to those who come to the city from different parts of our own State, and from the neighboring States. If the officers of other towns are but too much inclined to cast off their burdens upon us, may we not give them some lessons in the principles of political justice, which they will find it for their interest to remember and to practice ?

And, in the third place, I would say, that means should be employed to impress our community with a deeper sense of the relation, which Christianity recognises between the more and less favored classes of society; between the rich and the poor.

It is not to be forgotten, that, after all the vigilance that can be exercised, and all the judgment and caution that can be maintained, for the prevention of pauperism, and for security against deceptions, and the abuse of charity, there will still be many, very many, even in a compact community of only 60 or 65,000, who must be more or less dependent for subsistence on the care and kindness of others. And in view of the gospel of Jesus Christ, if not of the doctrines of political economists, these have claims, unquestionable claims, upon those who are able to provide for them. I go further, and say, that if there must be, as there certainly are, many who are comparatively unworthy of the bounty which they seek, they have yet, if Christianity be true, strong claims upon the consideration, and the interest, of those of their fellow beings around them, who are in happier conditions than their own. These claims may in part be answered by public institutions for their relief, in times of their great distress; and in part, by the benevolent associations that are formed to visit and relieve them. But there is no public provision, or associated exercise of charity, that can supersede, or be substituted for, individual obligation, and individual responsibility. This obligation, and this responsibility, as I am happy to know, are felt to an important extent among us. But if it were felt as it

should be, we should not need benevolent societies; nor should we ever have occasion for the adoption of extraordinary measures for the poor, even in times of peculiarly pressing necessity. Here, then, is the great end at which we should aim. And I am doubtful whether the blessing so obtained would be greater to the many hundreds, who would thus be saved from the severest of the sufferings to which they are exposed, or to the favored instruments of extending this relief to them.

Is it asked, what are the duties of the intelligent, and the rich, in regard to the poor? What is it that it is desired should be done in our capacity as private Christians?

I answer, and I think it is contemplated by our religion, that the more favored classes should feel, and strongly feel, that they have a common nature with those in the less favored conditions of life; that opportunities and means are responsibilities; and that it is God's will, that they should be his instruments for accomplishing the purposes of his benevolence to the poor. They should therefore visit the widow, the fatherless, and the prisoner, and do what they can to assist, and to improve them. Or, to be yet more explicit, every individual who has the means of assisting a few families, should feel his obligation to seek out, and to know, a few families, with which he shall connect himself as a christian friend. One may

be able to maintain this intercourse with only two or three families, and another may do it with ten or a dozen. But every man who is disposed for this intercourse, may find leisure for it. Let him visit these families once in a week; and, if he cannot do it with convenience on other days, let him do it on Sunday, in the intervals from public worship. And let him feel that, in forming this connexion, he has taken upon himself a moral charge; that he is to be the adviser, and to seek the improvement, of parents and children; to aid parents in keeping their children at school, and in placing them out as apprenti

ces; to promote temperance, industry, order and cleanliness among them; to connect them, when it shall be practicable, with some congregation of worshippers; to inspire them with a proper self-respect; in times of sickness and sorrow to be their comforter; and in seasons of want, so to minister to their necessities, that their energies for self-support may be increased, rather than lessened, by the bounty they may receive. Is there any thing in all this that is merely theoretical, or visionary? The simplest principles of Christianity, carried into full exercise, would perfectly secure the permanency of all this good amongst us. We have means enough, intellectual, moral and pecuniary, to meet all the demands of our city in regard to the poor. The whole difficulty of the case, is that of bringing these means into use for the purpose. In other words, our great want on this subject is, that of a greater prevalence of the true spirit of our religion. among the intelligent, and the rich, in regard to their relation to the poor, and to the christian duties which grow out of this relation. Let the objects of Christianity be accomplished in the rich, and the poor will be blessed. None will then withhold the kindness they can exercise, and there will be no complaining in our streets.

My visits, during the last six months, have been divided between three hundred and seventy families; and, during the last year, between nearly five hundred families. In looking back upon this intercourse, I am sensible that, in some of these families, I have probably been instrumental of no good. There are others, in which, though no very perceptible change has been effected, I have reason to believe that there has been some amelioration of condition, arising from improvement of character. And I feel assured that there are not a few, who have been encouraged, and strengthened, and carried on in the ways of well doing by this ministry. I have great happiness in my

knowledge of the numbers, towards whom I have been enabled to act as a christian friend in those exigencies, in which some at least would hardly have known where to have looked for a friend to advise, and to act for them. This, indeed, is a very interesting and delightful part of my service. There are occasions, to themselves of great importance, in which the poor want advice, and the interposition of a friend, quite as much as the hungry want bread. Mothers want this assistance in regard to their children, who are beyond their control, and are on the verge of moral ruin. And husbands and fathers want it, that they may make the provision which they would, but know not how to make, for their families. There are, too, circumstances of temptation and of trial, wholly of a personal nature, but of deep concern to the individuals suffering under them, which call for, and in this ministry receive, sympathy and assistance. And I believe that there are those, who have been advanced by it in the christian life; and some, who have been recovered from great and gross transgression. My objections to detail on these subjects are insuperable. They might awaken interest, but they would do no good; and probably, if they should come to the knowledge of those referred to in them, would conduce to evil. Many children have been placed in our schools, who otherwise would not have been there; and others have been kept in school, who might have been lost as vagrants. There is, however, much to be done for the salvation of a large number of children in the city, concerning whom a heavy responsibility rests somewhere. The whole community ought to be alive to the moral dangers of these children. If neglected, they will as assuredly furnish the future supplies for our prisons, as the well educated and well disciplined portion of the children of the city will furnish supplies for the various useful professions, and occupations among us. I cannot give my views respecting these children within the limits

of this report; but I intend, as soon as may be, to take other measures for calling attention to them. I will only add, in reference to the topic of this paragraph, that the service of our new chapel in Friend-street, where we have now worshipped about a year, is not only well attended, but I have reason to believe that it is a very useful service. I am often checked in my work by a degree of feebleness, which incapacitates me for it. But I am not aware that I have been unfaithful in it.*

I am not willing to close this report, without availing myself of the opportunity which it offers, to express to you my sense of the loss, which I, in common with many of the poor in our city, have sustained in the death of the late Mrs Samuel Eliot; and of recording the respect, and gratitude, and affection, with which I shall not cease to remember her, as one of the best benefactors and supporters of my office, as a minister of the poor. I know that she has been a subject of the prayers of the poor, and that they have mourned for her death with the tears of a most unfeigned sorrow. But I am forbidden, not only by the dread which I know she ever had of ostentation in her charities, but even of being herself known in them, to say what I might of their variety, and their ex

tent.

But having lived in habits of friendship with her for nearly thirty years, and having acted as an almoner of her bounty in important cases, which I doubt not are known only to myself, long before I entered upon the ministry in which I am now engaged, I may at least be 1 permitted to speak of her, in view of her benevolence, as an example at once of a disinterestedness, a simplicity, a judgment and a fidelity, not only most honorable to her

*I am happy to be able to inform you, that we have now four ministers at large, or four ministers for the poor. Mr Conant is acting in this capacity under the patronage of the Baptist denomination, Mr Eaton under that of the Church Missionary Society, and Mr Shelden is employed in the service by the Congregational Calvinists.