without industry and economy, by living upon our alms, than the humblest of the self-denying, who receive no alms, can live without them.

(4.) Another principle of great importance is this; — wherever, in our intercourse with the poor, we meet with industry, with frugality, with self-respect, and with a preference of selfdenial to dependence upon alms; the encouragement proper and suitable to individuals of this character is, not almsgiving in any of the forms or modifications which it can assume, but the respect and regard for character simply, which such persons will never fail to know how to appreciate.

This, indeed, is a test by which the truth of character, in these respects, may be tried. The man or woman, who really prefers labor and self-denial to dependence upon alms, will equally prefer our simple confidence, our just appreciation of motives, and our respect expressed by treatment and conduct, rather than by words, to any alms which we could give. Let us not fail to sympathize with such a person wherever we may find him. But let us be aware, also, of the delicacy, of the care, which must be maintained, in the treatment of such a person. Any substitute for alms, which is to be appropriated to the uses to which alms are applied, however it may be disguised, may, if accepted, lead to dependence upon alms. And he is not fitted to be an almoner, who does not understand and feel, that sincere respect, sympathy, and interest will do more to improve the entire condition of the poor, than any alms which we can give them. These sentiments, and a corresponding deportment towards the poor, will save from pauperism, where the want of them will lead to, and inevitably do much to occasion, pauperism. There is no doubt, that much of the existing pauperism is to be ascribed to the fact, that respect and sympathy are given, in so great a measure, to condition, rather than to character. Multitudes, therefore, who feel that they cannot hope essentially to rise in condition, become reckless in regard to character. We ought to do what we can to remedy this evil. And, above all, let us take heed, that our alms shall not be means of undermining one right principle in the mind, or of enfeebling one of its welldirected energies.

(5.) Another principle, not less essential than either of the preceding, is, that where there are relatives of the poor, who are able to provide for them, almsgiving should not be permitted to interfere with the duties of such relatives. If the alms are evil, worse than thrown away, which operate as substitutes for industry and economy, in a still higher sense are they evil, because conducing to greater sin, where they interfere with, and supersede the demand for, the affections and duties, which belong to the near relations in which God places us in this world.

It is the will of God, that, as far as they can, parents should provide for their children. It is equally his will, if parents fall into a condition of dependence, and there are children who are able, even at the cost of much labor and self-denial, to take charge of them, that parents, under these circumstances, shall be supported by their children. Law and right, indeed, require this support from more distant relatives of the impotent poor. Law, however, independent of a higher principle, cannot do much in this case. The duty is one of high moral character, and as such is to be early and universally inculcated. So it has been inculcated in Scotland; and the consequence is, that, where there are no poor-laws, and no parish assessments in that country, the care of the people for their own poor relatives goes far to supersede the necessity of any other provision for them. Legal and other artificial provision for the poor, greatly checks and restrains the natural sympathies of relatives with each other's necessities. They also paralyze public sentiment upon the subject of duty in the case; and induce a tacit approval of turning over poor relatives upon public charity, even where it ought to cover the individuals, who are guilty of it, with shame and disgrace. We ought to do all we can to counteract this insensibility; to call up and strengthen the affections by which relatives should be bound to each other, and to show our respect for those who are faithful to the offices of kindred and neighbourhood. Here, as in the cases before adverted to, a judicious respect, and a kindly word of encouragement, are a far better tribute, than would be the most abundant alms.

* 1 Timothy v. 8.

(6.) Once more ;-since not only a large part of the dependence upon alms, even among the virtuous poor, but nearly all our pauperism, (abject poverty,) is either immediately or remotely to be ascribed to intemperance in drinking, the question arises, and it is often a question of great difficulty, - What ought we to do, or what shall we do in the cases, in which, but for intemperance, there would be no call for alms? We must always distinguish between the intemperate man and his family. The wife of a drunken husband and her children may be without food, without fuel, without comfortable clothing, and wholly innocent in respect to the causes of their destitution. Or, it may be, the wife is as intemperate as her husband. Yet there are children to be housed, and clothed, and warmed, and fed, and instructed. It may be said, that our very alms will be appropriated to the rearing of these children in intemperance. To some extent, they probably will be. Yet there may be actual and pressing want of the absolute necessaries of life. Let him, who thinks it easy always to act wisely in reference to this class of cases, make himself practically acquainted with them, and give us the light of his counsel and example. The best general rule is this, to the intemperate, whether man or woman, money should never be given. Nay more, even relief in kind should never be given to the families of the intemperate, beyond the demands of unquestionable necessity. Not that we ought to inflict upon them any suffering; we ought, rather, to be willing and gratified instruments, as far as we can, of their rescue from all suffering. But any alms we may bestow, except with the greatest caution, will but plunge them still further in want and misery. Nay, through our own very alms, may an intemperate husband and father feel himself relieved from the necessity, and perhaps from the obligation, of providing for his wife and children.

There are cases, in which law might do far more than it has ever done for the prevention of pauperism. But, while it licenses the dram-shop, and interferes not with the victim of intemperance, to whatever pitch of wretchedness he may bring his family, while he commits no outrage against the public peace, we must still do what we can, that our alms may not minister to his yet further progress in guilt and misery. Let us seek, by all the

means of which we can avail ourselves, to recover him from his ruin. Above all, we ought never to lose our interest in his children.

5. The administration of alms by a system of poor-laws remains to be discussed, and is too important to be omitted. The great danger of systematic and established provisions for the relief of the poor, in the form of poor-laws, consists in their tendency to deprave the poor, and thus indefinitely to extend and perpetuate pauperism.

The history of such establishments, is full of solemn admonition on these dangers. The Reports, recently published in England, upon the poor-laws and their effects, enable us fully to understand this subject. They show, that, from the beginning and constantly, these laws have operated upon very many, as lures to seek support by alms, rather than by labor. Where there is little or no sense of character, or sense of shame, to deter from willing dependence, the temptations to it need not be great. Human wants are divine provisions for human exertions; and, where ability is possessed, and opportunity is had, for the exertions by which self-support may be obtained, it is the will of God, that man should provide for his own subsistence. Yet many are, and ever have been, disposed to live with as little labor and selfdenial as possible. Many are industrious, economical, and careful for the future, only as they are compelled to be so by the absolute necessity of their condition. They are always ready to avail themselves of any circumstances, by which they can live upon easier terms than daily forethought, care, and toil. The fact stands out in bold relief, and for solemn admonition, that established provisions for the support of the poor have never failed to obtain claimants, to any extent to which such provisions have been made. And not only so, but the relief thus given has been received, not as alms, but as the proportion due to the receiver from a recognised common stock.

As yet we see these results but to a comparatively small extent in our own country. The facilities for employment and support everywhere among us are so many and great, and our population is as yet so little crowded, compared with that of Europe, that demands of this kind may be resisted here, as they cannot be

there. But we have experience enough of these results to satisfy us, that they are not fictions. It is to be considered, also, in this connexion, that every addition to the number so supported, exerts some influence in breaking down the sense of shame in regard to this kind of support, in those who are in the same, or in similar, circumstances. On this subject, the experience of England is too instructive to be passed by lightly. "I am every week astonished," says the overseer of an English parish, "by seeing persons come for relief, who I never thought would have come. Among them are respectable mechanics, whose work and means are tolerably good. The greater number of out-door paupers are worthless people. But still, the number of decent people, who ought to make provision for themselves, and who come, is very great and increasing. Indeed, the malady of pauperism has not only got among respectable mechanics. We find even persons, who may be considered as the middle classes, such as petty masters, who have never before been seen making applications to parish officers, now applying. My opinion is, that they apply in consequence of witnessing the ease with which others, who might have provided for themselves, obtain relief."*

Thus, in England, circle has gradually been added to circle, and the whirling eddy has extended, until it has ingulfed multitudes who once thought themselves, and were universally thought, far from its brink. Here, too, the great secret is disclosed, of the pauperism of very many in this country. They might have provided for their own necessities. But they have seen, that others obtain relief amid their wants, simply by asking for it, and thus they, also, have been led to ask for it. And if, moreover, we take into account the peculiar pressure for aid, which always has been, and always will be, incidental to seasons of scarcity, and to those fluctuations of the commercial and manufacturing interests, by which many, for a time, are thrown out of employment, and the wages of labor are reduced to those who may still be employed, while the price of provisions may even be considerably enhanced, the whole mystery of the danger of permanent provisions for the relief of want, so far as the increase of pauperism is con

*

Report of Commissioners upon the Poor-Laws, p. 45.