Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-26
THE POOR AND NEEDY.
Rev. Frank Sewall's Sermon on Il
Virtue of Charity.

rev. FRANK SeWalfs Sermon on the
Virtue of Charity.
There was a Coed attendance at the
Thanksgiving services at the New Church.
corner of 10th and Corcoran streets, this
morning. Rev. Frank Sewan, the pastor,
delivered an interesting discourse on the
lie sson of the day. and the regular choir
sang an appropriate musical program. The
choir is composed Of Miss Edie Meem Mrs.
Ralph Barnard, Miss Bessie Smith, Miss
Mamie SiSsbee, Mr.. Ralph Barnard, Mr..
Albert Prentice and Mr.. George Bentley,
with Miss Maud G. Sewan as organist and
director.
Who are the peer and needy and what
are the obligations owing them?' was the
subject of Dr.SewalPs sermon and the bur-
den of his remarks was in advocacy of a
wise and true henevolence as against in
discriminate and extravagant almsgiving.
He extolled President Cleveland for re-
nation to remember the poor and needy
and urged upon all the Christian duty of
assisting their less fortunate neighbors.
A Christian Sentiment.
Charity, he said, was distinctly a Chris
tian sentiment or policy. In the ancient
days of the pagans the poor received
scarcely any consideration whatever. Be-
ing regarded as Improbable and unpro-
ductiye, they were practically treated as
enemies of society instead Of being looked
upon as proper objects of charity and pro-
lection, as is the case in these more en-
Eghtened days. One trouble about charity,
ne said, is that it has become so common
place that We do not give 1t the considera-
ton. 1t deserves. and the consequence is
that 1t Is frequently misdirected and mis-
placed. The result Is that people give
CHARITY indLscriminately. which course fire.
quently results in abuse and extravaganza
and leads to habits of Incidence and trick
cry on the part of the recipients. Indis-
criminate charity, though well meant in
stead Of preventing poverty. really en-
ccurages 1t and frequently results in vice
al fraud. Hence the necessity for or
gained charity for the prevention of such
a state of affairs and to insure a proper
and economical distribution of benevolent
contributors.
Associated Charities Praised.
On this point DR.. Sewall took occasion to
call attention to the good work of the Asso-
ciated Charities in assisting the poor and
needy as being in the line of true Chris
tian charity and benevolence, especially as
that organization looks to the cultiyati ton
OF the good and the true in our needy
neighbors instead of developing the bad
that may be in them. According to the
speaker, we develop the good in man
when We help him to help himself rather
than by encouraging him to depend upon
the charity OF others. There are other
external conditions, and these may be
found alike in palace and howell He
meant the morally and spiritually poor and
needy, whose cases, he said, call for con-
slant help from those blessed with the
consolation and happiness that comes with
true religious belief and life, without
which We are not able to give a true
rational thanksgiving to the Lord
In the course of his remarks DR.. SewaIl
SAID that the sacred cause Of charity had
feen frequently used by despotic and even
republican governments for the Improper
exercise OF power Public charity dis
triDutt.d In this way was not true beneyo-
fence, but merely a shrewd form of selfish
ness, as such should be discountenanced
and discouraged by all true Christians and
lovers of good government