Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-01-06
BRATTLEBoao, FRIDAY, JAN. 8, 1905
Our Home Missionaries.

The case reported at Christmas
time from st. Adams, where woman
in extreme poverty, but too proud to
let her want be known, was found
fatally frozen, has been made the text
for many an accusing and reproach-
full newspaper sermon upon the indif-
ference and inactivity of the people
of Vermont in connection with cases
of want and suffering. We are ac-
cused of being over-Zealous in behalf
of the Fills and of the starving poor
of India and Ireland and of not want
ing to know of the poverty and help
lessness which lies at our own doors
The case reported was a pitiful and
regrettable one; but the sweeping re-
proach is unjust. Each community
has means provided for the aid of
the unfortunate poor. and in each
are charitably inclined citizens who
would not knowingly allow any human
being to suffer for want of food or
shelter; but where pride seeks con-
d, ,cealment, it will unavoidably succeed,
sometimes, amid the most charitable
surroundings.
Most of us have our work to do
every day; we can not make busl-
ness of hunting up objects of charity,
hut must do our missionary work in
odd moments, though we be ever so
kindly disposed toward our fellow be-
ings. Those who do make business
of home missions, and they are many
and earnest are beset and dishearten-
ed by host of difficulties. They have
to deal with bitter and repelling
pride which resents charity as an in
suit or accepts it as right; with lg-
norance and shiftlessness which mis-
uses it; with deceit which misappro-
pirates it under false pretences and
with ingratitude. In spite of all these
discouraging elements, for the sake OF
the joy that comes from one real de-
served and appreciated benefaction,
they keep on, patiently with their
good work
1t is no wonder if people who Wish
to help others and have five dollars
to spare, prefer to send 1T to the starv-
ing Irish rather than to give 1t 10
their next door neighbor who needs /
IT They never know, in the first case, r
but what it helps to feed the hun c
cry Irish; but in the latter case, they |
are very likely to see it spent for can d
1y. ribbons or show tickets by silly r
wife or for liquor by her shiftless
husband. Foreign missions may be
happily idealized by distance, but a
home missionary work involves \
masses of disagreeable facts, which n
end to confuse the ordinary citizens r
IDEAS of duty. r
Nevertheless. hundreds of citizens, g,
outside of the social organizations f,
which are doing such noble work, OF
,eep steadily and quietly on doing ri
God wherever they see the opportuni- &C
v in their busy lives. We do not p,
now of their benefactions. generally,
ntil they die Then, as was the case
yhen DR.. Conland died, a multitude a
f tongues proclaim their helpful a
.iendliness. in
The people of Vermont are not IN tie
ifferent to want and suffering. They nc
re kindly, sympathetic with misfor- to
me and sorrow and willing to help re-
Ne needy. 1t is not their fault if oc- Al
lsionally a person suffers or even wi
es from want in their own commune M;
es. 1t is an accident of temperament to
circumstance which all deplore
Neither is it the fault of the distant
lis, the starving Irish or the South era
"a Islanders. It will not help mat ly
RS to cut them off from our bene- Wo
ctions Let us be reasonable. TO
spi