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not sterling, but sterile love. The good man may fall, may fall often, may fall griev ously; but his love, if pure, is unchangeable. The bad man falls in and loves the mire, hog like. The good man falls in, but loathes the mire, sheep like. The smallest partical of pure religion will bring forth, in its fullest plenitude, sincere benevolence to man. And this does not consist in giving a thousand dollars to the poor periodically, but a constant propensity to compassion, and inclination to do good to others without any reference to recompence therefor, here or hereafter. The good man does good from the pure love of good, without a single thought of future rewards or punishments. Few will believe this truth. Recompense, recompense, nothing without a recompense, is now the cry of saint and sinner, so called, who are under the influence of self-love, which I call the contrast of charity. Every body for themselves in this degenerate agc. Where is the man who seeketh not his own, in all places, and upon all occasions? Selflove has produced pride, and destroyed charity; and pride has covered the heart of man with a baneful covering, so that he cannot see its deceitfulness and desperate wickedness. Hence, every thing is considered only as it has reference to his avarice, sensuality, or pride. What made the proud

pharisee despise the humble publican, and exalt himself? Surely the pride of opinion. I have humbly, in the most pathetic language, solicited all the clergymen in NewYork, some individually and all collectively, to co-operate with the inclemency of the winter, and the unexampled pressure of the times; in advocating suffering infancy and perishing humanity, by delivering charitable discourses before their wealthy congregations, many of whom would liberally contribute their quotas for this god-like labour of love, would their ministers only read to their respective congregations, the following pieces I have published in the Mercantile Advertiser of Wednesday the 1st, and Saturday the 4th of February, 1815. yes, ten thousand dollars would have been collected for the poor, and would not have been missed by the liberal doners, did the ministers grant my request, which, I am sorry to say, not one of them have done, to my knowledge. Hence, lo! I turn to the Gentiles. (I mean the non-professors of sanctity,) from whom I hope better encouragement.

To you, therefore, I now direct my discourse, who make no pretensions to religion, much less ministerial sanctity; but who are naturally benevolent. O let me not also beg your commiseration in behalf of the

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miserable poor this miserable winter in vain. I would also recommend the organization of a factory in each seaport town, by benevolent associations, for the purpose of employing poor children, widows, and soldiers' wives. Such factories might be connected with the benevolent institutions already established in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Brunswick, and New-York, similar to the cotton. manufactory connected with the Female Hospitable Society. Also in every ward, carts might be employed to go round to every house periodically, to gather the fragments of the rich citizens kitchens and wardrobes, so that nothing might be lost. By this means the poor hungry orphans might be fed with little or no expense. During the recent spell of severe weather, some I know have perished to death with cold and hunger; particularly a little mendicant, about eight years old, was literally frozen to death at a professor's door, in Cherry street, begging for a little cold victuals, about four days ago! What a sin! what a burning shame!!! Tell it not in Pekin, publish it not in the streets of Constantinople, lest the heathen be more confirmed in their ill-founded prejudices against the Christ, and his beneficent religion. But what do I say? It is already published in the court of heaven; and my two pathetic

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addresses to the clergy and the professors of religion of New York, in behalf of the perishing poor, no doubt, is published with it: for a sparrow does not fall, much less a child, without the notice of God. And, no doubt, the side-glance of contemptuous disregard with which my humble solicitations were viewed by many a professor, is also particularly recognized in the habitation of holiness; and those who have unfeelingly read the same, will remember every line, and that sooner than they now apprehend.

I would here recommend to the corporation of New York, to appoint two humane men in every ward, to superintend the poor thereof in severe weather, and see that none of them perish with cold and hunger, and keep little mendicants from begging from door to door in such weather. But what do I say? The Almighty permitted that poor unhappy child to go trembling from door to door, in Cherry street, New York, to try the hearts of the inhabitants thereof, as well as the passengers who passed to and fro, and saw her stiffen with cold before they would take her into some friendly shade. And pray what will become of them if they find no more pity from God than they shewed to her? But she is called " A LITTLE VAGABOND." Alas! did people see the bottomless gulf of depravity in their own

hearts, they would never call such a poor suffering child, who was begging a few fragments, perhaps to save a sick parent from starvation, "A little vagabond!!!" We are all born, and our children also, but not buried. Every such expression of contumely, is noticed by the inquisitive ear of Heaven. When I read the above epithet in the "Columbian," my very heart almost wept blood.

While I am soliciting the benevolent gentlemen of the city of New-York, I feel a latent spark kindle up the almost expiring hope, which my antecedent bad success in this good cause had nearly extinguished. I address you, gentlemen, on the most important subject, and though a feeble advocate, I hope to plead the cause of bleeding humanity to some purpose. Conscience, justice, benevolence, and God himself, all, all conspire to enforce and consolidate my arguments in favour of the poor. In what situation in life, I would ask, can the feeble powers of man be more awfully, more divine. ly exerted, than in defence of perishing old age, and famishing infancy? And if any thing on earth can command the attention of heaven, and attract the gracious and approving smile of God, it is most indubitably, when he beholds the benevolent rich man reading these lines with a palpitating,

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