The Portland daily press., 1896-01-17
ASSOCIATED CHARITIES.
An Idea of What the Society Aims to
Do.

The Associated Charities held their
monthly meeting yesterday afternoon
with an unusually large attendance.
The principal questions discussed were
the best way of dealing with the poorer
classes, distinction being made between
the worthy and vicious poor. DR.. Pudor,
Rev. Mr.. Phelan, Ensign Walker of the
Salvation Army and others gave practical
illustrations of dealing with these GLASSES.
Miss Beckett. the secretary, gave an in /.
teresting account of the workings of the
society. In her remarks she said:
"The work of the associations Is
founded on these principles: Investiga-
tion, cooperation and friendly visitation
In regard to investigation, no sane per
son will deny that indiscriminate giving
would be worse than useless. The visitors
investigate each case brought before
them, and it is rarely that the correctness
Of their statements is ever questioned. A
phase of the investigation has been work
done for places outside of the oity, when
letters are received from other places ask
ing in regard to parties who have gone
there from here, or oautioning our society
against persons coming hither. The net
work of associated charities is extending
80 rapidly it becomes daily more difficult
for offenders to escape.
" The second principle is cooperation
When person applies to the Associated
Charities for assistance, and the case is
found to be worthy, then it is handed to
some of the many benevolent societies,
and never has such a case ever al
lowed to suffer from unsupplied wants.
But there is large class of born tired''
who will do most anything short of actual
starving and freezing, to keep from work,
just as there is a class that has seen
better days, that it is almost impossible
to reach because their pride prevents
their wants being made known. If
a member of every benevolent society was
q mem ber of the Associated Charities,
acquainted with the beneficiaries of their
own society, then the imposters who run
the gauntlet of all and get aid from
many, would be suppressed.
The third principle is visitation
There are two ways Of helping the poor.
The one is by aims giving, the other by
help giving. The first is the easiest, the
latter, the best and must come through
the friendly visitor. Poverty is not mere
ly in the want of money, which supplied,
poverty ceases to be. A broken life oan-
not be mended in a fifteen minutes
acquaintance, nor can prosperity be
or JnE ON 10 q nj Sfn A nd 10 cvyrr
pathy between helped and helper comes
only with extended acquaintance. What
do the poor want? Everything they
haven't got Now they need instruction;
some one who knows about cooking to
show them how to cook and not waste
one acquainted witha nurses work to look
after them when ill, and in doing this to
show that it can be done with patience,
kindness and Christian love. An instance
was cited Of lady visitor who worked
for two years with one family who seemed
to know nothing of how to live. At first,
as was natural they didn't seem to take
kindly to advice. But whel they saw
how the visitor was devoted to them,
taught them the advantages of bright
s nshlne, good food, pure air, and sent the
hildren to school, then they began to
be interested in hoping themselves. Now
it every visitor of the Associated Charities
would do this, then would the amount of
good done among the poor of tine city be
incalculable. .z-.