The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-11-26
A TIME FOR GENEROUS GIVING.

In a great many households OF the land
Thanksgiving day will not be celebrated
this season with the accustomed heartiness
and good cheer. 1t is a festival wherein
the people are called upon to give thanks
for the abundance of the harvest and the
general prosperity which attends them, and
the years have been few when they could
not do this earnestly and with gladness.
But this year. though the harvest does not
lack. the prosperity is less Astounding than
they have always known. and where were
once comfort and plenty are now, too often,
privation and distress. There are few
homes. even those Of the wealthy. where
this change of conditions is not felt in
some degree, but 1t is in those families to
which the fast-coming winter brings a pros
pect of hunger and cold where the giving
or thanks will require the greatest effort
and where words Of gratitude for blessings
beyond their reach will seem a hollow
for which even the unemployed and the
needy may offer grateful praise to a benef-
cent providence, but when want stares them
in the face and food grows scarce the feel
ing Of gratitude for good health and for
great harvests which do not replenish their
larders cannot be keen. This being the
case. a double duty rests upon those who
are least affected by the depression. those
whose finances are only cramped and in
comes lessened, not taken away entirely-a
double duty and a double opportunity. They
have reason TO give thanks for their ex-
eInption from the distress which affects
their fellow-citizens and their neighbors, but
they can scarcely enjoy to it's utmost the
plenty which is still theirs knowing that
their duty as Christians and good citizens
not only to observe Thanksgiving day them
selves. but to see that others have cause
to observe and enjoy it. 1t was taught Of
old that it is blessed to give. and never
was better opportunity to prove this say
Ing. In making glad the friend or the
brother or the stranger at his gates the
giver must add to his own measure of re-
joicing. else the words of the Master fail.
Many will be the calls upon the commu-
nifty this season. and not a few will be
the appeals this week from charity organi-
cations of all sorts. Every institution
which makes It's call to the public for the
annual Offering is deserving of aid, and none
gives amiss who makes his contribution to
one or all. But it is not necessary to stop
at the established charities. In the general
distribution OF aid organization and system
are, of course. necessary, but this week the
personal element should be allowed to enter
In. If the man who is sure Of a Thanks
giving dinner for himself and his family
will see to it that the family of a man who
is out of work is also provided for he will
be likely to sit at his feast in greater peace.
If the housewife will duplicate her market
OF an accomplishing neighbor her repast
will taste the sweeter. 1t is not difficult to
find the needy ones If the eyes are open to
what is going on before them, nor. having
found them, is it desirable that the right
hand should know what the other has done
in their behalf. The people who are in dis
tress now are proud and self-respecting
and resent charity. but they will not refuse
the holiday offering coming in a spirit of
friendship.