Year: 1877

IL is evident from letters that have


been written to the newspapers during


this winter that there are those who


sincerely think that careful inquiry re-


garding poverty, aud regulations of re-


lief based upon it. must somehow


deaden human sympathy and deepen


the suffering of the poGr. This is so


ingeniously incorrect theory that il


would he exceedingly amusing ii it


were not so sincere and even general.


The very first thing that careful inves-


nga'ian aeeomplishes ist aequaint the


comfortable class with the real condi-


tion of the suffering, and to show the


latter that they are not forsaken OF


turned off with uninqniTing aims. They


are conscious of an intelligent sympa-


thy with which falsehOod will be of no


avail. They are taught self-respect by


the perception THAT they are not for


saken, and self-respect is the main
spring of successful exertiOn. When
the street beggar understands that his
tale will he tested, that if he needs
snccor he Will surely receive it. and
that If his plea is but asking for a dram
he will not receive, the number of
street beggars will sensibly decrease.
And the sturdy tramp and professional
pauper. when they know that they
must go to the wOrk-house or starve.
will often conclude that even work is
better than the pOOr-house, and they
too will cease 70 be nuisance and
terror.


Nor need it be feared. on the other
hand, thatif irresponsible street giving
is stopped, nobody will investigate the
actual situation of the poor. What is
asked of the street giver is not that he
close his pocket and his hand and his
heart and his soul. but that, if he will
not take the trouble to inquire before
giving, he will give his aims TO some
body who will take that trouble, that
his aims may be true charity, and re-
lieve suffering, instead of relieving
nothing whatever, but fostering vice !
and crime. The street giver must first |
of all clear his mind of cant. He must
cease 10 be Pharisee. He must see
that he is not good Christian exercis-
ing the heavenly gift of charity, but an /
indOlent and reckless citizen who is /
promoting poverty and multiplying the |
public burdens of the honest poor. He /
is that lazy, absurd boy who wishes to /
eat his cake and have il. lie would |
satisfy his soul that be is good because
he gives, without seeing that to give
igDorantly is, socially, to be bad. No
body Is exhOrted to surrender inquiry /
to others. Every one may inquire for
himself. lfa beggar stops yOn and asks
for a penny in the name of God. and
says that his family is starving. go and
see if il is 80. II you have not the time
or-0 sophistical ybarite-inclination
send him to those who, "a you know,
will inquire. Will his family starve in
the mean timef That IL something you
do not believe yourself. DO you fear
that the visitor will not got Then go
yourself. Do your engagements pre-
yentf Then you know that IL is n
thousand Ia one the story l. but plea
for whisky. VIII you take the chancei
hen you become an immediate accom-
plice IN the yast multiplication Of her
edltaTy pauperism and crime. The
preteD-e Of your giving Is Christian
charity and humanity. the real cause j.
self-indulgence and ss sging
yourself trouble EasB Chair.