Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-22
A SPIRIT OF CHARITY
The One Important Tralt Distinguish
ing Christianity Among
ALL RELIGIONS OF TIE WORLD.
Cardinal Gibbons Talks to the Baltimore
Conference on
BLESSINGS OF POVERTY AND WEALTH
The Best Method Of Doing Good to be Found in
Organized Effort.

Organized Effort.
Ths National Con ference Of Charities and
Correction concluded its deliberations yes
terday. New officers were elected. In the
evening Cardinal Gibbons delivered an
able and scholarly address.
BALTIMORE, May 21.-The last days
business OF the seventeenth National Con-
ference Of Charities and Correction was be-
gun this morning at half past 0 o'clock.
The International Conference, TO- be
held In Chicago Ia connection
with the Worlds Fair, Is looked
forward to with much interest and the
special exhibit illustrative OF the methods
and results OF charitable and correctional
work Of every description in every country,
will be Of great help. the delegates hope, in
aiding the general public to understand the
works for the advancement Of which ma
tional conferences Of charities and correc-
tion are held.
Several papers were read this morning.
The following officers were elected:
THE NEW OFFICERS.
President, Rev. Oscar McCulloch, Indian
apolis; Vice Presidents, John Glenn, Balti-
more; A. o. Wright, Madison, Wis; Rev.
Myron W. Reed, Denver. COL. Oscar
Craig, Rochester, N. Y; Mrs. J. j. s.
Spear, Jr., San Francisco; Treasurer. W. P.
Letchworth, Buffalo, N. Y; Secretaries,
Alexander johnson, indianapolis; Lucius
G. Storrs, Lansing, Mich; II. B. Hart, ST.
Paul, Mimi: A. L. Welch, Denver, COL;
Mrs. NJ. d. Goodlet, Nashville, Tenn; Miss
Ellen g. Bailey, Boston. Executive Com
mittee-Rev. Oscar G. McCulloch, Indian
apolis; Rev. A. G.. Byers, Columbus, O.;
DR.. G. s. Hoyt, Albany; f. H. Wines,
Illinois; Philip G. Garrett, Philadelphia.
emy OF Music tonight. J. NJ. Cushing, of
Baltimore, presented Cardinal Gibbons, who
spoke In part as follows
A PLATFORM OF CHARITY.
"LADIEs ANb GENTLEMEN: As had
not an opportunity Of uniting with nv fel-
low citizens In rendering you hearty vel
come, beg to unite with them in wishing
you all safe and happy return
to your respective homes. What
ever may be our differences In
point Of faith, 1t Is gratifying to reflect that
we stand tonight shoulder to shoulder and
hand to hand on the common platform Of
charity and benevolence.
''There Is enormous wealth in this country;
there is great poverty; but there is more
charity where wealth and poverty abound.
Thanks be to God, charity super-abounds.
What better evidence can we have OF the
spirit Of benevolence that pervades the land
than tha ntaa al ,uhi hioh L.
fore US tonight? But it is only BY con-
our Christian civilization with the
pagan civilization which preceded 1t that we
wiliully
APPRECIATE THE BLESSINGS
and sublime attitude of a meeting like this.
The vocabulary of Greece and Rome did
not contain single word to express hos
pital or asylum. It remained for Chris
tianity TO coin the word and create
the institution. No matter what ef-
forts may DE made by philanthropists
and social economists for the removal of
poverty, we must make up our minds that
poverty, in one shape or another will always
be ever verified: "The poor We always have
with you." You might as well try to legis-
late vice ont OF existence rs TO legislate
poverty and suffering out of the world
ut Is In accordance with the economy of
Divine Providence that men should exist In |
unequal conditions In society for the exer-
Use Of benevolent virtues. IF all were |
equally rich all would be equally poor.
METHODS OF DOING GOOD.
"some are blessed with the good things
" this world, that they might exercise to-
ward their less favored brothers the virtues
VI charity, benevolenee and generosity.
others are poor, that they might practice
he virtues OF patience and gratitude TO
heir bcnefactors. And thus the stream Of
oelal virtues Is constantly kept In motion.
"The great question which confronts you,
aides and gentlemen, Is this: How are you
O subserve the interests OF the poor and suf-
ering? Three methods are proposed. First,
~ promiscuous aims giving. Second, by
the poor and distressed to
state and national institutions, thus con-
verting the State and nation into paternal
and experience has shown that
,aternal governments are not the most de-
irable. They hamper individual efforts.
The third method. is when a number of
men and women, animated by spirit of
eal and charity for their fellow beings,
band themselves together for the
purpose OF relieving the distressed.
OUR BROTHERS KEEPERS.
"This is the best of all methods, and it is
ours. It combines all that is good in the
ther methods Your heart is in your
York. You diligently search out the poor.
you are discriminating in your charity.
you are trying to remove the causes Of the
lisery, to reclaim the unfortunate, to put
hem on their feet, and to make them useful
nd honorable members of society.
lyon do not say with Cain of old: Am I
" baother's keeper What would become
you and me, what would have become of
ociety, if Christ the Lord had said:
Am 1 my brothers keeper Yes,
e are. and ought to be. our brothers
eepers. No matter how limited our
cans, how circumscribed our influence,
very one of us has mission and can do {
bod in our day and generation.
Mr.. Cushing then spoke Baltimore's fare {
ell, President Byers responded, as did
ev. F. H. Wines, of Illinois, after which u,
le Conference closed.