The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-12-06

tioAS' Lnere are times anu necesSltleS
When 1t Is impossible to provide for to-
morrow, and there are conditions which
make 1T impossible for those with re-
sources to know Just how much they
have, but thrift and care are two great
elements in the solving of the demand
for bread among the hungry. But this
practical phase is but an illustration
and suggestion of the ethical and
spiritual phases of the same great prob
lem.
There Is always demand for these
| commodities, and it is for the Christian
to meet the demand for the supply
which he has or is expected to have.
How many loaves have ye?" comes
| ringing into our ears. There is intellec-
| tual bread too, as we'll as spiritual food,
which it must supply if the hungry are
to be fed at all. A George or Debs
may have some fancy Bellamy may
| look with faith sharpened eye into the
| coming centuries and seek Equality"
| but where is there any such thing
when there is so much need on the one
hand, and so small a desire to meet 1t
on the other? Bellamy's Looking
Backward" as truly as his new book,
seems to forget that the human heart
is selfish, and that feeding hungry
neighbor, biscuit out of ones bread pail,
or information and suggestion out of
the mind, of spiritual food out of the
soul, seem to be sacrifices, so great that
we are tempted to think that we are
the victims of plots. We discover very
often that mans zeal in philanthropy
makes him appear mad, and the world
pities him because of his intensity,
gained by continued dwelling upon one
phase of the worlds unmeasured need.
II you travel too long in one path it
becomes rut. The disciples began to
think that their responsibility went no
farther than to see to it that the peo-
pie were sent away. I can imagine
some of the side glances when Jesus
asked how many loaves they could
muster. They saw hunger staring
| themselves in the face. But they were
taught by experience that the miracle
left them fully fed. And we are sure
that the physical miracle is no more
true than the miracle which occurs
when the Christian gives out of his
mind and heart that for which there
| - S"oSi NSiiio'hN. l. SSS lliC leIlill bSol
| ed grow brave when he has taken
anothers part. I hardly recognize for
growth and improvement, some who
with great trepidation gave spiritual
help to needy ones, 50 wonderfully have
their spiritual goods increased. Giving
! strictly speaking ceases to be giving
when given in the right spirit, for the
miracle makes returns with good inter-
| est, and giving becomes a synonym for
| saving. Jesus taught that doctrine. If
a man seeks to save his life by being
over careful of it's products he will lose
| them and by it the boarding.
| 1t is dangerous thing to use sophis-
try and sharp play and policy with the
Lord. He permits it oh! so many times,
but poverty. of soul and leanness Of ac-
emulation is the result.
But we are cheered to discover that
the church is the great leavening force
in the world I do not mean to claim
that the church is perfect. But that
we have in the church more earnest
God fearing men than outside of it, and
that the striving within the Christian
church is ever upward to better things
and a higher standard of service Now
aday's the temptation Is to smile pat.
ronizingly when the agtator speaks of
the great questions of sociology, espec-
tally If he have u practical turn to his
intensity. But we must not forget that
there is religious side of this great
! problem which no thoughtful person
can afford to ignore, for moment The
| future success of the church depends
upon the recognition Of it. Jesus has
just the same right to-day to ask us,
How many loaves have ye?" as He
had that day when, He fed the multi
tude. And we cannot ignore the inter-
rogation safely. Let us be seriously
minded then upon all Of the questions
which come up vitality connected with
the welfare of our neighbor, and the
final solving of the vexing question of
supply and demand.
In the second place: 1t is not always
the greatest wealth of gold, mind, spirit
that does the most good; that is of the
greatest value. Enough is needed, but
we come by enough In strange ways
sometimes. A little with true condi-
lions is wealth while untold resources
under wrong conditions is poverty.
1t remains necessary to say but a
word upon this point SO plain is the de-
mand of it. You may be able to recall
some instance which will prove it to
your own satisfaction. There may be
persons in the world with all the money
they have stored up for years, still poor
as they were before they had penny.
A beggar died few months ago in
New York. He had been an object of
charity for years, when a search was
instituted to identify him, after his
death, imagine the surprise when 500
600 or 100000 were found. But he was
poor beggar for all Of that. You have
seen men and women no doubt with
fine mental and spiritual endowment,
with true cultivation, who selfishly
boarded all their wealth. And they
were beggars 1t is better to have one
talent used than hundred buried. Let
it be for our encoura cement, if we are
ever tempted to say to another or to
ourselves, 80, cannot do that, let A do
it, he can do it better than IT, that
we are just the ones to do it. A has
his work, do not draw him away from
1t. Grace works wonders when there is
a beginning in our own hearts with a
good degree of willingness And this is
emphasized when we discover that the