The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-20
Scientific Charity yindicated

Ard so from our study of the Bible if becomes very clear that the principles on which the work of the local association rests are the principles given to the world by Ctrist, and perpetuated by the infant chur'il, thiugh 1t has taken us 200o years to re turn to them And not only so, but these principles of scientific charity have been vindicated by the verdict of history. There has never been a time or nation in which these principles were violated, that
 pauperism and untold misery did not re-
 suit. The decline of the Roman empire
 dates partly from the day when the
 Roman emperors. in order to curry favor
 with an ignorant populace, began the
 i'ioiscriminate distribution of food and
 n oney to all people regardless of Worthi-
 ness and need. The Roman freemen who
 had been the conquerors of the world
 then became idle and vicious dependents
 on the bounty of the state The hardy
 virtues which honest toll had developed
 began to decay, and the empire sank to
 an early dissolution. The ghastly pauper-
 ism of the middle ages was due largely
 to the great and foolish generosity of the monasteries where hardy peasants ex- changed their sturdy independence for the bread and wine of promisouous charity Ancient Rome and medieval Europe, these are the only examples we have of wide spread indiscriminate charity, and in both Instances pauperism became the almost universal rule of life among the poor. Mistakes of Dark Ages
 ask you this morning, is America to learn nothing from the lessons that the past has taught? In this age of scientific enlightenment, are We going to repeat the mistakes of the Dark Ages? Are we going to lend our ears to the effusions of youthful reporters
 who in al probability never did a days in air
 and at the same time be deaf to the testimony of men and women who have spent years in the study of poverty and who have consecrated their lives to the relief of it? As citizens of Bir-
 mingham, we are alive to the needs of the poor We have organinzed an as- | sociation for the answering of those needs.
 We have placed at the head of that as- sociation respected citizen of this city. We have placed the active man. agoment of this work in the mands of man whose reputation extends far beyond the bounds of our state, and it
 is worse than folly if we distrust these men and lend our sympathy to those whose writings betray densest ig. norance of the problem with which they are dealing. It is possible that the management of the local Associated Charities is imperfect. for every human organization is so. but It is matter for the association to decide in their regular meetings, and 1t ought not to be dragged into public print that the issue may be clouded. portion of the local press lis seeking to alienate the Birmingham public from the only method of poor re- | lief that has ever succeeded It is seeking to force upon us an unscien- tific method which has always and lew uxyh off ter and pauperism. It Is condemnine a system that represents the best iudg ment of the leading social workers Of all times and all nations It is at tacking the principles of scientific | charity which were the basic principles
 of the charity of Christ and His infant church.
 | In is editorial policy. it is doing all
 these things and for these reasons 1t ought to be condemned by the earnest
 men of this city and community. 1 For my own part. I want to urge
 your increased support of the associa-
 ticn. It's only handicap In doing it's
 work is inadequate means for which lyou and l are to blame. Suppose 1t is Imperfect We shall not make 1t bet ter by standing off and throwine stones. The efficiency of Stephen, the ldeacon, as a charity worker was cer- ltainly not increased by those who stoned him. IT the visitors have not time to investigate all needs. let us Inot condemn them. but provide more Visitors that the work may be ade-
 quately done. And if money is moi given. do not blame the empty treas
 ury. but blame the newspaper which is jdiscouraging gifts, and blame your.
 selves upon whose generosity the treas-
 ury depends. l am sure that if we all work together; in mutual confidencf
 and in mutaul love. these unhappy crit
 icisms will soon come to an end and that the Associated charities will be-
 come increasingly effective in doins
 the Masters work in the Masters way