Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-12-08
Outside Point of Kie,r.

1t has become customary u mary
places 20 have union church services or
Thanksgiving Day. Another growing
custom is. for the collection Al tina,
time 20 pc given 10 the poor and With
in the pest few years the money thus
contributed has been ranaed over 10 a
united charity association for :. sa,ar-
led oficia, 10 dole out 30 the poor the
amount thus given ny cha-:sa be people.
On last Thanks giving Day y & ur;o-.
service. where the church mem be-ship
Of the town. some 400 people were
represented by thankful audience Of
less than 200 men and women. the co.,
lection was s2o41 Collectively the
above Statements ara the text OF this
screed. Perhap s before further COM
ment is made II should ne stated. that
one church in this town frequently
raises 81 900 TO $1,000 for foreign
missions This same town has been
very anxious TO secure the services Of
Billy Sunday. and a committee visiting
the noted evangelist. guaranteed sew
eral hundred dollars. for expenses Of
tabernacle. advertising. and incidentals.
and also a generous free will Offering
to Mr.. Sunday.
The reader of these words like the
writer. can find several texts in the
above, but it is the system of united
charitable work that will be here
commented on. Isn't it fact that
generosity. henevolences. charita BILE
contributions going to the poor lend
ing to the Lord. words that mean
something. should all be omitted and
compressed into the name Of system
Of machine benevolences. Does any
one dream even of saving at is more
blessed to give than to receive" when q
dollar is dropped into the contribution
box on Thanksgiving Day. and the
same paid secretary after deducting
the necessary expenses Of running the
United Charities Associat ton. hands
over what is left OF that dollar to some
poor woman with drunken, worthless
husband. In fact this plan OF united
charities association is deadening all Of
the real personal benevolence of our
once charitable men and women. No
rich man or woman ever wrote check
for united charities association even il
III was in four figures. that has the
merotest idea of the sensation that
load of coal to some poor washerWom :
dli. anu NoSsS 80 OSSduSS w HIS p0t s'IiiaA
knowledge that she needs 1t. The writer
once knew OF good woman that was
in the habit Of packing an ordinary
market basket full OF good things to
eat. generally all of her own cooking,
fruit and candy for the children ex-
cer.ed. and after dark carry 1t herself
to -he door Of poor family. then rap
on the door and run away into the COW
r1,D y.Epr wasn't INIT
ed charity benevolence.
It can be admitted that the system OF
the united charity work ia good. It
presents 70 large degree. imposition
and thus overgiving to one. and under
giving to another. The system is
necessary and important part OF church
work. A needed theory for collective
charity but when such a system alb
solves the generous from persona
giving it's a tremendous loss to the
community and the individual. The
writer has in mind an old maid that
for years has personally made and
given to poor families. clothes such al
they need at the beginning Of winter
Has done 30 for years altho herself not
blessed with too large an income. AND
once a practical woman member OF
united charities association suggested
that her money would do more good I.
handled by the charities association
replied. 81 wouldn't get the good out o!
it, And there is nub Of all this Il
is true we can not all do personal work
It is just as true rich people do well tt
hire some one to do their giving. Mrs
Russell Sage pays man big salar,
to practically and wisely give away
Ter millions, but Mrs. Sage in thu
days when she actually stole out o.
family purse grudgtngly filled by thu
millionaire misery husband, few dol
lars and personally bought needed pro
visions for some poor family in Brook
lyn. had sensation that never comes
to her now as she signs checks for Z
$3.50, 900 benefactior.
M3,dLx<s