The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-12-18
THE CHRIST CHILD SOCIETY

Christ Child came, so it was at Christ
mas that the needs of these children
seemed to appeal more and more.
"One of the first things we decided
upon was that these children should
write to the Christ Child and tell him
their desires. The year 1885, five let
ters were received. In 1894 there
were more than two hundred Last
year there were tens of thousands an
swered. So there really must be some
need for somebody to do this thing"
1t is characteristic of Miss Merrick's
power of organization and business
ability that she has kept full and COM
plete records of all the doings of the
Christ Child Society. The most pre-
cious of these records she has pre-
served are the letters from the little
ones of Christ, asking the Infant Jesus
to help them at Christmas.
Here is one," she says as her deft
fingers run through this collection,
that almost made us cry. 1t asks
for the grace of God and pair of
shoes.
Another 1 can never forget. 1t
came from a girl of sixteen. She
wanted a doll. l thought it very
strange that a girl of such an age
should make such a childish request.
So l investigated. She was a poor
little creature who had developed con-
sumption. She had been accustomed
to sleep with her sister, but because
of her disease the other Child was
taken from her. She was lonely and
she wanted the doll to be beside her
when she slept All our Christmas
presents had gone out that year. 1t
was late. l didn't know what to do.
Then the telephone rang The Christ
Child had answered. 1t was a girl
from Trinity College, who called up to
say that the students had dressed a
fine, big doll for me and were just
sending it over. So the poor little
girls wish was gratifed. The next
spring she died."
Wonders of Her Work.
Miss Merrick's eyes fairly light up
as she details some of the miracles
of the Christ Child.
Il call them miracles" she says.
"Of course, they are not first-class
miracles, but there are things that
happen when you are working for the
Christ Child that are very wonderful
Zone Christmas, when every letter
had been answered, the telephone rang
and someone reported a very dis.
tressing case. A mother, with five
little ones, was practically penniless
and the children faced a cherries
feast-day. We had adopted the prac.
tice of asking great many friends to
answer Christmas letters for the
Christ Child. This year our list had
been exhausted. Then the Christ
Child came to our rescue again. One
of our members who had been very
sick sent us message that she had
received our letter of appeal and had
given directions that six children be
provided for. Through some mistake
headquarters had not been notified
Didn't we just have few children
that she could assist? I almost cried
as we made up the gifts for those little
| ones. It was one of our happiest
Christmas seasons
Religious instruction Part of Work.
For the development of the Christ
Child Society, which was formally
| established in 1888 to laid and in
! struct neglected children and to uplif
and brighten their childhood" Miss
| Merrick insisted on a firm and sub
! stantial basis. The work was no
merely to be humanitarian, but re
| ligious. AS her love for her religion
has been the chief inspiration of he
| life and her faith in it's beautiful
truths had prompted her 40 do he
first act in behalf of Gods little ones
SO she resolved that with materia
things she would strive to give them ;
, greater knowledge of Him in whose
name the members labored
! Almost from the beginning" sh,
will tell you, religious instruction ha
been part Of the work. After our frs
experiences, we found that usually tn
! same families needed assistance yea
after year. So as they grew Olde
sewing schools were established an,
the girls were taught to make thei
own garments. Raffia and reed worl
was introduced for the boys. But soo1
we had another problem. The moth
ers of older children would often no
permit them to attend unless the.
took the little ones with them to mind
| This was especially true in our Italian
settlement in Washington, where tn
/ work was undertaken at the specia
request of Cardinal Gibbons.
/ .'In each center, religious instrut
i ton has always been a part of on
work. The older children are laugh
the life of Christ and as each lesso