Omaha daily bee., 1889-01-27

people to help the poor for Gods sake, but
that they must necessarily show how selfish
ness gains by charity. The motto Of Chris,
tian charity is, Help the poor for Gods
sake, because Almighty God com
mands IT. because superfluous
wealth has been given as a sacred trust; be
cause Dives cannot with impunity despise
LaZaruS.h
Dean Gardner, OF Trinity cathedral, was
next called upon. 81 should think" he said,
'that the christian ministers of this city had
too much more important work to do than
to discuss q question that has been settled q
thousand years. know | have. | have two
much actual sin I'd contend with to devote
any time to this matter. ! have nothing to
say either against the charity ball or the in
augural ball, nor nave / any quarrel with the
advocates of either end of this question. |
do not care to talk farther upon the sub
iect.n
Rev. p. r. Mccarthy, of st. Phiiomena's,
also took q liberal view of the matter.
"Danclng in ITSELF he said, 81 do not think
is wrong, although circumstances may make
it so. These regular shindigs we hear about
when the company is low, and liquor is drank
are, of course, immoral and improper; but
in the case of the Creole ball, the people
who went there were all ladies and gentle
men, | think, and knew how 10 properly con-
duct themselves. There is ono clause of
Mr.. Detweiller's discourse that recalled to
my mind most wildly a remark made by
Judas. and that is where he says that if the
fine toilets and jewels of those who at
tended the ball had been sold and the pro-
ceeds given the poor 1t would have been bet
ter. You remember, when the wise woman
was Amounting the feet of Jesus with costly
oils, JUDAS demanded why it were not better
that the ointmcnts be sold and the money
given TO the poor. There are some people
too quick to condemn, and who stand pre-
pared TO condemn anything. ! Think these
ladies deserve all credit for trying to estab-
lSh this ('pprln hall Won will find tho
church in this matter as it is in
most all things, occupying middle
ground. There is an old Latin proverb,
which interpreted means, there is virtue in
moderation"
Rev. Willard Scott, of the st. Mary's ave-
nue. Congregational church, said that he
thought the money received from the Creche
ball was so much gained for charity. so
ciety and the church are not so distinct as
one would suppose from the sermon you re-
fer TO. The question is IA very broad one,
and although | advise members of my flock
TO turn their minds as much as possible away
from such things, 1 am not inclined TO put
myself directly in the way of this formidable
thing, but rather TO Jump on and steer. The
statement that il is necessary to appeal to
in order to obtain gifts from the
rich is scarcely compatible with the fact that
the members of my church alone last year
gavc over $4,000 to charity in
ways unknown TO the world. The
lew nuHuTeu uOlluTS received from tue
Greene ball is but a drop in the bucket
compared with the immense amount of
money given the poor by the charitable
people of this city. think Mr.. Detweiler
made a mistake in jumping amuck of this
question, and that he is liable to get run
OYER
Rev. DR.. Duryea, Of the First Congrega-
tional church, said: 81 never interfere at all
with anything Of the kind, as a general prin-
| think il is cheaper and more straight
to give TO charity out and out, rather than TO
do so indirectly through the aid OF any kind
of amusement. But ! don't pretend TO die
tate TO others. | merely teach members of
my congregation the principles that 4 think
are right, and leave it TO them TO
make the application. have never
q fanatic, aud never utter these
useless TRADES against social custom. If
people are doing anything really harm
frl, ] point II out TO them, and then try to
wean them from il by giving them some
thing better 10 DO. | don't believe that con-
tinual sco!ding ever did, or ever will do any
Rev. w. j. Harsha, OF the First presby-
terrain church, was found ut his residence on
Twenty-ilith avenue. "As a general rule,n
said he, II think the plans 10 raise money by
balls and festivals and fairs, cost more than
they come TO. They involve an immense
of hard work, worry and annoyance,
and they are likely To develop jealousies,
ioiUles and vanities by 10 means conductive