There is, at the present day, a very erroneous impression abroad, in relation to the poor.  Many wealthy people, and many in moderate but comfortable circumstances, seem to think God has given them their property solely for their own gratification.  Go to their houses, and you will find their tables groaning with luxuries, their rooms garnished with costly furniture, and their persons decorated with finery.  But, if you ask them for a small contribution for suffering poverty, you will perhaps be compelled to listen to a long complaint against the improvidence of the poor; their want of industry and economy; and possibly be put off with the plea, that supplying their necessities has a tendency to make them indolent, and prevent them from helping themselves.  This may be true to some extent; for intemperance has brought ruin and distress upon many families, and we cannot expect either industry, economy, or any other virtue, in a drunkard.  But this is far from being a full view of the case.  I know there is much suffering even among the virtuous poor.  Sickness and misfortune often bring distress upon deserving people.

The only way we can realize the sufferings of the poor is to suppose ourselves in their situation.  Let a wealthy gentleman and lady, with five or six small children, be suddenly deprived of all their property, and compelled to obtain a support for their family by daily labor, and the lowest employments.  Would they think they could live comfortably upon perhaps no more than seventy-five cents a day, as the proceeds of the husband’s labor?  Yet such is the situation of thousands of families, even in this land of plenty.  I have myself recently met with families of small children, in the severity of winter, destitute of clothing sufficient to cover them, and without shoes.  And, upon inquiry into their circumstances and means of support, I could not see how the parents could make any better provision.  Again; ever supposing that the wretchedness of the poor is brought upon them by their own vices, is it agreeable to the spirit of Christ to refuse to relieve their distresses?  Has not sin brought upon us all our wretchedness?  If the Lord Jesus had reasoned and acted upon this principle, would a single soul have been saved?  But, he has commanded us to be merciful, even as our Father which is in heaven is merciful.  And how is he merciful?  “He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.”  Again; “If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”  And are we to suppose that the poor in our day are any worse than they were when Christ was upon earth?  Yet we find him frequently exhorting the rich to give to the poor.  This is one of the most common precepts of the New Testament.  Indeed, our Lord has greatly honored the poor, in appearing himself in a condition of extreme poverty.  At his birth, his parents could provide him no better bed than a manger; and while wearing out his life in the service of a lost world, he had no place to lay his head!  Yet, poor as he was, he has set us an example of giving.  At the last supper, when he told Judas, “That thou doest, do quickly,” his disciples supposed he had sent him to give something to the poor.  From this we may safely infer that he was in the habit of frequently doing so.  For what else could have brought this thought to their minds?