The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-04-06

ed Charities have been prepared and
show the condition OF that organization
to be in excellent standing The re-
ceipts for the year ending March. 1910,
to be $1,702.45. disbursements, $1,2s2.
IS. balance. S4I9.S9 From this sum.
bills for the month of March amount
in gto S20S.77 must be paid Many
pledges are yet unpaid and the finance
committee will make an effort to Sc
cure the payments SO that the society
may carry on its work during the
spring months
Officers for the ensuing year were
elected as follows: President, Rev. Con-
rad Huber; vice president, Mrs. G. H.
Knollenberg: treasurer. Mrs. Emma
Mather; secretary, Mrs. Elizabeth
Beck.
Report Of Secretary.
Again the time has arrived for our
taking account and reviewing what
has gone by, the opportunity to re-
view what has been accomplished. to
learn whether we have developed any
new ideas, and il we have made good
the principles in which we are organ
lied 1t is not necessary to recount
the object of this society. 1t has so
often been told, however, it may help
the public to understand what our
work is, by specifying some OF the
things we do not do.
In the first place, we do not give ma
terial relief where relatives are able
- rrtr oftn find
relatives willing to stand back, and
let church or some organization as
sumo the burden they should carry.
Neither do we give relief to any fam
| lily that has claim on any religious
organization. We aim to cooperate
with the churches, but do not under
stand that to mean using of this So
ciety's funds to supplement theirs.
From the funds of the Association
treasury we can give only temporary
| aid, although many times appeals are
made for material aid in helping to
more than cover daily need, but to
such we can not relieve because Of
limited means at our command.
| The actual giving of temporal relief
takes very little time, and not much
money, but to know when to give re.
lief, how much. who should give it.
and what it should be, for the best
interests OF the recipient, requires as
much consideration as bodily illness
requires a physicians skill.
The soul is more than the body, and
this work cannot be successfully done
without the cooperation of the
churches, and all societies organized
for the relief and care of those poor
who have dropped below the line OF
independence.
Through cases of hereditary and en-
vironment a certain per cent of hu
mainly drop below the line of self sup
port, and willingly want others to car
ry the burden of their lives. II
should be the work of the church ant
society to raise the standard of these
and not to weaken the few support.
they may have. Let me illustrate will
a case under our care during the pas
winter, that of family of husband
wife and five children; the man ad
dicted to drink, the wife driven almos
to distraction, and on the verge 0
desperation, the children sick ant
helpless. The wife appealed for help
the case was investigated, force wa.
} brought to bear upon the husband ant
} he was made to see his responsibility
The family are now pulling togethe
: III much better condition than if W,
had taken their care entirely into GU
hands. That was case for the church
or City Missionary rather than tn
work of charity. Neither do we be
lieve that it is kindness to give mater
ial aid to the family where the mai
is able and not willing to work, nor il
it right to give the wife work. TIL,
man should be made to see his duty
and made to do it, or made to suffe
for his neglect. There is enough up
lift work in our city to keep all tn,
church workers busy all the time. Thi
is the reason that the friendly visito
: is so much needed in our city and thu
lack of it SO plainly seen. The worl
of this society has been UNUSUAL,
heavy in consequence of the depres
sion of business, severe cold weathe
and much sickness necessarily follow
lowing. Most of the cases we hav,
helped have been of the kind we hav,
, had in previous years. Those VIII,