The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1894-09-12
Christian Charity and the Modern


Rev. S. w. Meek preached a sermon last
Sunday morning on a subject of compara-
lively rare introductionin in the pulpit, but one
that is pre-eminently worthy of Christian
consideration. With characteristic utterance
the able preacher encompassed in few SEN
tences the sum total or gist of the whole
matter, arraying in orderly presentation
propositions of automatic truth, but which
required the thought and industry of menial
application to discover and arrange them
systematically and logically with refer
ence to the subject of their bearing. What
he had to say on the tramp question was both
timely and useful, and we therefore give our
readers an epitome of his discourse, to which
we listened with much satisfaction. The
Reverend gentleman's ideas of the treat
ment of the professional tramp is pre-emi-
nently wise and just one, founded on the
highest conceptions of brother1y love to ones
fellowmen. True charity looks beyond the
relief of the mere physical, and takes into
account the influence or effect upon the civil,
moral and social being of the object Of its
attention. Again, the proposition, "He that
can, and will not work, shall not eat, needs
no demonstration of its absolute justice and
the necessity of its enforcement to realiza-
ton of the benign objects of civil association
and good government. Its application is
universal, from the tramp to the millionaire,
and we are pleased that one phase of the man.
date was handled from the pulpit, where of
all places it should be boldly and fearlessly
presented. We invite, therefore, the earnest
attention of our readers to the subjoined
synopsis of the discourse
JOHN 5-42; Give to him that asketh and
from him that would borrow of thee turn
thou not away"
End THEss. 3-1o: I" If any man will not
work, neither shall he eat.''
1 have taken these two texts because 1 be-
lieve them to be the strongest utterances on
this subject in the Bible. The question" does
Christian charity require us to feed the mod
ern tramp?" is a practical one; a question
over which many cOnsciences are disturbed.
One of these texts seems to answer =" yes. -
If your fellow man is destitute and hungry
feed him, even though in doing so you divide
with him your last morSel. The other text
seems to answer as definitely, * no, +" feed no
man who will not earn his bread by honest
work. The principle Of Christian charity is
manifestly this, seek always to do your fell
low men good, If feeding him viii do him
real good, will ennoble him, then feed him.
If feeding him degrades him, encourages
him in vagrancy and vice, refuse to feed
him. For, feeding him under such circum-
stances is doing him harm and not good.
But" says some one, "we do not know
whether the food which we give will be a
blessing or curse to him who receives it, so
we give the tramp the benefit of the doubt
and give the food he asks for.n To deter
mine the character Of the average tramp is
not so difficult as many at first suppose. Did
anyone here present ever know an industri-
Gus and temperate man to become a wandsr-
ing beggar? If any ever did please let me
know it by raising your hand. | ask this in
perfect sincerity, and desire an answer. |
have lived in nine different communities
and yet never knew of fuch case. Whydo
men become tramps? The causes may be
reduced to four.
1st, Strong drink, Men fall into the drink
habit, become careless and unreliable, for
this reason are discharged from their en-
ployment, and for the same reason find it
difficult or impossible TO secure other en-
ployment in the community where they are
known. They then start out in search of
employment where they are not known, but
it is always nearly impossible for man who
cannot find employment where he is known
to secure it where he is not So he drifts
from town to town until his courage and
self respect are gone, and abject destitutiOn
stares him in the face. There seems to him
to be nothing open before him but the life of
a tramp, so he takes to that as gracefully as
he can.
End Improvidence. There are hundreds
of men who work part of the year, but who
squander every cent of their earnings as fast
as they get them in reckless extravaganza,
gambling -and RIGHTEOUSNESS. When the
season of the year comes in which work is
scarce and their needs greatest they find
themselves utterly destitute and become par
asites, take to the road and live on the fruits