tures?

Would you not show that your feelings of self-interest were far less easily quieted than your conscience?

Listen not, then, to those who would persuade you that all alms-giving does good to the giver, whatever it may to the receiver; and that it necessarily tends to cherish and exercise the virtue of benevolence. There is no moral benefit whatever in deceiving ourselves by fancying that we are practising a virtue, when in truth we are merely yielding to a present impulse, with the most utter carelessness whether our conduct produces good or evil to our fellow-creatures-such carelessness as we should be ashamed of in any case where our own pecuniary interest was at stake.

There is, indeed, a danger of the heart's being hardened, unless, while we pass by unregarded many miserable-looking beggars, we take care not only to give bountifully (according to our ability) to more deserving objects, but also to see something ourselves of the persons we do relieve. But opportunities are abundantly afforded, of which we ought to avail ourselves, for such an exercise of the benevolent feelings,

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by many of the charitable institutions in this place, and not least by the one I am now advocating. Go and visit in person the objects I am now recommending to your charity, whom you will have contributed to preserve, not in beggary, but from beggary. It is no very profitable moral exercise of the feelings merely to bestow money on the half-naked and destitute, without even a hope or a thought of raising them out of that condition. But to see the distressed rescued through your bounty from destitutionhis rags exchanged for decent and comfortable clothing, and himself restored to the condition of an independent labourer-this is indeed a spectacle which may improve the heart of the giver.

I have dwelt thus earnestly on this point, both because I think it needful to inculcate, as an important and much neglected Christian duty, that of discrimination in charity; and also because I am fully convinced that if every one would set aside what he now gives, or is every day strongly tempted to give, to street-beggars, and bestow this, or the half of it, on such institutions as the present, this and many other

most useful charities, both which now exist, and which might be in consequence established, would be in a flourishing condition, and would prevent an unspeakable amount of misery and vice, which the other mode tends to keep up and increase.

Whoever then makes use of his understanding, and reflects, as he is bound to do, on the several channels in which his charity may be directed, will not fail to perceive that an institution such as that for which your contributions are now solicited, has peculiarly strong claims. Those in particular who have not opportunities of personally visiting the poor, and distributing suitable relief themselves, have here an opportunity of bestowing what they are sure will be well applied-what will not only be secured from being wasted on improper objects, but will go further in the relief afforded to suitable objects, than in most other ways in which it could be bestowed.

It is proposed that a number of benevolent persons be enabled to form themselves into a committee for the purpose of superintending and insuring the judicious expenditure of the

funds; thus bestowing their time and care, as well as their pecuniary means, on this good work. And it is hoped that the system will be extended, and the example followed, in other places, till there shall have been universally provided, as an important subsidiary to hospitals, and to the great increase of their efficiency, regular Institutions for the Relief of Convalescents and other Discharged Patients.*

* It has been said, that at some institutions the clothing bestowed on several of the wretched objects has been pawned or sold by them, in order to purchase spirituous liquors. On beings so hopelessly improvident, it is plain all charity of whatever kind must be wasted; since it is evidently impossible to afford them more than a temporary and ineffectual relief, while they are hastening to undo by their reckless habits any good we may have attempted to do to them. Such persons, therefore, we should never, if we could be aware of their character beforehand, even admit into an hospital; since no care or skill there bestowed could ultimately keep them. from perishing; and they would have occupied, to no purpose, the room that might have been filled by more deserving objects.

But even under the best regulations, and with the most assiduous care, it must be expected that such cases as those alluded to will sometimes occur. Our consolation must be, that if the very small relief bestowed on three distressed objects should prove means of the ultimate preservation to only two,

Who does not wish success to such a plan? But be not satisfied with the hope that it may succeed, though you withhold all contributions except good wishes and congratulations. If a good work prosper without you, without you will the divine favour be bestowed on its promoters. Jesus Christ warns us that He will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant," not to those who have wished well to his brethren, but to those who have relieved them. He says not, "forasmuch as it has been done"-but, forasmuch as ye did it-unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it

unto me."

Deeply indeed will a sincere lover of his Saviour grieve if he has not an opportunity of

or even only one of the three, the outlay would have been on the whole well repaid.

The objection to the practice of giving to street-beggars, is not that, in the majority of instances, it is INEFFECTUAL. If the pittance bestowed on each of ten beggars, were wasted, and merely wasted, on nine of them, while it effectually relieved severe distress in the tenth, our alms might be on the whole well bestowed. The objection to the practice, is, in the enormous positive mischief it does, in creating and keeping up a most wretched and demoralizing trade;-in short, in reducing multitudes to beggary.