The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-19

| ana ABOVE all these put on CASTl-
| ty,. which is the bond of perfectness
| ColoSSians III a.
In the ceaseless strife that every
man is waging for his own advance
ment and betterment, it behooves him
to remember that there are others in
the world, not so fortunately situated
as he. They need his assistance, little
or large as he is able to give. The
extension of that help, no matter what
form it takes is charity. And as the
gifted Paul wrote to the Colossians in
| the words Of the text, charity is above
all the attributes that 1t is desirable
for mankind to have. It is the bond of
perfectness.
Nor does charity mean the mere CIV
ing of aims or their equivalent. 1t is
most comprehensive in its scope. 1t
takes in everything, a kind and an en-
| couraging word, as we'll as a kind and
helpful deed. There is much charity
in the world. Much of it is misplaced
even through the best of intentions.
But there is far from being enough of
it, and it is better that some of it be
| misplaced than if it were never ten
dered. There cannot be too much of
1t. Charity is the keystone on which
is built the structure of life. Without
it, society, civilization, would crumble
and fall away. 1t is the help that man
gives to his brother that really makes
the world go on, that works for prog
ress in each and every direction.
Much of the actual suffering on earth
is assuaged by it. And the individual
who makes it practice to be as char
liable as it is possible for him to be,
feels all the better for it. Nothing of
greater happiness can come to any
man than for him to know and realize
I that through some effort of his another
has been helped on the way to better
things. Nor are the opportunities
lacking for indulging in charity. They
abound on every hand. Some of them
may seem little and inconsequential,
but they are not. And it is often the
case that the little acts of kindness
turn out to be of the finest type of
charity. One such was recorded in a
Kansas newspaper of recent date. In a
certain neighborhood in this great,
good state, sickness had invaded a
home for many weeks. First one child
and then another had been taken down
with an ailment that needed the con-
SIdIlL Il1l0 anu care OIL LL6 1lOIuGI VI
the house The family was far from
being poverty stricken. but the affairs
of the household had sort of gone to
smash. There had been no time to
attend to anything but the wants of
the sick children. A neighbor woman
sent to this house for the loan of IS
glass fruit jars. This loan was freely
made. In a few days these jars were
returned, but they were filled to the
brim with variety of rich and luscious
fruit, such as the Kansas housewife
is an adept at putting up. Now this
was a little act. A homely little thing
in the eyes of some, perhaps, to set
along side the contribution from some
one man of several millions of dollars
for the establishment of a hospital or
the founding Of an orphans home. But
it was a beautiful little charity just
the same. And the chances for the per-
Torrance Of just such little acts as
this are innunerable. 1t is such acts
that make every one feel little more
satisfied that the world is a pretty good
place to live in after all, and because of
the people who make it up.
Nothing is quite so good. or so fine
as charity well directed and there can
not be too much Of it. Lord Bacon in
his essay, On Goodness, pointed this
out in unmistakable fashion when he
wrote:
THE desire of power in excess caused
the angels to fall; the desire of know
ledge in excess caused man to fall; but
in charity there is no excess, neither
can angel or man come in danger by
it,