New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1889-05-29
AT OUR GATES.
Rebecca Harding Davis, in the New

The readers of the Independent have.
no doubt seen in the daily papers the.
story Of a workingman named Sillars,
an industrious, sober fellow, with a
wife and child dependent on h i'm, who,
losing his position in the Cellonite
works at Arlington, went to Connecti
cut in search of work. He wandered
through the state for two Or three
weeks with no success, and at last,
penniless and starving, was driven to
beg cup of coffee from a farmers
wife. The woman refused it and
caused his arrest He was tried, con-
victed Of having begged for food, and
sentenced to months imprisonment
and a fine Of $50. This is the lightest
punishment awarded in Connecticut, it
appears, to any man or woman who
asks for food. This man, be it under
stood, was gentle and civil in manner,
quietly telling his piteous story.
Sillars escaped from jail and re-
turned home, but was reclaimed by the
state Of Connecticut and hauled back
to serve out his full term.
His wife and children, being home
less and without food, were cared for
by some kindly neighbours, almost as
poor as themselves. .
My readers will probably recall an
other incident which occurred in New
York city a few years ago, which bears
the same significance as this story A
woman, driven from her homo by a
drunken husband, with starving
child in her arms, walked one bitter
winters night from one great charita-
bic institution to another and was re-
iected by all, because she had not the
requisite papers Of admission. The law
forbade her to beg at any private
house. She sat down at last on the
steps ola church, and there, viii lie the
well-meaning worshippers passed in to
their prayers, the baby froze to death.
Now. what do these incidents tell. JUS
of the condition and temper of the
sChristian people who throw a starry
ing man into prison because he asks
for food, and who allow a baby to
sfreeze to death rather than break the
'redtape regulations Of asylums?
Not that they are wanting in pity
for the poor, or unwilling to help them.
Never, since the world began, was
the feeling of brotherhood which
Christ taught as strong in it as it is
now
But it shows its strength by united
efforts rather than by Individual
action. The Lady Bountiful no longer
doles out hannels, soup and good coun-
sci to: men and women (every one of
whom she knows), or feels herself res
;ponsible for their clothes, stomachs
and morality. She belongs to Guide
por an Association for the Suppression
of Mendicancy, and trusts to it's ma
,chinery to do this gracious work for
her. .:#. ......s ..a
[ know all the arguments in favor
~of these organizations, a nd acknowl-
edge their force. The country, we are
told, is Overrun with tramps and pro-
fessional beggars. It is not the duty
~of the Industrious Christian to encour-
age them by indiscriminate aims
giving. Give your money to the
board of charities, or the Society for
the Suppression of Beggary, and their
agents will take care that it reaches
only the worthy poor, etc.
;
This is all true enough, and the
sorganized machinery is fit and useful,
unless it happens to fall into the hands
of mercenary, tricky men, as it some
times does.
But its purpose, be it remembered,
is the protection Of well-to-do people
from impostors, rather than the helps
OF the poor. In the eyes of the Socie-
ty for the Suppression of Mendicancy,
or of the lawmakers of Connecticut,
every man who asks for food is a
sscoundrel anu fraud until he proves
himself otherwise. s.
You, Christian, give your money
to the agents Of this society, and hence
forth wash your hands of all care of
your needy brother. The agents will
visit him, question him, and relieve
him, if they see fit. He will not dare
to ask you personally for help and
sympathy.
This work Of protection done by
these organizations is doubtless a good,
admirable work.
But it is not the work which Christ
>exacted from youAnd me, and which
he never intended we should hand over
to any agent Or visitor The damage
done by these organizations to Chris
tianity is that they offer to relieve US
of that duty and soon make us willing
to shirk it.
No Christian can throw the saving
.Of his brothers. soul on to a board or q