Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1921-04-15
Something TO
Think AbOut
CHARITY
By f. H.pWALKER

EOR some five or six years we have
II had riot of charity appeals.
There have been drives for this and
campaigns for that-tag days and all
other kinds Of days.
Rightly the people have responded
with promptness and generosity to all
the appeals, touching the bottoms of
their pockets occasionally when the
drives came very close together and
always giving something, however lit
tie they were interested In the cause.
The war was responsible for the
most Of the appeals. But the war Is.
technically, at least. over, and Ii would
seem as II there ought to be let-up
and good breathing spell so that
pocketbooks may recover and charities
get down TO normal basis
Charity ought to mean something 10
the giver as well as to the receiver.
Real charity means giving real help
Money Is frequently a long way from
being the best thing that you can give
to a poor and suffering individual.
II you saw q man In a pit and all
his efforts to get out were unsuccess-
ful, you would scarcely be doing him
any very great service by fiinging
dollar down into the pit with him.
Nor would II be the best thing to
get down In the pit yourself.
The best thing to do is provide the
man a way out of his predicament--a
way to better himself-a way TO get
up on a level with his fellowsman.
II was not the amount Of money that
the Good Samaritan spent that made
his name a synonym for generous char
ity. II was the fact that when he saw
the man who had been down to Jericho
lying by the roadside "he went TO him
and bound up his wounds and set him
on his own beast and brought him to
an Inn and took care Of him."
There are too many Of us who are
generous with our dollars and misers
with our smiles We spend a dollar
where a hearty good cheer, a message
Of encouragement, little thoughtful
help those to whom we intend to ex-
tend aid.
Charity which lessons the self
respect Of the one helped Is badly
bestowed.
A loaf Of bread given in such a way
that the receiver thinks less of him.
self than he did before he received II
Is an injury rather than q help.
Better, he had hungered little
longer until his bread could have been
obtained without cost to his manhood.
There is a good deal of misdirected
charity in this world. We give to SUI
ferers far away and close our eyes
10 those near at hand.
We give for showroom the pocket
rather than from the heart.
We not infrequently make conditions
worse instead Of better by giving with
out understanding.
DO not think this In an argument
against charity II Is not. 1t is an
argument for wise charity.
Give as much as you can. Give as
often as you can.
The mite was a noble gift for the
widow, but unless you are a widow do
not take that as the basis for your
contribution.
But give wisely. See that whole
some, useful and helpful application
is made Of your donations and the
world will be better and you will be
better for having helped your fellow
man.
But above all be generous of your
kind words. Of your smiles, and Of
your encouragement. 1t Is impossible
to misapply them. You can be sure
they are certain to help and you can
be equally certain that they will In no
instance and under no circumstances
work a harm.
(Copyright)
49,