Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-08-20
THE PROBLEM OF CHARITY.

ssSweet charity Il not 90 sweetas II
once was. The world is coming more
and more to see that often nothing ID
more uncharitable than charity, and that
sometimes to give aims may be to In
crease the helplessness Of the beggar,
and to beQueath to posterity an inherit
ance of dependence and OF degeneracy.
The time was when every one giving
to the poor was supposed to become
thereby akin to God; but this Is giving
place to the conviction that we may be
doing Gods service by Withholding
sometimes better than by imparting.
The experience Of the Christian centu-
ries, truer philosophy Of life and the
rigid decisions Of science on the effect OF
indlscriminate giving, have served the
purpose Of checking the flow OF the
stream once thought divine. We know
now as we never knew before that God
Is not an indiscriminate giver, but that
II man will not work, neither should
he eat that struggle only has the divine
guarantee Of survival. We know, also,
as we have not known before, something
Of the evils which have flowed into
modern civilization from the early i'm
pulse OF Christianity toward charity,
| which In Its essence and motive was
divine, but which was soon changed into
a stream of alms-giving without regard
to justice or to the permanent result to
the recipient. DR.. Gilman says: 1.-The
indiscriminate charity Of the middle
ages Is responsible for much Of the
misery of ours. II Is only In very mod
ern times that charity has had any rela-
ton with justice. 1t Is only lately that
science has shown that charity Is to be
judged not by Its motives but by lis re-
suits"
With increase Of intelligence on the
subject, the problem in the humane
world Is how to effect scientific and a
systematic regulation of charity. Until
alms-giving becomes science as well rs
sentiment, we shall have no true chart
ty. The minds Of many remain to be
convinced and converted on this point !;
their hearts, too, must needs be harden
ed by justice as well as softened by pity.
There Is, moreover, vast amount OF
moral aziness to be removed. This Is
demanded so long as there are those who
indolently throw out their dimes TO
every beggar who pleads, without taking
the pains to enquire whether that beggar
has any right TO eat and drink, or To
think what ia to be the effect OF that
dime on the future Of civilization.
No man has right 10 allow the dogs
even TO lick the sores Of Lazarus on his
doorsteps without enquiring whether
that is the right thing to be done. Laz-
arus may deserve something better than
the tongue Of dog; he may deserve
something worse. The problem Is to
decide the question In the interest Of So
ciety.
And while reconstruction Is under way
in the sphere Of humane and philan-
thropic endeavor, there Is gigantic
task given us in the economic and in
dustrial world. That task IL 10 make
more equable the conditions OF life.
Said that learned student Of human
progress, Charles Loring Brace. The
great moral progress OF the future OF
the race will plainly be toward some
form Of more equable distribution OF
the proceeds OF labor" Men either re-
volt or succumb in the race OF economic
injustice and financial oppression. They
will steal, they will starve, they VIII
surrender, but they will not work so
long as Injustice Is winked at. They
lose heart and hope and float or drift on
to the sea OF dependence and decay, and
society has TO take charge OF them.
So long as few thousand families
are allowed to horde and 10 hold the
bulk OF the wealth Of a nation OF many
millions, so long will the problem of
charity assume appalling proportions.
The indiscriminate and excessive aims
giving In European countries in the mid
die ages referred to by DR.. Gilman was
due to reaction against the most un-
Just and fearful economic conditions ex-
isting after the fall OF the Roman Em-
pire.
IL we could reach the period OF equa-
bic economic conditions the problem OF
charity would be solved-solved by it,
disappearance. This problem Is one for
the statesman, not alone for the phil
anthropist and the churchman. The
legislation OF the world needs TO be so
directed that everywhere 1t will be easy
for a man To win his bread In the sweat
OF his face, and difficult for him to do 1t
without this divine condition.
II. FRANK PRAY.
u.rhnr Naipa