A PLEA FOR THE POOR. 
 
 
PLEA FOR THE POOR. 
 
 A SERMON, 
 
 Delivered in the Independent Tabernacle, in Philadelphia, on Sabbath 
 evening, the 18th December, 1814. 
 
 FOR THE BENEFIT 
 Of THE 
 
 FEMALE HOSPITABLE SOCIETY. 
 
 BY JACOB BRODHEAD, A. M. 
 
 Pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church in Crown-street. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA. 
 
 PRINTED FOR THE FEMALE HOSPITABLE SOCIETY. 
 
 1815. 
 
THE 
 
 WILLIAM R. PERKINS 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 DUKE UNIVERSITY 
 
 Rare Books 
 
8«< 
 
 ■tO THE 
 
 MANAGERS AND OTHER MEMBERS 
 
 FEMALE HOSPITABLE SOCIETY, 
 
 THE FOLLOWING 
 
 DISCOURSE, 
 
 • EXIVERED AND PUBLISHED AT THEIR REQUEST. 
 
 IS 
 RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, 
 BY 
 THEIR SINCERE FRIEND, 
 
 AND HUMBLE SERVANT, 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 *Yorth Fifth street, 
 January 2d, 1815. 
 
PLEA FOR THE POOR. 
 
 " Plead the cause of the poor and needy." 
 
 Proverbs, xxxi. 9. 
 
 IN obedience to this command, I appear be- 
 fore this christian assembly to execute a diffi- 
 cult but pleasing duty: difficult, because the 
 subject of charity has been so exhausted, by 
 the talents and eloquence of men, that it 
 cannot be made interesting to an audience 
 by its novelty: pleasing, because the preacher 
 feels confident, that though he cannot offer 
 any thing new on the subject, yet his plea 
 for the poor cannot be ineffectual with those 
 
who now hear him; collected as they are 
 from the different religious societies of this 
 city, and all professing to he actuated hy the 
 henevolent spirit of their common Saviour, 
 who " went about doing good." 
 
 This house consecrated to the service of 
 Jehovah, is now converted into the store- 
 house of the poor, and here are to be gathered 
 the treasures, which the friends of suffering 
 humanity are about to contribute to the re- 
 lief of the helpless and the destitute. If ever 
 the finer feelings of the soul are touched, it 
 must be on occasions like the present, when 
 human nature is exhibited in one of its most 
 interesting forms; when the ear, and the 
 heart are both affected at the tale of woe, and 
 we are taught to feel like men and chris- 
 tians. If our attempt succeed not according 
 to our wishes, or the expectation of that be- 
 nevolent female association, at whose request 
 
9 
 
 I have become the mouth of the poor to you: 
 w e shall have this to console us, that we have 
 discharged a duty which we owed to God, to 
 your consciences, and the poor of Christ: in 
 respect to whom, he will one day say unto 
 those who at his request, and according to 
 his will now afford liberal christian relief; 
 " in as much as ye have done it unto one of the 
 least of these my brethren ye have done it unto 
 me; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from 
 the foundation of the world." If, therefore, 
 there is one, a solitary being, who has entered 
 into this house of God's poor, to withhold from 
 them, that which Christ on their behalf now 
 demands, let him retire, covered with con- 
 fusion, and loaded with disgrace; and let him 
 blush for an action which must stamp his 
 character with merited odium. 
 
 The objects for whose benefit and assistance 
 we plead, are justly called "poor and needy." 
 
10 
 
 The very lirst article of the constitution under 
 which the " Female Hospitable Society" act, 
 declares, that it is instituted for the " relief of 
 the sick, the aged, the indigent, the widow, the or- 
 phan, and the destitute stranger." You perceive, 
 therefore, that like the philanthropy of their 
 Divine Master, their's is not confined to any 
 one class of deserving poor. It is not our bu- 
 siness now, to attempt an explanation of the 
 plans of God. Why he acts as he does, is best 
 known to himself; and why he hath permit- 
 ted such a vast difference to exist between 
 persons of the same flesh and blood, is a 
 question which infinite wisdom must answer: 
 but the fact that the poor are always with 
 us, we know, as well as our duty in relation 
 to it. The difference which exists between 
 many of those wretched, pitiable objects for 
 whom we solicit, and us, (however great it 
 may be,) is owing, neither to their greater 
 
11 
 
 crimes, nor our superior merit. If God in his 
 sovereign wisdom hath so ordered, that they 
 should be poor and you in easy, and many in 
 affluent circumstances; it is undoubtedly for 
 wise purposes. He makes you the honoured 
 almoners of his bounty, and them his honour- 
 ed pensioners. Poor they are, indeed, in soul 
 and in body, and therefore they stand in need 
 of our charities. Destitute they are, and there- 
 fore they want an arm to support them, an 
 eye to pity them, and the assistance of the 
 benevolent to relieve them. Though thus 
 circumstanced, they are your brethren, and 
 your sisters. They are animated with the same 
 spirit, which animates you, and though now 
 supplicating by us your benefactions, yet let 
 it be remembered, that one day they shall be 
 put on a level with us, before the tribunal of 
 a righteous judge. There all will be equal as 
 to worldly circumstances. What do I say? 
 
12 
 
 equal! No. If it shall then be found that we 
 have shut up our bowels of mercies against 
 the calls and entreaties of the needy, our ac- 
 count to our judge will be made the more 
 terrible, and the more momentous. Yes, we 
 repeat it, for the helpless widow, and the more 
 helpless orphan; for the sick and the dying, 
 who have neither food, nor fuel, nor medicine; 
 and what is, perhaps, still more affecting, who 
 have none to whisper to their sinful, distress- 
 ed, imperishable souls, the consolations of 
 the gospel, we solicit your charities. We ask 
 you, but not in our own name. In the name of 
 that God, before whom the sun shrouds him- 
 self in darkness, and the pillars of the vaulted 
 heavens tremble, we ask: In the name of that 
 Saviour who has made you the almoners of his 
 poor, we ask: in the name of Fatherless and 
 Motherless Children, we ask; and we ask not 
 in vain. Enquire of the benevolent females, 
 
IS 
 
 constituting the board of direction of this 
 noble institution, who generously sacrifice 
 their time, talents, and ease, for the benefit 
 of the poor, if we speak not the truth. If it 
 were not so, my voice would not be heard, and 
 before you I should not appear, to ask for 
 your offerings. Such are the state and circum- 
 stances of the poor and helpless whose cause 
 we now present to you. Permit me to plead 
 with you on their behalf, 
 
 First, from the commands, the promises, and 
 the threatenings, contained in the scriptures. 
 And my hearers, while God speaks, let all lis- 
 ten with the most profound regard, for to his 
 voice all nature attends. Thus saith his spirit. 
 " Rob not the poor, neither oppress the afflicted, 
 for the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the 
 soul of those who spoiled them. For the oppress 
 sion of the poor, for the sighs of the needy, will 
 
 I arise, saith the Lord." " Charge them that are 
 
14 
 
 rich in this world," " that they be rich in good 
 works, ready to distribute, willing to communi- 
 cate, that they may lay hold on eternal life." 
 " Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of 
 unrighteousness, that when ye fail they may re- 
 ceive you into everlasting habitations." "Honour 
 the Lord with thy substance, so shall thy barns 
 be filed with plenty." " Say not to thy neighbour 
 go and come again when thou hast it by thee." 
 "Is it not, that thou deal thy bread to the hun- 
 gry, that thou bring the poor that are cast out of 
 thine house? when thou seest the naked that 
 thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself 
 from thine own flesh." "Whoso stoppeth his ears 
 at the cry of the poor, he shall also cry himself 
 and shall not be heard." "Wo to you, ye have 
 omitted the weightier matters of the law, judg- 
 ment, mercy, and faith." "He shall have judg- 
 ment without mercy who shewed no mercy." 
 Are not these divine commands, and pro- 
 
15 
 
 inises and threatenings, powerful pleas? can 
 there be any thing more persuasive? The 
 duties they enforce are binding upon all of 
 us, from the man ^\ho possesses hundreds of 
 thousands, to the person who possesses but a 
 competency. From these suffer me to direct 
 your attention, in the 
 
 Second place, to some of the examples of 
 scripture worthies, and others. Perhaps it will 
 not be improper to refresh your memories 
 with the example of the Jews. Is it a stretch 
 of truth to assert, that christians generally do 
 not give the twentieth part of what they gave 
 to the poor? Of all their fruit trees they re- 
 ceived no profit till the fifth year. Of all the 
 fruits of the earth they were obligated to offer 
 the Lord the first. The sixtieth part of the 
 land they were to leave for the poor. The 
 fortieth part of their produce they gave to 
 the priests, and a tenth to the Levites. All 
 
16 
 
 debts contracted among this people, were 
 released at the end of particular seasons: So 
 that if we take all these items into account, 
 we shall find, that they contributed to the 
 support of religion and the poor a sum 
 amounting to almost half their income. Will 
 any one assert that these laws are now abo- 
 lished; and that the introduction of the chris- 
 tian system has superseded all the Jewish 
 institutions? Let such persons remember, that 
 so far is this from being true, especially to 
 the extent now asserted, that the morality of 
 Judaism, is more strongly enforced in the 
 gospel, particularly that part of it which re- 
 lates to charity. If our Saviour hath left us 
 no definite instructions on this subject, he 
 hath commanded (what is of much greater 
 extent) " thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy- 
 self." Very justly did one observe, "If under 
 an economy so gross, in which differences 
 
17 
 
 were made between people and people, na- 
 tion and nation, God required his people to 
 give (to say the least) a third part of their 
 income, what? what! are the obligations of 
 christians!" If we examine the sacred records 
 we shall find the most illustrious examples 
 to recommend this exalted virtue. Two will 
 serve our present purpose. One is truly wor- 
 thy to be imitated by you, ye lovers of Im- 
 manuel, ye benefactors of the poor: and the 
 other is a noble instance of female worth, 
 and of refined feeling. Who knows not that 
 the name of Job is but another name for be- 
 nevolence as well as patience? And would to 
 God, that we all might have the satisfaction 
 of appealing to our own conduct, to say with 
 him, " When the- ear heard me then it blessed 
 me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness 
 to me, because I delivered the poor that cried, 
 
 and the fatherless, and him that had none to 
 
 C 
 
18 
 
 help him; the blessing of him that was ready to 
 perish came upon me. I was eyes to the blind, 
 and feet was I to the lame: I was a father to 
 the poor, and the cause which I knew not I 
 searched out." Oh! that his most eloquent and 
 searching appeal and imprecation, might have 
 their proper effect upon our hearts. "If I 
 have witheld the poor from their desire, or have 
 caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or have 
 eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless hath 
 not eaten thereof; If I have seen any perish for 
 want of clothing, or any poor without covering, 
 if he were not warmed with the fleece of my 
 sheep; If I have lifted up my hand against the 
 fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate; then 
 let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and 
 mine arm be broken from the bone." Nor does 
 the word of God abound less in examples of 
 female worth; examples which will remain 
 monuments of human excellence and exalted 
 
19 
 
 benevolence so long as the records of time 
 shall be known. Not to be particular with re- 
 gard to the woman of Zarephath, Martha, and 
 the widow, (which are other names for com- 
 passion to the poor;) we observe, that all that 
 can be great in the female character in res- 
 pect to real charity, is exhibited in the life of 
 her, of whom it is said, that " she was full of 
 good works, and alms-deeds which she did." To 
 you, mothers, and daughters, we would re- 
 commend the conduct of benevolent Dorcas, 
 in imitating whom you will resemble your di- 
 vine Redeemer, who went about from house 
 to house doing good. Leaving the scriptures, 
 we might adduce hundreds and thousands of 
 examples to recommend to your hearts the 
 excellence of this virtue. The same spirit 
 which inspired Jesus and his disciples, has 
 been cherished by all his true followers. Hea- 
 thens in the days of the primitive church, 
 
Seeing the extraordinary exercise of 1 benevo* 
 lence among the followers of the Saviour, as- 
 cribed it justly to supernatural causes. One of 
 these* attempting to satirize christians in a 
 discourse on the death of a suicide, eulogises 
 christians and their charities (though he 
 meant it not so) in the following manner. " It 
 
 is incredible what pains and diligence they use 
 by all means to succour one another. Their le- 
 gislator made them believe that they are all 
 brethren, and since they have renounced our 
 religion, and worshipped their crucified lead- 
 er, they live according to his laws, and all 
 their riches are common." That tyrant, and 
 persecutor of the christian religion, Julian, 
 attempting to injure Christianity by clothing 
 Paganism with its charity, thus writes to his 
 friends. " Let us consider that nothing hath 
 so much contributed to the progress of the 
 superstition of christians, as their charity to 
 
 * Lucian. 
 
21 
 
 strangers. I think we ought to discharge this 
 obligation ourselves. Establish hospitals in 
 every place; for it would be a shame for us to 
 abandon our poor, while the Jews have none, 
 and while the impious Galileans provide not 
 only for their own poor, but also for ours." 
 Of the religious countess of Warwick it is 
 said, that she gave no less than a third of 
 her revenue for religious and charitable pur- 
 poses. Yes, brethren, if propriety did not for- 
 bid, without going beyond the limits of our 
 city or of our acquaintance, we might desig- 
 nate a goodly number, some of whom are now 
 reaping their reward in heaven, while many 
 are still examples of the most enlarged chari- 
 ty. Permit me in the MtiMh 
 
 Third place, to plead the cause of these poor, 
 from the very objections which an uncharita- 
 ble spirit, or sordid parsimony, may urge 
 against it. Let us hear, and examine the ob- 
 
22 
 
 jections of the covetous and uncharitable. " I 
 have no more than I want," is the most pro- 
 minent difficulty which we have to combat in 
 behalf of the poor. Taking it for granted, that 
 what is alleged is true, that many who pos- 
 sess abundance, have not so much as they 
 want, or that they have not enough to gratify 
 all or half of their desires; think what must 
 be the situation of those who have nothing, to 
 satisfy the wants of nature; who have not 
 what they absolutely, most certainly need, to 
 feed, to clothe, and warm the body. Is it, then, 
 what our pride, or avarice, or our sinful de- 
 sires, may please to want, that is to regulate 
 the manner, or the measure of our charities? 
 What is to regulate that sufficiency which we 
 may desire? Is it covetousness, or is it the 
 gospel of Jesus Christ? One of them will re- 
 gulate it, for we cannot serve two masters. If 
 covetousness must prescribe to us on this 
 
23 
 
 subject, then I am bold to say, that we are 
 excused altogether from the duty: then we 
 are under no obligations to give, but are 
 under the most imperious necessity of asking 
 from others; for its voice is, incessantly, give, 
 give. But if we shrink from adopting such 
 a rule of life, then we must abide by the regu- 
 lations of the gospel; and acting accordingly, 
 the poor will not this evening be disappoint- 
 ed; they will have not a mere pittance, but 
 abundance; and from these altars before 
 which our gifts are to be deposited, will be 
 taken overloaded supplies, which will neither 
 leave us in want, nor diminish our happiness. 
 Another apology very commonly offered for 
 declining the relief of the needy, is drawn 
 from the number of the poor, and their in- 
 cessant wants. And can it be possible that 
 the abounding of human woe and misery, is 
 made a plea for hardening the heart, and 
 
 # 
 
24 
 
 shutting up our bowels of compassion? Shall 
 the increasing and incessant wants of the 
 indigent, be made the occasion of withhold- 
 ing, what Jehovah demands for them; of re- 
 fusing to deliver them from the empire of 
 ruin and death? Shall the most powerful rea- 
 sons for giving liberally, be made objections 
 to our distributing at all? "What an abuse of 
 reason, and of religion! What an outrage 
 upon every principle which exalts the nature 
 of man! From this very circumstance we 
 draw one argument, and a very powerful one, 
 in favour of increasing our gifts, and en- 
 larging our hearts, for the succour of the 
 miserable. In proportion to the increase of 
 poverty in any place, should be the increase 
 of the liberality of the affluent. If tenfold 
 more is now wanted to supply the wants of 
 the needy, our liberality should increase in 
 the same proportion. But again, some may 
 
25 
 
 say that the times are hard, and therefore 
 they cannot afford to give. From this melan- 
 choly fact we enter our plea in behalf of the 
 poor. While we mingle our tears with yours, 
 deploring the miseries of the world; while 
 we especially view with much sensibility the 
 calamity which has visited our country, and 
 the severe distresses of thousands of our fel- 
 low citizens; we would ask, who feel most 
 severely the pressure of the times? Who are 
 exposed most to sufferings? Deplorable as is 
 the fact, it must be confessed, upon the poor, 
 the suffering poor, the evils are accumulated. 
 They feel most bitterly; they are thrown out 
 of employment; or from the necessities of the 
 times are compelled to quit their vocations; 
 and by them the loss or privation of a shil- 
 ling is more felt, than a thousand would be 
 by those who enjoy a competency. Because 
 these are solemn truths at this time, we 
 
 D 
 
 I 
 
26 
 
 should enter with more tender anxiety into 
 the wants of the needy. If the times he hard 
 for you who enjoy abundance, what must he 
 the pitiable state of those, who have nothing 
 that they can call their own but poverty, and 
 want. It is hard to be poor, but to be treated 
 with cruelty and contempt is adding misery 
 to wretchedness. From the benevolence of 
 your own hearts, and the rich reward which 
 follows acts of christian generosity, suffer me 
 in the 
 
 Last place, to plead the cause of the "poor 
 and needy." And here, unless there be no 
 compassion in human nature, I cannot be 
 disappointed. If you ask whether your enjoy- 
 ment of heaven depends upon your abundant 
 charities this evening; we unhesitatingly an 
 swer, No. Through Jesus Christ alone, and 
 by his merits, you can enter into yonder man- 
 sions of glory everlasting. Were you to offer 
 
£7 
 
 before God, the treasures of a world, you 
 could not purchase the pardon of your sins, 
 nor propitiate the favour of the Most High. 
 But this we are authorised to say, that the 
 liberal alms of a christian, shall be abun- 
 dantly repaid. The promise wliich the Lord 
 made to the Jews upon their bringing in 
 those offerings which they had withholden 
 through avarice, is made to us all. " Bring ye 
 all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may 
 be meat in mine house, and prove me now here- 
 with saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open 
 you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a 
 blessing, that there shall not be room enough to 
 receive it." Let not the trite and unfounded 
 objection be made, that it is a solitary in- 
 stance. Examples have never been wanted to 
 verify the accomplishment of this, and of 
 others of a similar import. Never has the 
 humane, benevolent, religious heart been left 
 
25 
 
 without a bountiful reward. Who are the cha- 
 racters who have been most prosperous, and 
 honoured in life? Who have enjoyed the 
 sweetest consolation in their own bosoms? 
 And whose memories have longest survived 
 the wreck of this mortal life? To these inter- 
 rogations but one answer can be made. Your 
 hearts are not deceived when with rapture 
 you exclaim, " they are the most prosperous, 
 and honoured in life; they have enjoyed the 
 noblest pleasure; their memories have been 
 the most endeared, who have abounded most in 
 acts of religion, and in works of mercy." Yes, 
 while the hoarded treasures of the contract- 
 ed, selfish, uncharitable person, shall be the 
 monument, upon which the curses of Christ 
 and his poor shall be inscribed, and his me- 
 mory shall perish in the grave, the liberality 
 of the generous christian, shall secure to him 
 deserved reputation; and long after his body 
 
29 
 
 has rested in the tomb, shall his memory be 
 warmly cherished in the hearts of the poor. 
 Never have the streams of that man's tempo- 
 ral mercies been dried up, who has not rob- 
 bed God and his poor. "I challenge (said one 
 very justly) the whole world, to produce any 
 number of instances, of a merciful man, 
 whose charity has undone him. On the con- 
 trary, as living wells being exhausted, more 
 freely spring and flow; so the substance of 
 charitable men, frequently multiplies in the 
 distribution. This, like the widow's oil, in- 
 creases by being poured out." Therefore 
 said a magnanimous christian emperor, to 
 the empress, who thought him too profuse 
 in his bounty, " I shall never want money, so 
 long as in obedience to Christ I supply the 
 necessities of the poor, and abound in reli- 
 gious benevolence." If we could be persua- 
 ded, that adducing examples, was necessary 
 
30 
 
 to confirm the truth of what we have assert- 
 ed, we might spend hours in setting hefore 
 you a cloud of witnesses. But this is unneces- 
 sary, since we have the proof at hand, and 
 the witnesses before us. Do you ask where 
 is the proof, and where are the witnesses? In 
 the persons, and feelings of many whom I 
 now behold in these holy courts. In the 
 blessed experience of your lives, who abound 
 in acts of mercy to the poor. Ye are the wit- 
 nesses of this truth. Have you not in the ful- 
 ness of your benevolent hearts found, that 
 " it is more blessed to give than to receive?" 
 Have you not found it a luxury, to deposit 
 your gift before the altars of God, for the 
 comfort of those who, but for your charities, 
 would have been left destitute and friendless? 
 And may we not add, that it is not in your 
 giving towards a single object only, that you 
 have experienced such a reward, but in your 
 
31 
 
 daily and weekly relief of the honest poor. 
 In the cellars, and vaults of poverty, where 
 you who are the benefactresses of the desti- 
 tute, have entered to carrv bread to the 
 famishing, fuel to warm the shivering limbs, 
 and garments to cover the naked, you have 
 been blessed, and could say " the blessing of 
 those who were ready to perish came upon fits" 
 
 But we are happy to have it in our power 
 to state, that we can offer to your bene- 
 volent hearts a still greater reward. I will 
 not say that in contributing liberally this 
 evening you will absolutely be the instru- 
 ments of saving the souls of men, but 1 will 
 say that you may be the means. In the sixth 
 article of the constitution of this excellent 
 institution, we find the following words. 
 
 " It shall be the duty of the special visiting 
 committee to administer spiritual as well as 
 temporal relief, to the eufferers who are with- 
 
32 
 
 out earthly support, not excepting persons of 
 any nation, colour, or profession. It shall also 
 he particularly their duty to visit and instruct 
 distressed widows, orphans, and wretched 
 females in the alms-house, hospital, and pri- 
 son, as often as permission to that effect can 
 be obtained. They shall also pray with the 
 sick, and exhort the healthy to seek the Lord 
 while he may be found. It shall further be 
 their duty to put into the hands of those 
 who can read, and are destitute of the word 
 of life, a copy of the sacred scriptures, and 
 to use every prudent means to bring back 
 lost sheep to the fold of Christ." Nor, is this 
 the whole of the excellency of this institution; 
 for while they administer relief and comfort 
 to the soul and body, they encourage in- 
 dustry in all who are able to work. In this 
 point of view the manufactory* which the 
 
 * The manufactory, for the establishment of which the so- 
 
33 
 
 society have established, is of vast impor- 
 tance. In fact, considering the nature of the 
 institution, its liberal, and extensively bene- 
 volent plan; the indefatigable exertions of its 
 managers, to do good to the souls and bodies 
 of the really needy, we hazard nothing in 
 asserting, that no charitable association in 
 this city deserves better, public patronage. 
 Since the commencement of this valuable in- 
 stitution in the year 1808, many hundreds 
 have received aid, and a goodly number it is 
 hoped have been directed to seek the salva- 
 tion of their souls, through the instrumen- 
 tality of the word of God put into their hands, 
 and the advice and prayers of the visiting 
 
 ciety have made strenuous efforts, promises in time to afford 
 constant employment and means of support to many, who find 
 it very difficult, nay almost impossible, to find work elsewhere, 
 And as the whole of the profits arising from the institution, are 
 faithfully appropriated to the benefit of the poor, it is hoped 
 that this infant establishment will be cherished by the friends 
 of industry and humanity. 
 
 E 
 
34 
 
 committee. And shall it be said, that a chris- 
 tian assembly, met together for the express 
 purpose of contributing to the relief of the 
 indigent, have permitted the worthy, bene- 
 volent conductors of this charitable establish- 
 ment, to retire with a mere trifle? Would 
 you as christians be willing to have it said 
 by them to the suffering, perishing poor, who 
 wait with anxiety the issue of this meeting, 
 " We have asked of a christian congregation, 
 but they have refused to give, and therefore 
 we cannot help you; you must seek assistance 
 elsewhere?" Above all, are you willing, that 
 in the day of judgment it shall be record- 
 ed that this night, you either refused to 
 give, or that you gave a very trifle? In this 
 light we place the subject; and before we 
 conclude, we ask you to accompany us to 
 witness the proceedings of the judgment day, 
 when we and the poor for whom we now so- 
 
35 
 
 licit your benefactions, will be gathered to- 
 gether, and be judged out of the book of 
 God. There will stand the king and the sub- 
 ject: there will be found the master and the 
 servant: there will be seen the rich beside 
 the poor. The books will then be opened, 
 and the judgment will begin. There the op- 
 pressor will meet those whom he oppressed, 
 and they will be judged. There the princes 
 and the nobles will be set with those whom 
 they have abused and persecuted in this 
 world, and they will be judged. There will 
 the aged sinner, who, by his wicked example, 
 and precept, has been the means of ruining 
 the young and thoughtless, meet those ob- 
 jects of misery, and they shall be righteously 
 treated. There will the hypocrite be placed 
 beside the most blasphemous wretch, and to- 
 gether must they be judged. And before that 
 righteous bar. will the poor meet those, from 
 
36 
 
 whom they solicited, and who had it in their 
 power to afford relief, but refused; and then 
 shall the judge say unto them, with reference 
 to his poor, " Depart from me ye cursed into 
 everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his 
 angels: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me 
 no meat; Iivas thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; 
 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, 
 and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and 
 ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer 
 him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hun- 
 gered, or at hirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, 
 or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 
 Then shall he answer them saying, verily I say 
 unto you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the 
 least of these, ye did it not to me."* Who of us 
 would be placed in these circumstances, for 
 the accumulated treasures of the earth? 
 
 * Matthew, xxv. 
 
37 
 
 Let it now therefore be known, whether ye 
 prefer the curses of the poor, and the male 
 dictions of God, to the blessings of the one, 
 and the grateful thanks of the other. Let it 
 now be known whether you consider part of 
 your property your own, or belonging to Jesus 
 Christ, and his poor. And if you, honoured 
 collectors for the "poor and needy," return 
 with a scanty supply, then let it be recorded, 
 / to the disgrace of this christian assembly, 
 that they have asked, but have been disap- 
 pointed. — Amen . 
 
38 
 
 MINUTE 
 
 Of the proceedings of the Female Hospitable Society, fro?/. 
 January 1st, to December 31st, 1814. 
 
 Received, for sales made at the factory room, No. 
 5, Apple-tree alley, as taken from the Superin- 
 tendant's book of entry, 
 
 Cash received, g> 1239 59 
 
 Paid for employment, in and out of the factory, for 
 spinning flax, wool, and cotton; weaving, twist- 
 ing, and carding cotton; as taken from the se- 
 cretary's books, 
 
 Cash paid, 1086 43 
 
 Balance in favour of the manufactory, 145 96 
 
 Distributed to five hundred and sixty families; one 
 third, enlisted soldiers' wives and children, as 
 taken from the memorandum books of the ma- 
 nagers, 
 
 Cash in articles of sustenance and apparel, 174 1 82 
 
 The books are at all times open for investigation, as to the 
 correctness of the above statement. The society acknowledge 
 the liberal support they have received, in many instances, from 
 
39 
 
 a generous public; and are ready and desirous at all times, to 
 give an account of their stewardship; and invite every one to 
 examine the books for themselves. 
 
 The managers have also to thank the different printers, for 
 the many generous favours conferred on the society, in their 
 line of business; and assure them of their grateful acknowledg- 
 ments, and that in the words of truth it9*elf, not even a cup of 
 cold water shall lose its reward.