The Portland daily press., 1892-01-25

THAT however. could have been done by
agents and in an impersonal way. But
visiting the sick, sheltering the stranger,
and going to those in prison was person
al service In these the giyer in q sense
becomes the gift.
Second hand Charity
is not true Christian charity. Christ
gave himself to those in desperate need
and the disciple is not above his Lorh.
This is the difficult part of charity be-
cause it involves self-sacrifice. There is
so-called charity, scarcely deserving
the name, which is utterly devoid OF this
personal element and whichis correspond
| ingly easy. There is a spectacular char
ity in which we delight. 1t involves no
| great sacrifice for man of wealth to
| write his check for comfortable sum
and head subscription list for a popu-
lar charity. But it does involve no little
sacrifice for that man to give himself to
the poor in kindly sympathy and inter
est. 1t is pleasure to be able to pledge
large sum to procure suitable build
ing for our Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation, but it is quite another matter to
personally attend its meetings and min
| Gle in helpfulness with the young men
| who look up to you as those who have
| achieved success in character and bust
ness. 1t is a delightful task in the name
of sweet charity, to move in the graceful
measures of the dance at q charity ball
or to play Lady Bountiful by acting as
patroness at a fair for some worthy OBJ
| ject, but it is quite another matter to en-
| ter into the Affections of a pOverty-strlck-
en- family by personal visitation and
comfort. The poor need just this saeri-
| flee of self upon the part OF the charita-
| BILE. The old lady who was sent bum
die of cast off clothing and broken food,
cried in her afliction, II don't want
things-I want folks" While you are
giving, give yourself.
Withthis view of Christian charity, may
| it not be true, teat, perhaps, the most
| Cbrist-like spirit does not consist in
Donations of Money.
May not that one who says, as did Pc
ter at the beautiful gate, "Silver and gold
have 1 none, but such as / have give [
unto thee" be more Christlike than the
one who disgorges his dollars at the i'm
portunity of a charitable agency? For
| it is
| mot what we give, but what we share,
| For the gift without the giver is bare"
Northumberland that in speaking thus
| do not undervalue organized forms OF
| benevolent endeavor. [ would have our
philanthropic societies strengthened and
multiplied. / am pleading for that which
must be an essential element in true
| Christian charily-love to the beneficial
ries. 'sThough | bestow all my goods to
| feed the poor and have not love, it profit
| eth me nothing Love will not suffer
itself willingly to be isolated from its
! objects.
Ninety times in as many years this as
ISOLATION has come before the people OF
this community and made it's plea as the
| friend of the needy. Over ninety years
| it has scattered sunshine into Swallowed
lives and gladdened hearts that were
aching The founders of the society are
| long since dead, but they, being dead, yet
| speak 1t asks tonight, in the name of
| Christ. for those who are His brethren,
and inasmuch as we do tonight for these,
| He will account it as having been done
unto Himself
You remember the legends concerning
| the search for the Holy Grail, the cup
| from which, tradition tells us, that the
| Saviour drank the sacramental wine on
the night of the last supper. Among
them is one which represents
knight of the Round Table
| as going into the world in search of
the lost chalice. But though he travelled
far and spent his time and strength in
the search, he met with no success, and
at last weary and worn, he turned his
steps homeward to King Arthur's court.
He found another in his ancestral halls
and he, an old broken man, was turned
from his own gate. AS thus he sat by
| the wayside beggar asked an aims for
! Christ's sweet sake.' The knight
looked upon the loathesome leper be-
seeching him, and in the name of his
Lord, he divided his crust and brought
water from the stream in a wooden bowl.
When 10! the leper stood before him
glorified and the cup glowed as jewel
of heaven-at last he had fonnd the Holy
| Grail-and that in ministering to the
needy. Thus he stood amazed,
! And the voice that was calmer than silence said,
| Lo, it is [, be not afraid
| In many chimes without avail,
| Thou hast spent thy life for the Holy Grail;
| Behold it is here-this cup which thou
| Didst fill at the streamlet for me but now;
| This crust is my body broken for thee,
| The water His blood that died on the tree;
| The Holy Supper is kept, indeed,
| In whatso we share with another's need;
| Not what we give but what we share
| For the gift without the giver is bare;
| Who gives himself with his aims feeds three
| Himself, his hungering neighbor and me-"