Chap. VII.] DUTY OF MUTUAL ASSISTANCE.

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The necessities which they relieve are pressing, immediate, anddo not admit of delay. And, like all other institutions, theymust be more effectual in the accomplishment of their exaltedpurpose, as their external interests and their internal administra-tion are managed with more order, discretion, prudence, andgood judgment; and according to the zeal, capacity, and charac-ter of those to whom their administration is intrusted.

The last of the means of dispensing alms, above enumerated,to wit, charitable societies, will detain me much longer. Thenumber of these societies in the United States, in Great Britain,and other Christian countries, is very great, and they have be-come a most extensive means of almsgiving, in every form whichit can assume. These circumstances alone would render carefulinquiry into their principles and tendencies useful. Besides,the opinion has begun to prevail, and seems to be extending,not only that they have been the occasion of great waste and ofgreat abuse of the alms which they have so munificently dis-pensed, but that their tendency is to increase pauperism. Effectsstill worse than these have been imputed to them.

Many at the present time are accustomed to reason thus.These societies, say they, are formed for the purpose of obtain-ing funds and dispensing alms. They are therefore known, orare supposed by the poor, to possess funds, either for general orspecific objects of relief. And these funds are to be appro-priated to the relief of those, who shall apply for them, and whoshall seem to need them. They must, therefore, and will oper-ate as lures to application for relief. Not only so, they invite ,it is said, even those, who would reluctantly expose their necessi-ties to a private benefactor, to join the multitude who are alreadyrecognised as habitually and willingly dependent upon alms, andthus to become themselves recognised, and willing, and habitualdependents. And yet further ; in proportion as the dispositionalready exists in any, thus to be dependent, rather than to laborand economize, this provision not only supersedes the necessityof forethought and exertion, but, to the extent to which theprovision shall be made, or shall be supposed to be made, itmay be called a machine for perpetuating idleness, waste, anddependence. Even if it be supposed, that the funds thus raised31