material from the ,google ,print        
project47                               
,a                       ,,sermon       
,,preached ,,on ,,the ,,anniversary     
,,of ,,the                ,,boston      
,,female ,,asylum                       
,,for                 ,,destitute       
,,orphans1                ,,september   
#be1 #ahce4    ,,published ,,by         
,,request ,,of ,,the ,,board ,,of       
,,managers4           ,,by ,,jonathan   
,m4 ,,wainwright1 ,d4 ,d4        ,rector
 of ,trinity ,church1 ,boston4          
,boston4         ,,dutton ,,and         
,,wentworth1 ,,printers1          ,nos4 
#aj  #ab1 ,exchange ,street1            
#ahce4     ,,to ,,the ,,board ,,of      
,,managers4   ,,ladies1  ,upon your     
first application to me for a copy of   
this sermon to be printed1 ,i           
respectfully declined giving it1 because
 it was not prepared with the slightest 
reference to such a result1 and more    
especially because it has been my       
uniform practice to abstain from        

appearing in this way before the public1
 when ,i could with propriety do so4 ,to
 your renewed request1 and the reasons  
you state for making it1 ,i feel myself 
constrained to yield1 although my own   
conviction in regard both to the        
character of the discourse itself1 and  
to the inexpediency of such             
publications1 except in very special    
cases1 remains the same4 ,if1 however1  
its possession1 as you imply1 can afford
 gratification to any one interested in 
your most excellent institution1 ,i     
ought not perhaps to be longer          
influenced by a consideration which     
relates merely to myself in withholding 
it4 ,i therefore commit it to you1 and  
am1                      ,with the      
greatest respect1                       
,your friend and servant1               
,,jona4 ,m4 ,,wainwright4  ,,boston1    
,,october #f1 #ahce4     ,,sermon4      
,,proverbs1 ,,xxii4 #i4      ,he that   
hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed2  
for he giveth of his     bread to the   

poor4   ,how merciful and gracious is   
our ,heavenly ,father in presenting to  
us his commandments1 united with the    
promise of ample rewards to those who   
will obey them4 ,as the author of our   
being1 the creator and preserver of our 
means of existence1 and our sources of  
happiness1 he has an unqualified right  
to our constant obedience and our best  
services4 ,yet he treats us as if we    
were in a measure independent of him1   
and as if our faculties and possessions 
were an underived property1 for he      
demands of us no duty or sacrifice for  
which he does not offer an abundant     
remuneration4 ,and even to the          
performance of those duties which are in
 themselves a source of gratification to
 the well regulated mind1 the           
inducements are greatly increased by    
appendant promises4 ,we might not think 
it remarkable that labor and sacrifices1
 and self-denial1 should be encouraged  
by the hope of reward2 but even the     
delightful offices of mercy and charity 

will be remunerated1 and heavenly       
blessings will hereafter be showered    
upon the heads of those who may now be  
enjoying the luxury of doing good4      
,surely ,i address myself to those who  
know that there is a pleasure in deeds  
of beneficence1--a pleasure the noblest 
and most delightful of which our nature 
is susceptible4 ,and you my brethren1   
must have had experience of this        
sentiment1 or vain will be my efforts to
 unfold to you the subject that is      
before me4 ,i appear in behalf of the   
destitute orphan1 and if ,i thought ,i  
had need to convince you that there is a
 sweet and abiding satisfaction in      
relieving those who are truly objects of
 charity1 ,i should be utterly          
discouraged at the outset4 ,but such is 
not to be my ungrateful task2 for ,i see
 around me those who ,i doubt not have  
often realized the pleasures of         
beneficence1 and have often bestowed    
their charities upon the simple impulse 
of generous feeling4 ,i would now1      

however1 present to you a more exalted  
motive to beneficence than its secret   
pleasures4 ,i would show you that it is 
not simply a gratification you can      
enjoy1 but a solemn duty which you must 
perform2 and therefore that your        
charities are not to be governed by     
momentary impulses1 but by settled      
principles1 and that you are to do good 
not merely because you take delight in  
it1 but that you may secure the favor of
 ,god who has commanded this service4   
,and as ,i have observed that where our 
,heavenly ,father has put forth a       
commandment1 he has also annexed a      
reward to induce us to obey it1 so in   
our text the duty of beneficence is     
presented in the form of a beatitude1   
like the introductory precepts of our   
blessed ,lord's sermon on the mount4 ,he
 that hath a bountiful eye shall be     
,,blessed4  ,i propose1 first1 briefly  
to explain this duty1 then to state its 
obligation1 and lastly to allude to the 
blessing promised in connexion with it4 

#a4 ,the expression of my text is       
peculiar4 ,we hear in common speech of a
 liberal or open hand as the            
characteristic of a benevolent man2 but 
the phrase1 a bountiful eye1 belongs    
alone to the sacred scriptures4 ,there  
also the opposite character of avarice  
and cruelty is represented by a figure  
drawn from the same source4 ,in the book
 from which my text is selected1 we are 
warned not to partake of the offered    
banquet of him who spreads his table by 
constraint1 and with ostentatious or    
mercenary views1 and not from the       
impulse of an hospitable spirit4 ,eat   
thou not the bread of him that hath an  
evil eye1 neither desire thou his dainty
 meats3 ,for as he thinketh in his heart
 so is he3 ,eat and drink saith he to   
thee2 but his heart is not with thee4#a 
,and again the character and punishment 
of the man who is so anxious to acquire 
wealth as to disregard the principles of
 honesty and the claims of charity is   
thus described4 ,he that hasteth to be  

rich hath an evil eye1 and considereth  
not that poverty shall come upon him4#b 
,in the book of ,deuteronomy too where  
the law of conduct towards the poor is  
laid down1 and the rich are commanded   
not to take advantage of their          
necessities we read--,if there be among 
you a poor man of one of thy brethren1  
within any of thy gates1 in thy land    
which the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee1   
thou shalt not harden thine heart1 nor  
shut thine hand1 from thy poor brother4 
,but thou shalt open thine hand wide    
unto him1 and shalt surely lend him     
sufficient for his need1 in that which  
he wanteth4 ,beware that there be not a 
thought in thy wicked heart1 saying1 the
 seventh year1 the year of release is at
 hand2 and thine eye be evil against thy
 poor brother1 and thou givest him      
nought1 and he cry unto the ,lord       
against thee1 and it be sin unto thee4  
,thou shalt surely give him1 and thine  
heart shall not be grieved when thou    
givest unto him4#c ,as the evil eye was 

descriptive of a selfish1 hard hearted1 
avaricious temper1 so the bountiful eye 
was meant to represent the virtues of a 
humane and generous man4 ,a phrase more 
expressive1 could not be selected to    
describe an ardent and enlightened      
beneficence4 ,a liberal hand1 signifies 
merely generosity in giving1 but a      
bountiful eye implies not simply this1  
but also industry in looking about for  
objects of distress1 and discrimination 
in the mode of relieving them1 and      
tenderness and kind expressions         
accompanying our charities4 ,all these  
are essential features of true christian
 beneficence4  #a4 ,to give of our      
money1 is perhaps1 the very least       
praise-worthy part1 and certainly the   
part of easiest performance in the way  
of charity4 ,many there are who yield to
 the solicitation of an object of       
distress1 or to an application from the 
agent of some charitable society merely 
that they may escape from painful       
importunity4 ,others again1 who feel and

 acknowledge the obligation of sharing a
 portion of their wealth with the poor1 
are yet glad to appease the monitions of
 conscience at the least expense of time
 and thought4 ,they therefore give      
freely1 but with too little attention to
 securing a proper channel for their    
bounty4 ,the consequence is that it     
often runs in waste places1 and feeds   
intemperance and dishonesty when it     
might be made to revive and nourish the 
hapless victims of an unmerited poverty4
 ,he then1 who hath a bountiful eye1    
will not only be ready to distribute and
 willing to communicate1#d but will also
 industriously look about for proper    
objects4 ,he will cheerfully yield a    
portion of his time as well as of his   
wealth to the work of charity4          
,remembering who hath set him the       
example of going about doing good1 he   
will not remain inactive upon his       
station1 and give only to him that      
asketh1 he will in person seek out the  
habitations of distress1 or will at     

least aid with his counsels and labors  
some of those benevolent societies1     
which are now established in every      
christian land4#e ,i know that the      
avocations of business in a mercantile  
community are oftentimes urgent1 and    
that time is more valuable than the     
small contribution by which exemption   
from actual labor in the cause of       
charity may be procured4 ,still however1
 the truly benevolent man will not      
refuse his personal exertions when he is
 convinced they can be serviceable1 and 
the sacrifices he makes and the interest
 he feels in the work in which he is    
engaged1 will afford him pleasures that 
the passively generous can never        
comprehend4  #b4 ,but the bountiful eye 
will not only industriously search for  
occupation1 it will also exercise a     
discriminating watchfulness4 ,how       
essential is this to a profitable       
exercise of charitable distribution4 ,he
 who is not aware of the deceptions     
which are constantly practised by many  

of the poor1 and of the injudicious     
modes which are often adopted for       
relieving their wants1 must have had but
 small experience in this duty4 ,sound  
judgment is required1 and without it a  
liberal and active charity may produce  
evil rather than good4 ,evil to the     
community1 not to the benevolent        
individual4 ,if our alms are given with 
proper motives1 we shall not fail of our
 reward from our ,heavenly ,father1     
though we fail of doing the good we     
intended4 ,we are often deceived2 but   
this should not be made an argument1 as 
is frequently the case1 for contracting 
our bounties4 ,it should only excite us 
to greater caution4 ,the common         
applicants at our doors and in our      
streets1 are in general1 undeserving of 
the alms which they entreat4 ,this      
however1 is by no means uniformly their 
character1 for ,i have known the most   
worthy objects1 those whom modesty and a
 laudable pride had restrained1 until   
acute distress had fairly driven them   

forth to seek needful comforts for the  
destitute sick1 or perhaps1 bread for   
their famishing children4 ,we must not1 
with cruel indifference1 drive such away
 in the common herd of undeserving      
beggars4 ,we must consider the cause of 
the poor1#f as respects their characters
 and their condition4  ,perhaps the most
 discriminating mode of exercising      
charity1 and one which1 if generally    
adopted1 would almost preclude the      
necessity for giving to unknown objects 
would be this4 ,let all persons desirous
 of performing works of mercy from      
christian principle1 make an estimate of
 what they ought to contribute from the 
stores with which ,god has favored      
them4#g ,let them duly consider the     
various claims that are presented to    
them1 and from amongst the many         
charitable societies with which we are  
surrounded1 let them select the         
depositaries of their bounty4 ,let each 
family also1 according to their means1  
select one or more of the poor whom they

 can know1 and to a certain extent1     
follow through their good or ill        
conduct4 ,these let them regard as a    
charge peculiarly committed to them4    
,let them become acquainted with the    
wants1 the infirmities1 the troubles1   
the sorrows of these the poorer members 
of their families1 united to them by the
 bonds of christian relationship4 ,the  
intercourse will be mutually salutary4  
,it will produce a fuller and healthier 
developement of the christian character 
than can be brought out where the ranks 
in life are kept in a state of          
separation by the stern despotism of    
artificial distinctions1 where there are
 no opportunities of passing from one to
 the other the softening influence of   
sympathizing feelings1 and where on the 
one side pride1 luxury and selfishness  
are nurtured1 and on the other1 envy1   
hatred and discontent4 ,were the custom 
,i recommend universally adopted amongst
 a christian people1 would not extreme  
distress from poverty be almost banished

 from amongst us8 ,should we ever be    
called to endure the pain of beholding  
destitute and miserable persons1 except 
where incurable vice had made them such8
  #c4 ,would not this custom also bring 
into more general practice the other    
characteristic ,i mentioned of him who  
hath a bountiful eye1--giving his       
charities with benevolent feelings and  
kind looks8 ,we should ever remember1 my
 brethren1 that poverty1 though it may  
clothe a person with rags1 does not     
always kill the sensibilities of the    
heart4 ,the poor are of like passions   
with ourselves1 they like ourselves1 can
 feel the sting of unkind words1 and the
 cruel piercings of an evil eye4 ,if we 
are satisfied upon any occasion that    
duty to the general interests of society
 requires of us to reject their         
petitions1 let it never be with a       
scornful countenance or angry words4    
,let our rebukes1 if they are needed1 be
 tempered with mild expressions--they   
will be felt with tenfold power4 ,and   

when we feel called upon to relieve one 
who asks for charity1 let us not do it  
as though our alms were extorted4 ,there
 are those who in performing an act of  
kindness1 yet do it so ungraciously1    
that it is felt to be no kindness4 ,and 
there are on the other hand those1 who  
in giving a refusal1 yet give it without
 causing pain--sometimes even they      
communicate pleasure by showing sympathy
 where they cannot administer relief4   
,the phrase in my text expresses        
admirably the influence of such amiable 
conduct4 ,it is the eye that speaks     
cruel sentiments more powerfully than   
the tongue1 and it is the eye also that 
reveals the movements of a noble and    
generous sympathy4 ,the bountiful eye   
then1 is the evidence of a humane and   
benevolent heart1 prompting its         
possessor to thoughts and deeds of      
charity4   #b4 ,need ,i state to a      
christian assembly the necessity laid   
upon us all to cultivate the character  
,i have thus attempted briefly to       

describe8 ,to feed the hungry1 to clothe
 the naked1 to visit and comfort the    
sick and the afflicted1 is incumbent    
upon every man endowed with moral       
perception1 but the obligations of the  
christian to pursue this course of      
conduct1 are most weighty and           
inalienable4 ,he cannot shut out from   
his attention the sufferings and        
misfortunes of his brethren of the human
 family without renouncing his name1 and
 without forfeiting his rights to the   
hopes and promises of the gospel4 ,our  
religion is emphatically the religion of
 love4 ,love is the end of the          
commandment1 the perfection of the      
christian character1 and the most       
acceptable offering we can present to   
,almighty ,god4 ,upon this principle the
 poor have a claim1--a claim stronger   
than human law could establish upon     
their fellow men4 ,we are all the       
stewards and almoners of ,providence1   
and a rigid account will be demanded of 
those means which were given to us in   

trust for the purposes of beneficence4  
,let the rich man ask himself by what   
means he has been prospered in life1 and
 inhabits the splendid or the commodious
 habitation1 while another has been     
condemned to eat the bitter bread of    
poverty4 ,he may reply that he has been 
industrious and provident1 that he has  
passed a life of anxious labor to amass 
the wealth or the competency he enjoys4 
,but can he forget that all his success 
must at last be referred to the great   
disposer of events8 ,can he be ignorant 
that it is ,god who has filled his      
basket and his store1 who has given the 
genial heat and refreshing showers to   
his harvest1 and guarded them from      
blasting and mildew1 who has commanded  
the favoring winds to blow upon his     
richly freighted vessels1 and has saved 
them from rocks and tempests1 who has   
bestowed upon him his powers of mind1   
and afforded him health and opportunity 
to employ them8 ,can he be unmindful of 
all this when he beholds the            

fluctuations of prosperity1 and the     
sudden and unexpected manner in which it
 is both given and again taken away8    
,surely then the thoughtful and         
conscientious man will esteem his       
possessions1 not so much a right which  
he has obtained as a trust committed to 
him1 and he will acknowledge that the   
strictest justice approves what religion
 emphatically demands1 that with a      
bountiful eye we should look upon the   
poor and destitute4  ,such is our solemn
 duty2 and it is important that it      
should be regarded in this light4       
,beneficence should not be merely the   
overflowing of a generous heart4 ,this  
would be an unsafe and uncertain ground 
on which to place the principle of      
charitable distribution4 ,interesting   
objects indeed might not suffer from it1
 the orphan1 the afflicted widow1       
decayed and broken age4 ,cold and       
insensible must be the heart that could 
shut up its sympathies from such        
petitioners4 ,true beneficence however1 

cannot always be a delight4 ,it is not1 
says a powerful writer1#h an indulgence 
to the finer sensibilities of the mind1 
but according to the sober declarations 
of scripture1 a work and a labor1 a     
business in which you must encounter    
vexation1 opposition1 and fatigue1 where
 you are not always to meet with that   
elegance which allures the fancy1 or    
with that humble and retired adversity  
which interests the more tender         
propensities of the heart1 but as a     
business1 where reluctance must often be
 overcome by a sense of duty1 and where1
 though opposed at every step by envy1  
disgust and disappointment1 you are     
bound to persevere in obedience to the  
law of ,god1 and the sober instigation  
of principle4 ,is it not well then1 my  
brethren1 to establish beneficence upon 
the broad ground of christian           
obligation1 rather than commend it to   
you by the high gratifications which it 
sometimes affords8 ,are not the         
interests of the poor in this manner    

more effectually secured8 ,if the grand 
principle can be established in your    
breasts1 that you are to do good not    
simply because you delight in this work1
 but because the dictates of justice and
 the laws of ,god require you to be     
charitable1 will you not be preserved   
from the indiscretions of a heated      
benevolence on the one hand1 and from   
the cruelty and consequent punishment of
 selfishness and avarice on the other8  
#c4 ,but are there then any demands made
 upon our charity1 which when answered  
can yield us no reward or blessing8     
,surely not4 ,has it not already been   
declared that ,god demands of us no duty
 or sacrifice for which he does not     
offer us an abundant remuneration8 ,and 
does he not emphatically pronounce his  
blessing upon the virtue ,i am now      
attempting to explain and enforce8 ,he  
that hath a bountiful eye shall be      
,,blessed4 ,the scriptures are filled   
with motives1 inducements1 promises1    
encouragements1 addressed to every      

generous1 nay to every interested       
feeling4 ,the merciful man doeth good to
 his own soul4#i ,he that hath pity upon
 the poor lendeth unto the ,lord2 and   
that which he hath given will he pay him
 again4#aj ,if thou draw out thy soul to
 the hungry1 and satisfy the afflicted  
soul1 then shall thy light rise in      
obscurity1 and thy darkness be as the   
noon day4 ,and the ,lord shall guide    
thee continually1 and satisfy thy soul  
in drought1 and make fat thy bones2 and 
thou shalt be like a watered garden1 and
 like a spring of water whose waters    
fail not4#aa ,blessed are the merciful2 
for they shall obtain mercy4#ab ,are    
there not then abundant rewards promised
 to deeds of beneficence8--rewards1 how 
far transcending our best services1 how 
more1 infinitely more than adequate to  
our most painful labors1 our greatest   
sacrifices4 ,god has a right to all we  
have1 for he only lends us all1 yet he  
condescends to receive a portion from us
 again1 as if a favor were conferred    

upon himself1 and he has put in his     
stead the sick1 the naked1 the hungry   
and the afflicted1 and says1 inasmuch as
 ye have done it unto one of the least  
of these my brethren1 ye have done it   
unto me4#ac ,and not only does he       
condescend thus to accept our charitable
 deeds1 but gives them his blessing and 
reward4 ,blessed is he that considereth 
the poor2 the ,lord will deliver him in 
time of trouble4#ad  ,while then1 my    
brethren1 we have every encouragement to
 persevere in works of beneficence1     
though they may be accompanied with     
labor1 and be repaid with human         
ingratitude1 let us be duly thankful    
that there are other occasions on which 
we can discharge duty1 and at the same  
time open a source of the purest and    
noblest gratification4 ,yes--painful as 
may be some of those walks of charity   
which the christian must pursue1 and    
revolting as are some of those objects  
which he must encounter1 we know that   
there are paths for the benevolent where

 their footsteps fall pleasantly1 and a 
refreshing fragrance surrounds them1 and
 smiling objects meet them1 and         
satisfactions the most delightful1 urge 
them forward4 ,we can sometimes give1   
and pleasure shall accompany the act1   
and unmingled good shall follow it1 and 
gratitude shall reward it1 and ,god     
himself shall crown it with the         
brightest wreath4 ,say ,i not true when 
,i speak of giving to the destitute     
orphan8 ,is not this a deed of unalloyed
 satisfaction1 is it not one upon which 
the bountiful eye may look to fill the  
soul with an unrestrained generosity8   
,here is required no cold calculation of
 the amount of good to be effected1 here
 is no room for anxious doubt concerning
 the result of the benevolent act4      
,asylums for the destitute orphan are   
among those institutions which even the 
severe1 and in some respects1 the cold  
and selfish principles of ,political    
,economy cannot justly disapprove of4   
,to the truly benevolent1 and to the    

pious christian1 they have always been1 
and must ever be1 objects of deep       
interest4 ,other charities may be       
perverted in some degree to evil        
purposes4 ,their effect may be to       
encourage idle and dissolute conduct1   
and to increase the evil they would     
remedy1 by operating as a bounty upon   
pauperism4 ,to some extent this has been
 the effect of alms-houses1 and of many 
of those societies which1 with the best 
intentions1 have been administered to   
adult persons4 ,we acknowledge1 indeed1 
that protection1 shelter1 and           
subsistence for the aged and decrepit1  
who are past the ability to labor for   
their own daily food1 medicine and      
medical advice1 and in cases of absolute
 poverty1 the retreat of the hospital1  
are real charities1 such as suffering   
humanity requires1 and pure benevolence 
will provide for4 ,but in other cases1  
it is questionable whether relief can be
 given without ill effects1 except it be
 accompanied with the opportunity and   

the necessity for bodily labor4 ,i am   
not1 however1 upon the present occasion 
to discuss the general question of      
charitable societies4 ,it is one of     
great importance1 and one which we think
 is not yet generally understood4 ,much 
light has recently been thrown upon it1 
especially in this city1 by the active  
and intelligent exertions and           
experiments of some of our fellow       
citizens1--and it should continue to    
occupy the serious attention of our     
civil authorities1 and of every         
benevolent and public spirited person4  
,but who can doubt about the expediency1
 as well as the mercy and christian     
obligation1 of fostering the poor and   
helpless orphan1 whose natural          
protectors have been removed by the     
,providence of ,god8 ,naked1 we must    
clothe them1 for their helplessness     
cannot provide for their own covering2  
hungry1 we must feed them1 for they     
appeal to us with the moaning cry and   
innocent tears of childhood2 strangers  

in this world1 but just entered upon it1
 and left without a home to receive1 or 
a parent's fostering care to protect    
them1 we must take them in4 ,we cannot  
resist or evade such an appeal1 we know 
that it comes from a guileless          
petitioner1 whose distresses no vice of 
its own has produced1 and no exertions  
of its own can relieve4 ,should any one 
of you in your walks through our city   
during its inclement winter behold a    
child almost naked1 shivering with cold 
and fainting with hunger1 and did you   
learn that it had wandered unprotected  
from the home where its only surviving  
parent had just expired in all the      
wretchedness of poverty and disease1 and
 finding its mother's voice silent1 her 
hands that had cherished it cold1 and   
her eyes closed1 the little one had gone
 forth weeping and alone1 would any of  
you refuse it a home1 and food and      
protection8--,it is this sacred duty    
which our ,institution has performed for
 many such suffering and innocent       

beings4 ,where1 if not to such an       
object1 can the heart send forth its    
sympathies without restraint1 and give  
itself to all the delights of a glowing 
generosity8  ,but ,i need not tell you  
of these heavenly satisfactions as ,i   
see around me those who have long known 
and shared them1 for this ,institution  
has1 from its foundation1 been a favored
 and fostered one in our community4     
,many are the labors that have          
cheerfully been bestowed upon its       
interests1 many and generous the        
contributions given to it1 and many and 
ardent the prayers offered up in its    
behalf to the throne of grace4 ,of those
 who first united themselves in this    
work and labor of love1 ,i find that all
 have been removed1 and have gone to    
receive their eternal reward4  ,the last
 of this respected and excellent band   
has recently been summoned away from us1
 and she went gently and peacefully1 in 
a blessed old age1 in full preparation1 
followed by the tears and benedictions  

of the widow and the fatherless whom she
 had relieved1 and in beautiful         
accordance with the meek1 the honorable1
 and useful existence1 which she had    
mercifully been permitted to accomplish4
 ,one of the earliest founders of this  
,asylum1 and for many years its first   
,directress1 she had uniformly given to 
it her countenance and assistance2 and  
dying1 bequeathed to it a generous      
evidence of her attachment4 ,long will  
her memory be cherished in this         
community1 as a model of the efficient  
but unassuming and lovely graces that   
constitute the character of the         
christian matron2 long will it be       
cherished--and especially by you1       
,ladies1 the present ,managers of the   
,asylum1 who have been witnesses of the 
fidelity1 the courtesy1 the discretion1 
the zeal1 with which her duties as      
associated with you were discharged4#ae 
,the ,institution has descended to you1 
the successors as it were of a blessed  
company who are now we trust1 in        

communion with that ,saviour1 whose     
precepts of benevolence they so         
faithfully fulfilled1 and with that     
blessed company of the spirits of the   
just made perfect1 who now surround the 
throne of ,god and the ,lamb4 ,you need 
not our exhortation that you should walk
 worthy of their example1 but you will  
not reject our devout wishes and        
prayers1 that an equal measure of       
success may attend your future labors1  
and that a heavenly and eternal reward  
may hereafter crown them4  ,to you1 my  
hearers generally1 who have assembled in
 honor of the anniversary of our        
,institution and to encourage it in its 
pious labors1 would ,i address a few    
words in conclusion4 ,we doubt not your 
benevolence1 we know that the orphan can
 never plead to you in vain1 we believe 
that your hearts will ever be enlarged  
in proportion to the urgency of the     
claims of the ,institution4 ,its        
necessities must of course increase with
 our rapidly increasing population1 and 

be assured it can well and judiciously  
employ all the bounty you will bestow   
upon it4 ,should it be possible for any 
one here present to feel cold and       
indifferent to the claims of this       
,institution1 ,i would say1 realize the 
pitiable condition of an orphan infant4 
,to you who are parents and are watching
 over your growing offspring1 and can   
imagine how bitter would be your        
distress at the thought of being torn   
from them--remember1 that these are     
destitute of a father's protection and a
 mother's anxious love4 ,be ye then     
their comfort and their stay4 ,as you   
look upon your own offspring1 and       
reflect with gratitude that you are yet 
preserved to watch over their tender    
infancy and dependant youth1 and as you 
pray that you may still shelter them    
until they can withstand the storms and 
adversities of life1 think how you may  
repay your ,almighty ,benefactor in the 
persons of those1 who are also his      
children2 think also1 how deep will be  

your ingratitude1 if while so blessed1  
you can despise these little ones4 ,your
 children are yet around you1 and you   
watch over them1 but you cannot pierce  
into the solemn darkness of             
futurity--they may yet be helpless1     
parentless1 friendless1--as ye would    
that men should do to you1 do ye also to
 them likewise4#af  ,ye also1 who have  
experienced1 and perhaps still enjoy1   
the watchful care and affectionate      
caresses of devoted parents1 forget not 
that there are those1 who have never    
rejoiced in the sound of a father's     
voice1 or a mother's gentle embraces4   
,and can you1 who have known such       
delights refuse your sympathy to these  
children of the most cruel privation8   
,no4 ,you will remember those1 who have 
been for ever cut off from the sweetest 
pleasures of life2 whose lips have never
 learned to say--father--mother1--and to
 behold the countenances of these       
dearest friends lighten up with joy at  
the sound1 and their arms extended for  

the fond embrace4 ,you will1--yes my    
brethren1--will you not all1--all here  
present1--remember them8 ,the bountiful 
eye1 which looks upon their sad         
condition1 and relieves them1 shall be  
blessed--blessed of men in their full   
applause--blessed in its own soothing   
approbation1 and more than all1 and     
above all1 blessed of the ,god of all   
blessing1 now and for ever more4 ,amen4 
,,footnotes3  #a ,proverbs xxiii4 #f1   
#g4  #b ,proverbs xxviii4 #bb4  #c      
,deuteronomy xv4 #g-aj4  #d #a ,timothy 
vi4 #ah4  #e ,the ,board of ,visitors of
 the ,poor1 as established in this city1
 is one of the most practically useful  
institutions which the modern spirit of 
enlightened charity has devised4 ,its   
object is not merely to search out the  
sick and needy and to relieve them1 but 
also to investigate the claims of any   
applicants for charity that may be      
recommended to it1 and thus to prevent  
impositions as far as practicable4      
,every family that has not time to      

disburse its charities under the        
superintendence of its own members1     
should be in communication with this    
,board4 ,measures are now in progress to
 organize a system1 which shall render  
this ,institution more effective even   
than it has yet been1 in accomplishing  
the important purposes for which it was 
established4 ,when completed1 public    
notice will be given4 ,let every        
benevolent individual in our community  
then come forward and give this system  
his countenance and pecuniary support2  
and let all resolve by a united effort  
to do away the baleful influence of a   
tolerated pauperism1 by detecting and   
discountenancing every vicious and      
unworthy applicant for charity1 and by  
industriously searching out and promptly
 relieving every real and deserving     
object of distress4  #f ,proverbs xxix4 
#g4  #g ,the custom recommended by ,st4 
,paul to the ,galatians and             
,corinthians1 as we learn from #a       
,corinthians xvi4 #a1 #b4 has recently  

been brought into prominent notice1 and 
begins to be practiced in the ,episcopal
 ,church1 especially as applicable to   
the cause of missions4 ,why should it   
not be adopted in all ,christian        
families1 and thus let the              
principle--the sound and effective      
principle--of systematic charity be     
extensively established amongst us4  #h 
,dr4 ,chalmers4  #i ,proverbs1 xi4 #ag4 
#aj ,same1 xix4 #ag4  #aa ,isaiah1      
lviii4 #aj1 #aa4  #ab ,matthew1 v4 #g4  
#ac ,matthew1 xxv4 #dj4  #ad ,psalms1   
xli4 #a4  #ae ,mrs4 ,,sarah ,,parkman1  
the relict of ,samuel ,parkman1 ,esq41  
one of the most distinguished of the    
merchants of this city4 ,those who knew 
her1 and have seen how faithfully1      
affectionately1 and judiciously she     
discharged the duties of a daughter1 a  
wife1 a parent to her own offspring1 and
 a mother to many others1 who with her  
own children1 have abundant reason to   
rise up and call her blessed2 or who    
have learned from report the leading    

events of her virtuous1 benevolent and  
active life1 will esteem the humble     
tribute thus paid to her memory1 as     
proceeding from an estimate of her      
excellencies by no means exaggerated4   
,as an evidence of the value of her     
services to the ,asylum1 the following  
extract has1 by permission1 been taken  
from the ,minutes of the ,board of      
,managers3--  ,at a meeting of the      
,board of ,managers of the ,boston      
,female ,asylum1 held on the last       
,tuesday of ,july1 #ahce1--  ,,voted1   
,that the ,managers are deeply sensible 
of the loss sustained since the last    
meeting1 in the death of their excellent
 ,first ,directress1 ,mrs4 ,sarah       
,parkman1 the last who remained at the  
,board1 of its original members1 and for
 the last fourteen years its presiding  
,officer4 ,that they hold in            
affectionate remembrance her gentleness1
 her charity1 her thoughtfulness for    
others1 her constant endeavor to do     
good2 and it may be permitted to        

add1--for it was a conspicuous trait in 
her character1--the sincerity of heart  
with which1 in all her varied           
intercourse1 she followed the apostolic 
injunction1 be courteous4  ,also1 that  
they acknowledge with much gratitude to 
her1 and to the children by whom her    
wishes were so promptly fulfilled1 the  
receipt of ,five ,hundred ,dollars1 the 
last testimony of her interest in an    
,institution1 which1 from its           
foundation1 has owed so much to her     
labors1 her counsels1 and the           
liberality1 which even in death1 did not
 fail4         99       99       99     
99       99  ,since the establishment of
 the ,asylum in #ahjj1 #ceg children    
have been admitted4 ,of these1 #bgc have
 been placed at service1 or otherwise   
removed2 #ac have died1 and #ga remained
 in the ,asylum1 on the #ceth           
anniversary4  #af ,luke xvi4 #ca4       
,transcriber's ,note3      ,minor       
typographical errors have been corrected
 without note4 ,archaic     and variant 

spellings have been retained4           
,capitalisation of     religious terms  
remain as printed4