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never were married, of exemplary characters, who, by different causes, have been brought to a state of entire reliance on others for support. I know those in this condition, who have been nurses, and who, when their strength was broken down, soon expended all that they had been able to save from their earnings. In some instances, even years of dependence have followed. Here, too, is an aged and enfeebled mother, who has been confined to her room for a year or two, by the charge of a sick son. These two constitute the family. This son may yet linger in the state in which he now is, for years; and the utmost which this mother can do, is, to minister to the comfort of her child. I long visited a venerable woman, now in heaven, who was past seventy years of age, and who for years had the sole care of a deranged daughter. Except her poor household stuff, and her clothing, which was as poor, she literally had nothing. But poor as she was, human life furnishes few examples of a higher order of piety, or virtue, than hers. And I visit another, whose husband is incapable of labor, and who has two idiot sons living with her, one twelve, and the other twenty years of age. Here, also, are aged sisters, living together, and bowed down by years and infirmities. There is no service by which they could earn even a dollar in a year. And here are widows without children, living alone, and past all labor, who must either be supported by charity, or perish. All these, I repeat, and I might easily add to their number, are virtuous poor, notwithstanding their absolute dependence on kindness for subsistence. Nay, some of them, in moral and religious worth, and, I believe, in the sight of God, are among the purest and best of this world. They are poor in earthly possessions; but they are already rich in that, which is the best good even of this life, — in a mind at peace with

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God and with itself; and, as surely as there is a life beyond the grave, they will soon find themselves to be heirs of eternal happiness. I go also into one family, where is an aged father, who cannot earn a shilling. He is living with his feeble daughters, who can scarcely do more than their father. And I go into another, where an aged wife is doing all that she can do, in the charge of a totally blind and helpless husband. In one family is a husband, who is passing to the grave by a lingering decline. If he were well, and even without employment, his wife could do something for their support. But she can now leave neither him, nor her children, for an hour; nor could she do anything as a seamstress, even if she could be supplied with work. And in another family is a mother, who has long been confined by sickness, and who has supported herself and her children by living at service, till the loss of her health brought her to poverty. She is now nursed by these children, and has no resource for support but charity. I refer to these examples of absolute and entire dependence, because it is important to realize, that even this dependence by no means necessarily implies, or supposes, peculiar vice. There are indeed families, which avail themselves even of the food that is obtained by begging, to obtain the means of living in intoxication, and riot, and all possible debasement. And there are beggars, who employ every mode of imposture to obtain their objects. But let us understand also, that there are those who are sometimes compelled to beg, because they are wholly unable to work, or because they cannot obtain the work by which they might support themselves, who yet deliberately choose to suffer much, rather than ask for assistance; and who never ask for it, while they can subsist without it. To some of these families, the past winter has been a season of very

never were married, of exemplary characters, who, t different causes, have been brought to a state of enti reliance on others for support. I know those in this co dition, who have been nurses, and who, when the strength was broken down, soon expended all that the had been able to save from their earnings. In some in stances, even years of dependence have followed. Here too, is an aged and enfeebled mother, who has been con fined to her room for a year or two, by the charge of sick son. These two constitute the family. This so may yet linger in the state in which he now is, for years and the utmost which this mother can do, is, to ministe to the comfort of her child. I long visited a venerable woman, now in heaven, who was past seventy years o age, and who for years had the sole care of a deranged daughter. Except her poor household stuff, and her clothing, which was as poor, she literally had nothing. But poor as she was, human life furnishes few examples of a higher order of piety, or virtue, than hers. And I visit another, whose husband is incapable of labor, and who has two idiot sons living with her, one twelve, and the other twenty years of age. Here, also, are aged sisters, living together, and bowed down by years and infirmities. There is no service by which they could earn even a dollar in a year. And here are widows without children, living alone, and past all labor, who must either be supported by charity, or perish. All these, I repeat, - and I might easily add to their number, are virtuous poor, notwithstanding their absolute dependence on kindness for subsistence. Nay, some of them, in moral and religious worth, and, I believe, in the sight of God, are among the purest and best of this world. They are poor in earthly possessions; but they are already rich in that, which is the best good even of this life, — in a mind at peace with

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ind and with itself; and, as surely as there is a life beat the grave, they will soon find themselves to be heirs fernal happiness. I go also into one family, where is aged father, who cannot earn a shilling. He is living

his feeble daughters, who can scarcely do more than zzfather. And I go into another, where an aged wife ing all that she can do, in the charge of a totally and and helpless husband. In one family is a husband,

is passing to the grave by a lingering decline. If 2 were well, and even without employment, his wife aid do something for their support. But she can now are neither him, nor her children, for an hour; nor uld she do anything as a seamstress, even if she could te supplied with work. And in another family is a moer, who has long been confined by sickness, and who as supported herself and her children by living at serrice, till the loss of her health brought her to poverty. She is now nursed by these children, and has no resource for support but charity. I refer to these examples of absolute and entire dependence, because it is important to realize, that even this dependence by no means necessaimplies, or supposes, peculiar vice. There are indeed families, which avail themselves even of the food at is obtained by begging, to obtain the means of living a intoxication, and riot, and all possible debasement. And there are beggars, who employ every mode of imposture to obtain their objects. But let us understand is, that there are those who are sometimes compelled beg, because they are wholly unable to work, or because they cannot obtain the work by which they might support themselves, who yet deliberately choose to suffer Buch, rather than ask for assistance; and who never ask

To some of irit, while they can subsist without it. these families, the past winter has been a season of

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painful trial; for much of the bounty which, under more favorable circumstances, would have been appropriated for their comfort, has been diverted into other channels. The families of the absolutely poor have, indeed, greatly increased among us, during the past winter, by the failure of all the kinds of employment to which the poor look for support; and, with beggary, we have reason to fear, that the tendencies and preparations have increased to crime and misery. This is a state of things, which demands serious consideration. For all those, even of the most absolutely poor, who are yet poor by the act of God, there is no difficulty of making a tolerably competent provision. But for the poverty which is originating in ignorance and sin, and in which ignorance and sin are indefinitely extending among us, some, and no small accountableness, lies with those who might devise, and provide, the means for its prevention. Is it asked, who are those that share this accountableness with the most depraved of our poor? I answer, every one who understands, or who might if he would understand, the means of its prevention, and who yet fails to advance the measures, by which multitudes of our fellow-beings might be rescued from degradation and ruin.

Secondly. There are those who are but occasionally, and partially poor.

These are in the opposite extreme to those, who are constantly, and absolutely poor. They are now on one, and now on the other side of the line, between competence and poverty. This is a division of the poor, which calls for a strong interest, and sympathy. It includes a considerable number of journeymen mechanics, and of other men who depend on monthly wages, or on daily earnings; and who, in a time of general prosperity, are poor only when either they, or some of their family, are

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