Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-09
Church Alms Givina.

It was in the dingy little ONCE OF down.
town church that Star man found himself
waiting, few days ago, to learn, through
the minister, some special item of current,
ecclesiastical news. On the door, propped
open for the sake of better ventilation, was
placard indicating the rectors Office hour;
and within, occupying the several chairs
and benches, was motley group of would
be callers. The Star man came in last. so
he had ample opportunity to observe his
neighbors, and as he watched them come
and go through the green baize door leading
into the minister's study. various queries
arose in his mind as to the nature of their
errands.
There was, for example, a busting wom-
an who tripped in with a society manner
and passed out with an air of patronage
she had come to arrange for her daughters
wedding. Then a shabby old customer who
mad been sitting In the corner with a hang
dog air, was admitted, and before he came
out the Star man thought he heard the
click of coin. After him a shy Young girl
with bundle of civil service papers was
ushered across the threshold and then a
tlred-lookfng woman with little child and
hnally The Star man.
The rector looked tired and seemed not
over busy, so after gaining the special in
iofmauon ne sought. The Star man VEN
tured an irrelevant question.
DO you have many applicants for alms?''
yes, a great many the minister replied
adding voluntarily, that presents one of
face
Why? Because 1t is almost impossible to
Judge between the worthy solicitor and the
clever impostor. 1t is so difficult to help
without pauperizing. The acceptance of
money, even from a church, means save
In exceptional cases. the breaking down
of seif-respect, and this gone begging be-
comes easy. We, therefore, usually prefer
70 lend than TO give: and are more willing
to help man to help himself by finding
him work than by even lending him a
quarter.
No, we are not always successful The
man or woman who can't get a lob is
either, as rule, Incapable or not looking
very hard. l remember rather an amusing
incident of young man who came to me
during last winters blizzard, seeking lit
tie heip In the way of some groceres-or
work. He lived, he said, with his sister,
poor widow in the northeast and as she
was having pretty hard time he wanted
to help her along. That sounded COM
mendable and l asked him what he could
do, suggesting an immediate attack upon
the snowplle which was then halfway up
my windows. But no, that was out of the
question; he was not strong enough to
shovel snow; but, with "a conciliatory
smile, he assured me that he could cut
grass Naturally l merely suggested that
he call around a few months later.
You could scarcely imagine the variety
and number of requests in this line that
come our way the minister continued. Il
was seriously asked-yes, to my sorrow,
asked with volumes of tears-by a we'll
dressed woman of a different communion
than my own. whom l had never met I'M
til that day, to aid her in obtaining for
her little blind daughter a position in an
institution, that she might aid In the sup
port of her four older, and, as far as l
could ascertain stalwart but lazy brothers.
The child quite willing to do So she
said, and no amount of argument on my
part could demonstrate to her the unfair
was the new woman with a vengeance.
X X
Are the ajority of our pensioners mem
bers of our own congregation? Pensioners.
yes beggars, no We have a regular list
of INDECENT persons who are worthy, but
for some reason unfortunate. who belong
to our parish and to whom we allow
small monthly stipend: but the majority of
persons who come knocking at our door
with a hard-luck story asking for small
coin, are merely drftwood, floating in from
the common stream. These latter generally
want railroad tickets, boat transportation
or something to eat. The request is usually
for a loan Sometimes we have supplied
the needful transportation and seen them
started on their journey, but in most cases,
when 1t is understood that the one goes with
the other, the attention and the ticket alike
have been declined. Money we often refuse,