Year: 1874

Sermon by Rev. DR.. Rylance-Christian


Duty Toward the Poor.


ST. Marks church was well attended last night
to listen to DR.. Rylance's sermon on the above
subject. The text was from the forty first Psalm,
first verse-"Bessed is he that cons dereth the
poor; the Lord will deliver him in the time Of
trouble" There is, SAID the Doctor, q very marked
interest felt and manifested in our community
Just now in the condition OF the poor and various
methods OF relief are advocated by some, while by
others all such exertions seem to be looked upon
with doubt or suspicion. 1t Is alleged that there
tsa


VAST AMOUNT


OF indiscriminate charity given in our city. which
has mas demoralizing effect upon society, while
others urge more strenuous exertions to supply
the need and to mitigate the misery which are
said 70 abound in our midst. Both or these posi-
tions are probably sound and true, spite of the
seeming contradiction between them. 1t is SIMPLY
another instance OF pdrte evidence and 0nesided
conclusions. Facts in abundance are at hand 10
justify either or both; but the partisans OF one
view, as usual, seem to be bind or morally insen-
siole TO tSe truth and practical importance OF the
mainly from the fact that, as people, We have
been SO long strangers to expenses which of
LATE YEARS


have been rapidly accumulating. We have so
long been accustomed to look upon this land as
the home OF freedom and plenty, where all who
would and could work might nave living, that
many OF us cannot believe, perhaps, that 1t Is
otherwise now, and so we are tempted to impute
all the want and wretchedness around us to un-
worthy or criminal causes. The problem IS CON-
paratlvely new 10 us and we naturally find It per.
picking, and so we give various and conflicting
explanations OF the iacts IN the case and suggest
different and mutually destructive schemes Tor
dealing with them. The Doctor thought thar,
while we had this want and misery In our midst,
1t was our duty to deal with 1t IN prudent and
Christian way. He said 1t would not do to push
the claims aside or to stop our ears to the cry OF
the suffering OF our fellow citizens; for IN com.
monwealth Ike ours that sort OF treatment might
bring In Its wake very grievous


SORT OF RETRIBuTION.
For, socially, we are one bOoy-members one OF
the loot, have no need OF thee. No one class can
generally or seriously suffer among US without
entaiing suffering to some extent upon the whole


50 na we aavs Os
US. Prudence, said the minister, was the first
qualification to regard IN our EFFORTS TO relieve the
present distress. We are all Of US enemies 70
what is denounced as


INDLSCRIAINATE CHARITY,
because OF Its demOralizing and degrading effects
upon character. Not TO impair mans self.
his trouble should be chief concern with
US, and to guard very jealousy against paying
premium for idleness, lest imposture should be
come an easy and remunerative profession, and
II Is well to let the stress OF need be felt at times,
! perhaps, as stimulus to exerton. The Doctor
did net believe IN indiscriminate charity; he ad-
sense. He believed that the members OF the
different parishes should, through their pastor or
other agents gen visit every case brought to their
WANT AND sUFFERIyG
! were really there 10 relieve them. Such had uni.
! formly been the rnle with St. Marks parish an d,
he hoped the system would oe universally
! adopted. He thought many more would be re.
l.eved BY that course. and much tnat was fraudu-
lently represented found out and at once stopped.
i