Author: Charles Richmond Henderson

Publisher:

Published: 2015-08-05

Total Pages: 734

ISBN-13: 9781332332748

Excerpt from Modern Methods of Charity: An Account of the Systems of Relief, Public, and Private, in the Principal Countries, Having Modern Methods Since the appearance in 1870 of the valuable work of Emminghaus on Poor-Relief in the Different Countries of Europe, we have no compendium which presents the essential features of public and private charity in the Western world, and important changes have occurred since that volume was published. A comparative treatment of this subject is desirable for students, practical workers and travelers who visit institutions and need to "orient" themselves in each land. The editor's experience as a university teacher, as a lecturer before mixed audiences and as an executive officer in a metropolitan society of charity organization has brought this need very vividly and constantly before his mind. Ignorance of what other people are doing means blundering experiment, opinionated obstinacy in antiquated methods, and waste of energy and resources. Thoughtful actors in philanthropy are not seeking an atomic mass of isolated facts or personal tricks of benevolent invention, but general laws, rational results of experience and reflection which, like valuable merchandise, will bear transportation over sea. Gossip is for the idle hour and the winter fireside; science is the common theme of the republic of letters and the fraternity of competent leaders, - current as pure gold even when melted down and coined in different mints. Emerson, in his Representative Men, said: "I go to a convention of philanthropists. Do what I can, I cannot keep my eyes off the clock. But if there should appear in the company some gentle soul who knows little of persons or parties, of Carolina or Cuba, but who announces a law that disposes of these particulars, and so certifies me of the equity which checkmates every false player, bankrupts every self-seeker, and apprises me of my independence on any conditions of country, or time, or human body, that man liberates me; I forget the clock." About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.