The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-02-05
THE CHARITY BALL
AND THE PROBLEM OF BENEyO-
LENCE AS MIX. STEEL SEES 1T.
Some Thoughtful and Suggestive
Remarks That ought Ia Have
Respectful Attention.
To the Editors Of the Appeal:


To the Editors of the Appeal:
The charity ball" lie over, l sup
pose, and, II we may trust the reports,
was everything that its most sanguine
friends desirs d. The unauthorized
publication Of the ministers as con-
nected with it obliged me TO assume
an attitude toward it which has pro.
voked a good deal of cTiticiam. l
have been discussed and abused, and
set down ss opposed to charity and all
that. Now that the particular charity
IL contemplated ia in no danger, l
wish 10 call the attention o. the pub.
lie to some features OF the bali" as
an attempt to polve our ever-preHent
problem of benevolence.
The relief OF the destitute part OF
our population is q serious problem
and formidable tack, and while diff
fering with the gentlemen who con-
ceived and carried out the plan OF the
charity bell as to the wisdom Of the
method, l willingly honor their mo.
tive. do net doubt its benevolent
intention, nor do doubt that the coal
furnished by the proceeds OF it will
make the shiveIing poor just as COM
Portable "a that supplied by our church
Relief Commit e. But as practical
plan for helping the poor, the charity
ball, which we are informed has come
to stay, is open TO come grave objec-
tions.
In the fret place, II is plan which !
many excellent people cannot con-
scientiously support. need not here
adduce the reasons why the church
condemns such popular amuaemenis !
as balls; ! simply state it as fact.
have been Iolndly abused for not al
lowing my name, even by implication
or inference, to be connected with it.
| expected as much when did so. It
Ia the penalty every man must pay in
free America for having convictions
and daring to be loyal to them. The
"Me, Too" is the ideal man Of the Pc
Rod. The man who obeys his con-
science, regardless OF public opinion,
10 certain to be abused. And what is
it all for? For what fas the press
lectured us on "Chsrity," INDUCED its
sarcasm, and discharged the usual
phrases about the Puritans2 For
what has the anonymous scribbler-
the guerrilla OF the quill--aired his in
dignation and fred his paper bullets
Simply becauSe Methodist minister
refused TO serve on ball committee
Shades OF Wesley and all the saints to
what have we fallen when such is ex-
pected Of usP Every reasonable man
and woman in Memphis kr ows | did
exactly right. Ministers of the gospel
ought to have nothing to do with
balls. The church has over and over
again condemned them. We find it
hard enough to stem the tide Of world
illness even when we hold ourselves
firm as adamaut against it. To
patr onise balls is to throw down the
bulwarks of moral power in the
church and 10 open the very gates to
the enemy. AS q society affair the
ball might be all right, but it assumes
very different aspect when ministers
Of the gospel, who are public teachers
of religion, are set down as its patrons.
l know people differ on this subject,
but that very difference is the fact
that limits the succesH of the ball as a
means Of charity. We must deal with
facts, not with theories, and it is fact
that thousands of people in Memphis
have taken vows upon themselves
that they must violate to patronize a
ball.
Another objection to this plan is
the publicity given to the object Of it.
1t is not benevolence to help every
body. The truest kind OF benevo-
lence is to help people to help them
selves. Ministers have a good deal of
experience with this charity question.
Our connection with it is constant. 1
suppose the committee did their best
TO distribute this benefit judiciously,
but they laid themselves liable to a
great deal OF imposition when they
advertised for applicants. Jesus gave
his disciples wise precaution, OF
great practical utility, when He said
"Let not thy left hand know what thy
right hand dos.h." There has been
such flare of trumpets about this
charity" that il will hardly do to
quote the whole passage. l doubt
the wisdom of advertising 1000 bar
rels Of coal for grstuitous distribu-
ton.
Another objection to this plan is
that the outlay is toO great for the
benefit. 1t is like the church sup
per" when you pay out one dollar and
take in fifty cents. II the main object
OF the ball is selfish pleasure, and
benevolence is only an incident of it,
of course this objection does not hold.
But il it is a plan offered us by sensi-
BILE men to afford relief to the needy,
it is too expensive. The outlay, direct
and indirect, is too great for the in
come.
Another objection to this plan is
that it ia spasmodic and unreliable,
while the need is constant and impera-
tive. l might multiply objections TO
ii asa practical scheme of benevo-
lence, but 1 have said enough to sug-
gest this conclusio Every forcibly, that
we cannot rely on the charity ball to
solve this problem.
The problem of benevolence is Sc
rious one. We have not yet solved it.
l have read what the press has said
on charity. 1t is pretty good, except
that editors generally overlook the
fact that charity thinketh no evil, "
and let fly bitter epithets at those who
happen to differ with them. How
ever, the'press does not solve the prob
lem. The churches have not solved
it, Notwithstanding they do a great
deal Of this work. Our existing be-
nevolent associations have not solved
it, for in spite OF all We have done and
are doing, the poor are needing help.
We need a general relief association
that will no permanent, will unite all
our benevolent people, will institute
at proper seasons house-to-house
visitation, and that will have power to
protect itself against imposition by
the summary punishment OF the. inn
poster. There is money enough in
Memphis, and there is benevolence
enough, to relieve ell real restitution.
Such an association, acting in harmony
with existing charitable agencies, and
under the direction Of the municipal
authorities, might practically solve
this stubborn problem. 1t is a sui ject
Of sufficient importance to justify our
most earnest thought. s.A. STEEL.