,
iarity with scenes OF distress and pow
erty generally excites, is missing in
gredient in the motive that prompts the
enlarged expenditure under SO lauda-
bic, yet so deceptive, title.
To make these occasions worthy Of
their name no limit is SET to the reck-
lessness of expenditure. The bellies of
rival social circles outvie each other in
the monumental extravaganza of their
toilets. Old Dives fair and fragile
daughters fairly stagger under their
loads of glittering diamonds at the
"charity ball" and the worldly sisters,
whirling through the mazes of the giddy
dance to the strains of delicious music,
fancy they are "helping the needy, "
until, wearied by the ceaseless whirl,
they drop into their luxurious couches,
thanking God in their conceit that they
have done this much fer tile poor.
In her metho Is too frequently the
Church Sister is scarcely whit behind
her associate in fashionable life.
With her the "bazar" and "fair" are
the means employed to extract money
from the ungodly. The "grab bag
an innocent CD sort of church lottery,
where a nickle buys the chance to win a
penny. The "Jacob's well''-where lem
on juice almost guiltless of sugar invites
pennies for the church's Golfer. The
"chance e'-where one pinch back
ring in ninety-nine blank slices excites
the cupidity of the hungry sinner,who
rule is never to give unless he expects
to receive.
All these methods are as unworthy
and absurd as the more pretentlous
and more expensive methods of the
ungodly wealthy.
The church supper the poverty of
which generally limits the possible sin
fulness of gastronomic indulgence, but
is no less a reflection upon the dignity
of the cause it represents is still an
other popular means which protesting
christians, whose economy is more
active principle than their religion, en-
ploy to justify and excuse the meager-
ness of their own expenditure.
We are not in this connection to be
misunderstood as making a sweeping
or captious objection to all public en-
tertainments as successful means un-
der some circumstances, of raising
money for charitable or even religious
objects. 1t is undoubtedly often the
case that material contributions for such
entertainments, can more readily be
obtained than money donations. In
some instances where money could not
be obtained at all, its equivalent can,
and the propriety of accepting such
donations which, through the medium
ofa supper or public entertainment,
can be converted into money for laud-
able objects, no sensible person can
reasonably object to. Such an enter
tainment is, we believe, in contempla
ton st an early day in this town.
The tendency to be regretted is this ::
That the difficulty experienced in Sc
curing needed funds through voluntary
subscriptions, by those charged with
the responsibility of conducting relig-
ious and charitable organizations, seems
to be leading too generally to the adop
ton of means out of character with the
dignity and objects Of such organiza-
tons.
1t is true that willing givers are not
numerous. That people generally seem
to want a return for every thing they
give to almost every cause. Attribute
this tendency to what reason you will,
it nevertheless seems to exist, and, what
is worse, appears to increase. In our
church organizations the burdens fall
on few. In our charitable enterprises
the Jealous minority do the work,
woman leading in her activity. The
fact is, we live at time when religion
and benevolenle seem to be sentiments
rather than active principles. We need
"reform" as we'll in religion and in our
charities as in our politics.