The Washington times., 1902-04-27
Benefactions Of a Poor Man
By OLIVE LOGAN.

4 \ thropic movements there often
hear of the Kyrle societies, and
some of our people wonder whence the
, name is derived. a moments reflection
will recall the source of the appellation.
The excellent workers among the poor,
who have banded themselves together un-
der the name of the Kyrle societies, are
disciples of John Kyrle, the philanthropy
ist immortalized by Pope under the title
of THE Man of Ross" Kyrle achieved
wonderful results of good by the wise
bestowal Of relatively small sums, saved
from his modest income, after paying the
expenses of his frugal manner of living.
He was born in the early part of the
seventeenth century at Whitehouse,
Gloucester. but resided during the great
er part of his life at Ross, Herefordshire.
This pleasant little town is situated on
the left bank of the river Wye, between
Monmouth and Hereford, and the fame
of the philanthropist whose name will
outliye even the verses of Pope, which
sang his eulogy. is a magnet which suf-
fees to draw thither a goodly number of
American and Continental travellers,
every year.
The house Kyrlc lived in is alongside of
the market place, and its proximity was
the circumstance which first drew his at
tention to the needs Of his fellow-beings.
To supply the natural requirements of
the poor in the manner of appeasing
hunger. was his initial act OF benefcence;
and so sweet a Joy did he derive from the
gratitude received for this kindness that
he Immediately conceived the wish to ex-
tend his liberalities in other directions.
He proceeded to build in rapid success
sion churches. hospitals and almshouses.
To say that his benefactions won him the
love of his contemporaries is but fcebly
to convey a record of the sentiment with
which he was regarded. He was venerat-
ed, adored; dying in 1924, he was buried
in the beautiful old church of Ross, to
which he had given It's spire.
Verse may build a princely throne on
humble TRUTH says Wordsworth; it may
also serve to keep forever green the
memory of generous deeds. however limit
ed their scope. 1t was while Alexander
Pope was visiting at Holm Lacy, the seat
of Viscount Scudamore, near Ross, that
he learned the facts concerning Kyrle
which moved him to sound the praises of
"The Man of Ross" in the following we'll
known lines, which appear in the Moral
Essays"
Behold the market place with poor outsprcad.
The Man Of Ross divides the weekly bread
He feeds yon almshouse, neat but void of state,
Where Age and Want sit smiling at the gate;
Him portiond maids, apprentic'd orphans blcst
The Young who labor, and the old who rest.
Thrice happy man, enabled TO pursue
What all SO wish hut want the power to do.
Oh say-what sums that gen'rous hand supply2
What mines to swell that boundless charity?
OF debts and taxes, wife and children clear.
This man possest-Gve hundred pounds year.
This is the surprising part of the whole
story: Kyrle's means, all told, only
amounted to $500 year, an income
which is regarded as but remove or two
from genteel poverty by extravagant per-
sons of our day. By the wise distribu-
tion of all he could spare from this mod
est fortune the man of Ross won the SUI
preme blessing of the love and gratitude,
not only Of his contemporaries, but of all
succeeding generations in the town where
he lived and died His influence. spread
far further IMAM lHlS' hoWeNtT, HnelnDeTS
of Kyrle societies distributed all over the
British possessions. are following in his
footsteps, and accomplishing vast
amount of good with small resources.
pope's lines are not the only ones which
have been written in praise of the man
of Ross. Byron gave him glowing
logy; Walton claimed that Kyrle deserved
to he celebrated beyond any of the heroes
of pindar." The Homeric tribute to
Scipio Aemilianus may he used in refer
ence to John Kyrle and his contemporar
les in the town of Ross: He only is a
living man; the rest are Hitting shades