CHARITY— THEORY AND PRACTICE 5 



imply the suppression of private and ecclesiastical benevolence, 

 but only a better understanding^ and division of labor, a de- 

 marcation of spheres of influence and activity. The German 

 Evangelical Inner mission, for example, the rapid multiplica- 

 tion of English philanthropic enterprises, and the devotion of 

 means and personal service in America, show that a public 

 system has strict limitations; and that the same civic con- 

 science which supports a poor rate also calls for personal and 

 associated efforts too delicate for the rude and cumbrous ma- 

 chineiy of the state. The same tendencies are at work in 

 Scandinavia, Holland, Scotland and elsewhere. Many of 

 these agencies are not under ecclesiastical control, as the Red 

 Cross society; but the church has been awakened to take to 

 heart its ancient task of ministry to the poor. 



It is true that these tw^o systems have growTi up some- 

 what independent of each other, and sometimes there is con- 

 flict or competition between them. Even German municipal 

 councilors may be heard to complain that the church parishes, 

 especially those with large funds, do not cooperate with each 

 other or with the city, in an harmonious plan of helping the 

 poor. In the United States, where the horror of bureaucracy 

 is so strong, we have reconciled ourselves to the tyranny and 

 corruption of bossism and spoils, evils unknown in German ad- 

 ministration of poor rehef. In many places our efforts to se- 

 cure information to which every taxpayer has a moral and 

 legal right, are often treated with that insolence which is evi- 

 dence that investigation is both hated and feared. In many 

 places no statistics of value are kept, and original records are 

 burned at frequent intervals on the plea that imfortunate 

 citizens in need of help should not have their names kept in 

 a public record. In German cities the feehngs of dependents 

 are more respected than here, and the administration is prac- 

 tically effective through voluntary and impaid visitors, care- 

 fully selected by the authorities. 



The Charity Organization society is therefore called for, 

 not only in Great Britain and America, but even in countries 

 like Germany, where its principles are actually embodied in 

 the public system. Indeed, the organization movement is as 

 wide as civilization. It is an effort to synthetize the sepa- 



