The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-29

new IOfce.
THE presumption is that the modes of
dealing with dependents and criminals
must feel this potent influence. In historic
fact this change has come. Modern relief
systems. legal and private, have had new
visions and have begun to adopt new meth
DDS. and the distinctive mark of these
methods is the orderly and accurate spirit
of science"
THE SEARCH FOR CAUSES.
Particulafizing DIR. Henderson said that
medieval Christianity regarded it impious
to inquire the origin of pestience. God
did it. Why question the Almighty" was
the cry Even in legal documents handed
down from the past, lightnings. floods and
other destructive agencies are classed "aets
of Cod
Here and there" said he, "piety still
conceives itself obliged to bow in humble
submission, when it should look to the cell
lar and the drains. Medieval Christianity
when pestilence was filling the land with
mourning, knew no better than to crowd
into churches to make prayers and increase
infection We can believe in God all the
better now that He has freed us from these
superstitions and hindrances.
RMS search for causes in modern charity
takes two Observation-Disclosures and social
The investigation of the individual case with
all thoroughness has been developed in a
way unknown in former days. What an
amazing advance in the methods of medical
dlagnosisi We can still remember the visit
or the family doctor and his brief and SUI
pernclal examination. He put on his spec
tacles looked wise, felt the pulse looked
at the tongue, asked a question or two, and
LpreScrlbed Sometimes, wonderful to re-
late, he happens to guess Alright. The mod
ern doctor has all the resources of organic
chemistry bacteriology, electrical arts and
Instruments of precision Thus the modern
investigator makes a diagnosis of a case
OF dependence, not merely to discover i'm
posture and lay bare fraud, but to give
the wisest relief Before the modern thor
physician. [ e.
scribeS there lies a formal diagnosis stat
ing the exact time of pulse beats, the nature
all accessible SecretiOnS, the progress of di-
gestion and assimilation, bacteria acids
ana numerous other data Before the mod
ern relief officer there lies table of facts
collected by trained visitors This table
shows from all sources the economic, do
nestle and other social relations Of the
family, the health and earning power of
the members, their habits and conduct as
revealing character. And it is on the basis
of this kind of investigation that the advice
and treatment are prescribed"
MR.. POTTS'S ADDRESS.
The closing address was made by Alfred
F. Potts, who spoke of the duty of citizens
toward the Charity Organization Society.
He expressed the belief that the splendid
audience that had voluntarily gathered to
be taxed for the cause of charity would
give literally to the sublime cause that had
brought it there-that it would give largely
for the defense of the worthy poor, know
ing that not one cent would go for tribute to
the tramp.
Men in every age, from Plato to Bel
lamy,' said Mr.. Potts, have had their
dreams of Utopia, their schemes for equal
ity, their high hope of the millennium when
! you will not be you and / not l, when
Drotherly love will put SeldShneSs to sleep
| forever and no mans hand will be against
| MS nelghbor. Earnest souls, bent on this
great endeavor, have gathered bands, of
| converts here and there and set themselves
| apart to show the selfish world that higher
| instincts move the human mind than per-
| SOnal gain.
But, he said, the wrecks of such endeavor
| lie buried in every Christian land. "Over
| every gateway leading to Utopia time has
| written Failure This, he said, was just
| ly so, for it is not Gods plan. Christ came
| to show the way and might have made
| choice. among the good and pure. people,
| and, drawing them aside, might have re-
| tired to some sequestered Happy Valley
| to discourse on the true and beautiful, free
| from sights of suffering, beyond sounds Of
| strife and turmoil
But Christ had no dream of Utopia.
| He chose the better way = to mngle with
| His fellows, to know their temptations feel
| their needs and stand beside them in their
| hour of sorrow"
Though conscious of His godhood, the
| speaker said, Christ became one of the
| hunlblest of mankind that it might be
| known all men were one with God, that all
human lives and souls were equal in His
/
| Christs messengers, on whom His mantle
! falls, have been at work joining the hands
| of men and singing the songs of peace and
| mutual aid.
Among the men," he continued, "who
| having passed away from earthly view
| seem in our memory of their lives and deeds
| to have been the special messengers of
| God to men, one sweet serious face comes
| to view, one presence rises up before us
| the beloved Oscar G. McCulloch. The great
! elm tree which stands in the sidewalk be-
| fore the house in which ne lived is typical
tree. 1t belongs to all the people. Its deep
| roots draw from the eternal springs. 1t lifts
| it's great branches high in air that the sun
| light may reach and nourish the lesser trees
! beneath 1t is beautiful in its serenity and
| unconscious strength, sublime and majestic
| in it's towering height, restful and sympa-
| thetic in the murmur of it's leaves, gener-
| GUS and far reaching in the offer of its
| grateful shade.
TT is to Oscar c. McCulloch that our city
| owes the debt of its gratitude for the Char
| ity Organization Society, of whose good
work done and better work proposed it is
my pleasure to speak tonight. Its gos-
pei is the gospel of mutual aid ard not the
| doing out of aims. If man is fed it is not
only to appease his hunger, but TO give him
cause of his rags, but to increase his self
respect and to equip him for he battle. It
says to no man in want, Here Is "A teggar
crust but to the worthy, Dine with me
to-day that my brother may dine with you
tomorrow 1t stands at the cross roads,
saving to the wanderer You have mistaken
i
crime; go down this lane to thrift and COM
fort It takes the empty hand of the SEN
sitive poor and whispers, Allow me to as
sist you 1t is the great aSen:y DitWetn
supply and demand in behalf OF discouraged
labor 1t is administrative i'll its oharac-
| ter giving direction whenever nc eded 10 the
work of the various societies OF WHICH II Is
composd. It's secretary at his post OF drty
is like a train dispatcher, directing the
movements of a great system 50 mat all
may work in perfect harmony. 1t is
clearing house for the cIty's Tanks OF SYM
pathy The aim of this central crfaniza-
ton is to stand in such position that every
applicant for aid will pc referred 70 IL. II
immediate relief is needed II IS given II
not the case is investigated. nuc, IL 1ouhd
worthy referred to the one OF the many
associated charities best adapted Tor inc
work By this means the relief woIk IS
properly distributed and all chance OF cupn-
cation and fraud prevented. 1T SAYS TO It's
supporters. Your money placed wan us
will he held as a sacred trust not 10 be
doled out with the easy hand or !nc"ltnt
sympathy but to be used where 1t walt bring
( the largest returns in human happiness ana
comfort :"
Mr.. Potts said that within the circle Of as
ccciated charities more than thirty lnue-
nendent agencies were represented IN the
meeting He spoke of the difficulty or pre-
senting the work of all IN 4 brief speech,
and gave running statement OF the Work
of some. beginning with thu Dime SAVING
and Ioar Assosciation, with over 2,5oO de-
nositors saving sums from cents upward
AGENTS visit the depositors and receipt Tor
DEPOSITS. asking information concerning the
neighDorhood and iDas Keeping in tcuch
with large sections. Part OF me work IS
RI check chattel-mortgage lenders.