The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-01-14
Feeling the Poor,
To THE EDITOR OF THE TINES:


In your issue If January 18th you
say: he Y. NJ. &. A. folks are to
erect n building in Chic ,go to cost
$l,4OO,'WO. hi, Is fine, bit they
w,mli,i Ito more actual good to hunt
up the lanpr ami feed th"m."
I,h't that rather an hIcOnsider-
aje r-n,ark3 Is 1t not probable
that th. Y. NJ. G. A, "f Chicago, has
given profound thought 10 the qurs.
ton Of lunW to save young men and
keep them in such con'itlO. that
III y eau I'd will feed themselves?
The problem OF poverty IL not t.
b. -olv, d by .eed'ng the hungry,
worthy II, that act may be-; but
Father by supplying men and W..
inen with such spiritual and moral
energy that they will solve the hun
ger problem Tor themselves.
Then again: a great building Is a
great power tor good, and especial
~ in such II city rs Chicago. The
revenue it. VIII bring j. perpetual
power for good, and may extend tue
brn ticent thought "r To day to
linu>alIds and tens of tn usands.
But The building j. il sermon and
an inspiration in itself. 1t speak,
the interts' that is felt in the prac-
teal salvation of young men. No
nobler Object or more important
aim can interest the wVuId.be phi
lanlhrurist.
\ young man saved from dissipa.
tinn, drunkenness d. bauchery, sin
poverty and wretcheoncss, m~ans
also s'me trusting woman saved
from Misunderstanding sorrow, and
the yet unborn children s.veu from
poverty and hunger.
1t may be we'll to feed the hungry
s.nIelinl">, aud particularly .ht
helnles, hungry; hut il must be con
{, s.ed that there is work that fal
SURPRISES that; II is providing
against hunger ami want aud mis-
cry anO sin.
Lei the building <" w! What 4
il COS, more millions? The young
mI-, are worth the price. It's after
all the very cheapest and sures
way tn {. ell the hungry anu clOtht
the naked
The same truth applies also t.
money invested in churches. A
gn"d church building in town j. 4
mora, spiri ual md intellectual
power. $l50OO or $2O,OO0 in first
class churcn building in Ma"yvill'
wiil increase the value Of all nthc
property here more Than the SAM
sum inv sted in any other Wa,
whatever. Respectfully,
w. T.. HATHAWAY
Bro. Hathaway's critici m sim
ply confirms our belief in what W
said The great trouble with tn
christianity of to-day is the over
wrening pride of its 81 called mem
h,r>hip, II pride that leads to tx
ternal show rather than good works
Tn. larger and more costly til
fou-e of worship the more the
pride themselves as b. ing the lead
ers of christianity. II we lndel
stand the mission of the christie
religion, it is to redeem the fal!el
presuniing always, that the goo
are able to take care of themselves
The Y. M. G. A. of Chicago, hav
d me Il noble work along this lin
in the day gone by, but wAat of tn
fulur ? Will the results of their h
bors be commensurate with the eI
penditure of so much money? w
believe NOT. We believe that til
magnificent building they are abol
to erect will prove to he a mont
ment to past deeds. For all exp
rience goes to show that those VIII
really need their aid will never I'll
ter the portals of 50 cold and stated
!, Il mansion, except rs mere matte
of curiosity. 1t will be too niue
like Trinity of New York, who's
! main efforts are put forth not |
saving souls but in preserving til
/. arist,cracy of its H. members h
: Again our learned brother seems
: overlook the hungry and miserabl
, of to-day and undertake to provid
years hence for a time when ther
WILL be none Of these. This is on
par with much of the religion of t
! day, that will take up collections
q Sc d to the heather ard will labc
q hard along this line fright in itspl
, when perhaps next door or close b
, at least, some poor human IL thirs
: ing for the water of life. "Let thci
come to the church or to the Y.
a G. A." YOU would say. All exp'
? rience shows that they wont, eitne
. through pride or from want of tn
@ necessities of life. 1t Is cOmpar,
, lively easy, and far more comfort,
BILE to have long ranged visiu
when christians set out to do III
s Masters work, but we believe thel
|, will come day of reckoning whe
the modern professor Of christian
ty will be required to show no
much he has done for the spiritu
relief of his neighbor, aud we say
boldly, there can be no spiritual r
lief without first relieving the mif
4 from the nresent necessities Of II