Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-27
Vuletioe Giving.
Rev. John Van Schaick Discusses Christmas and
Philanthropy at the Church OF Our Father
Quotes From Dickens Christmas Carol.

methods. Where it is convinced that the
methods have been based upon extortion,
cruelty or any other form OF injustice
| 1t does not hesitate to say that the
money is tainted. In its practical Wis
dom it is willing that this money shall
he used for right purposes. 1t favors
righteous restitution. But no righteous
restitution. it says. shall be used as a
bride to defeat attempts to make and
enforce unjust laws. Enormous gifts for
charity cannot atone for the demoral!za-
ton of a race. If there were more OF
Christian justice there would be less
need of so much Christian charity.
''C.itil the dawn of the millennium there
are two things to be kept steadily IN
sight--the proxi1nate and the ultimate.
The proXimate duty is to relieve inteil1-
gently and effectively, the distress Of the
world. In longing for the perfect day we
must not neglect the little things through
which alone the perfect day can come.
The ultimate which should never be for
gotten is the equality of man.
Il have not done enough when l have
relieved the want of my neishbor. L
must lift my neighbor until he becomes
when / have fed the hungry. I must
make the hungry able to feed them
selves. 1t is not idealistic 1t IS not
impossible 1t is one Of the possibilities
of brotherhood.
.In working for both the ultimate and
the proximate we have to strive for more
laws and better laws. 1t is absolutely
true that no millennium can come through
law 1t is also true that no millennium
can come without law.
Eve shall have to face problems Of en-
vironment. We shall have to recognize
the Importance of housing. of sanitation,
of food, of fire, of air and sunlight In the
development of the people.
"All the time, however. we shall nave 10
remember that the one great work OF this
world is character development.
There is no other excuse for our being
here. There is no other excuse Tor our
occupations. Changes in environment can
neither make nor unmake character, they
can only help or hinder.
ITO do this real work Of the world we
shall have to depend upon the ceaseless
efforts of many men working with tnelf
fellows. By the power of friendship.
sympathy, interest, kindness and help In
a thousand nameless ways they are TO
transform the unfit. the sick, the shiftless,
the evil into the rich. the beautiful, the
good and the useful Of the world.
thropy has a large part. To help 1t on,
Christmas giving may be mighty power.
1t must not be, however. an indiscrim-
| mate bestowal of aims. Year after year,
through the we'll meaning charity OF the
thoughtless. we have seen little children
transformed into beggars and their elders
made more shiftless and improvident.
With the aims there must be the giving or
self. Science and sympathy must go nano
| in hand. The head must rule. and over
rule the heart. The heart must furnish
| inspiration for the head.
"There are those who still call modern
charity cold and heartless. 1t Is cold
and heartless only in the sense in which
the surgeon Is heartless who sheds no
| tears but goes at his work with precision
| Ind accuracy.
Hundreds of years ago Saint Augustine
uttered words which contain the latest
and the highest thought of the world OF
| today as to philanthropy:
| "'Thou givest the bread to the hungry.
but better were it that none hungered and
| thou hadst none to give to. Thou clothest
the naked: o that all men were clothed
and that this need existed not. Take
away the wretched and the works OF
mercy will be at an end. But shall the
ardor Of charity be quenched? With q
truer touch of love. thou lowest the happy
man to whom there is no good Office thou
canst do; purer will that love be and more
unalloyed. For If thou hast done kind
ness to the wretched. perhaps thou wish
est him to be subject to thee he was In
need. Thou didst bestow- Thou seemest
to myself to be greater because thou didst
bestow, than he upon whom 1t was be-
slowed. Wish him to be thy equal.
| 81 know of no Christmas text IN the
Bible more significant than this: Wish
him to be thy equal.