St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-02
IN SWEET CHARITYS NAME
LARGE TURNOUT At ASSOCIATED
- CHARITIES MASS MEETING.
SCOPE OF THE WORK DEFINED


count Of Catholic Effort-Rev.
DR.. Smith Points Out the In
creased Needs of the Present
DIR. Ancker and II. III. Haru
Are Also Heard.
Atthe meeting held last night in the
Peoples church of ''the associated
charities of st. Paul." E. w. Peet. the
president of the association, presided.
The meeting opened with the singing of
the chorus, BE Not Afraid. Thy Help
Is Near" from Mendelssohn's "EliJah,"
by the st. Paul association. Prayer was
then offered, after which Hon. John
W. Willis spoke of the charity work
that is being done by the Catholics in
our city. He said in brief:
Among the charitable societies and
institutions which have leagued them
selves together under the name Asso-
ciated Charities are many organized
and conducted under the auspices of
the Catholic church. l have been re-
quested to give some account of these
societies and institutions. | beg to say,
however, that l discharge my allotted
task in no partisan spirit. In my hum
bic opinion, the division of charitable
effort is one of the most painful feat
ures-one of the most disastrous effects
of the present unhappy division of
Christianity. God grant that, ere long,
His divine hand of benediction may be
stretched down through the clouds of
prejudice and misrepresentation to
mould into an immutable union all the
various denominations of Christianity.
l was glad to note the fact that Cardinal
Gibbons was moved to say, in his adj
dress at the opening of the recent par
lament Of religions, mo matter how
much we may differ in matters Of faith,
there is one platform, thanks be to God.
upon which we can all stand united
the platform of humanity, charity and
benevolence."
To relieve ordinary cases of distress
arising from poverty, the various Cath
Ole parishes of this city have branches
-denominated 'conferencess"-of So
ciety known as the Society Of st. Vim
cent de Paul. This society is extended
throughout the world. One Of its car
dinal principles, and one which is con-
stantly inculcated, enforced and OBJ
served, is this: That the members of
the society must come into personal
contact with the poor, must visit them at
their homes, give them counsel regarding
their temporal affairs, and cheer them
in every possible manner. The plan of
friendly visiting, long and successfully
carried on by this society, is now be-
coming recognized by the highest au-
thorities IN the science of charity, as
most valuable feature of charitable eff
fort.
Each conference meets every Sunday
morning. A standing committee, called
1.-The investigating committee" reports
upon all cases OF application for chart
table relief received at the last preced-
ing meeting. II the case is meritorious
committee is appointed to administer
the necessary relief: In emergencies
the investigating committee, or any OFF,
Ger Of the conference, may grant relief.
At each meeting of the conference the
several visiting committees report and
ask advice of the conference as to the
best course to pursue. Extraordinary
relief. such as the payment of rent,
furnishing medical service or trans
portation to other localities. is granted
only by vote of the conference.
Judge Willis then gave an interesting
account of the Home for the Aged, con-
Quoted by the Little Sisters of the Poor,
Of st. Joseph's hospital, the Catholic
Orphan asylum, st. Mary's home and
the House of the Good Shepherd, con-
Guiding with these words:
whenever the heralds of the AS
ISOLATED Charities sound the trumpet
signal for an advance, the agencies and
institutions of which have spoken will
join the column, under the banner Of
the cross, and will endeavor to illus
trate by word and deed the glorious
principle-uniVersal brotherhood, uni
versal benefcence-"
ST. PAUL'S PRIVATE CHARITIES.
DR.. Smith followed with talk ON the
private charities of st. Paul. This
magnificent meeting. said he, shows
how the heart of st. Paul responds to
the claims of the unfortunate. The
highest form of charity that can be
named is personal charity. When,man or
woman sees brother in need and gives
help and love together earth is richer
and heaven is content. When the strong
feels the burden of his neighbor, and
relieves the weak one Of load too
crushing, when this deed is done with
tact that awakens only gratitude, and
with wisdom that leaves the unfort-
innate to exercise all the strength he
has, this becomes a mercy which is
twice blessed: it blesseth him who
gives and him VINO takes. 1t is
not TO nullify this holy duty of
personal help that charities are organ
lied, but because in the rush of life and
in the incomplete development of So
ciety there is not only the danger, but
the certainty, that many of the helpless
would otherwise suffer without Succor,
that men and women associate them
selves together for special objects of
assistance.
Church charity. from the necessities
| of the case, is largely, though not
wholly. employed in helping the men,
bers of the church communion, and
since unfortunately there are large
| numbers who do not affiliate with the
churches, and these have large
proportion of the needy, other agencies
| of relief have come into being.
1t is a sound principle of civic policy
| that whatever can be done by the citi-
zen in private capacity as well as it can
be done by the state should be left to
the individual initiative. The maxim
which reduces the duty of the state by
so much enlarges the capacity OF the
citizen. Hence, after the personal char
ity, the next field in Importance is the
privately organized charity.
| This mnptinU fOniUht rQnrpcppfc
thirty charities, embracing the various
forms of help of which have spoken.
1t is matter of pride and congratula-
ton that this is so. There are few cities
in America where such a gathering is
possible. But charity knows neither
creed nor politics. 1t is as deep as the
spirit of God and as broad as the broth