That a great and remarkable diminution has taken place in the number of applicants of this class at the houses of the residents since the institution of this Society, is felt and confessed in almost all quarters. And if in any instances it has appeared, or has been thought, that no such diminution has occurred, the Committee, from documents before them, cannot help being satisfied that the cause and the remedy of the evil lie equally in the hands of those who suffer from such applications. So long as relief is given at the doors without full inquiry, so long will persons of this class be found to ask for it: so long as bounties are conferred without respect to character and circumstances, so long will mendicants be encouraged to exist in the same state of debased and dependent pauperism. [13]
It is evident that one of the first objects to be sought, both in respect of time and importance, is to FIX and SETTLE the population. [14] The means and measures which immediately present themselves are those whose tendency is, on the one hand, to encourage and assist the laborious, deserving, and permanent portion of it: and, on the other hand, to initiate, and stimulate the growth of providence and industry in those who have not yet learned the necessity and the duty of striving to help themselves and to improve their own condition; and at the same time to check the migratory and mendicant habits of that class of persons, the term of whose residence in any one place usually depends exclusively upon the limits of the indiscriminate benevolence of charitable individuals in the neighbourhood. Such measures are those which the Committee have taken; and in endeavouring by their means to attain the end desired, they trust they shall in future receive the full co-operation of those parishioners who, with every desire of doing good to the utmost of their power, yet may have sometimes been unawares throwing away valuable resources upon unworthy objects; upon persons, at all events, whose cases are not THE MOST deserving cases of industry, respectability, sickness, and distress.
These, then, are the classes of persons of whom it may be safely affirmed that a very large majority of the APPLICANTS FOR RELIEF AT THE HOUSES of the residents is composed. And this statement will, the Committee hope, exhibit the strong necessity of discriminating inquiry being made previously to relief being afforded, not only in order to avoid giving encouragement to such persons, but also in justice to the really deserving poor, in order that they (whose cases are for the most part known only to the District Visitors and the Clergy) may receive that assistance and relief which all will confess to be their due, and every one desire that they should obtain.
Most earnestly do the Committee appeal to the Members of this Society and the parishioners in general, to consider the importance—the Christian duty—of administering the proportion of their income which they set apart for charitable purposes, in such a manner as may produce THE GREATEST amount of good. That duty clearly is, not only to “distribute,” but to “distribute to the necessity” of their brethren. To perform this effectually, a knowledge of that necessity, as it really exists, must be acquired: which implies an intimate acquaintance with the habits and circumstances of families, and with their various grades of desert and of distress. This, again, can only be attained by a watchful superintendence, exercised for a length of time over them by the same persons—as by a permanent Visitor, or the Clergy. Of these, then, let inquiry be made respecting such applicants; they will be at once willing to state whether, in their opinion, they are or are not fit objects of relief and encouragement. To these, who possess the most certain means of information that are attainable, let any, [15] who are desirous of affording assistance beyond a mere annual subscription, apply. They will recommend to their notice, not the most importunate and clamorous, but the most necessitous and the most deserving. They will point out as fit recipients of encouragement not the professed beggar, nor the impostor, nor the vagrant, nor the idle, nor the improvident, nor the drunkard, nor the irreligious; but those, who are aged, or infirm, or sick, or “maimed, or halt, or blind;” those, who are honestly and diligently striving, with perhaps but a single downward step [16] between them and pauperism, to maintain their position as respectable and profitable members of society; those, who are anxiously endeavouring to avail themselves to the utmost of their spiritual privileges and advantages, in order to fulfil their duty in their several relations of life, to God, their neighbour, and themselves.
The Committee turn with pleasure to the notice of the BENEFITS which have been permitted to flow from the exertions of the Society. And here they naturally begin by adverting to that IMPROVEMENT in the TEMPORAL CONDITION of the poor, which all experience proves to be an indispensable preparation for the higher and more important advantages. For it is almost universally found that, below a certain point, the moral and intellectual are absolutely concurrent with, and vary as, the physical wants of a population. The miserable effects of too long continued toil and exertion without adequate repose and nutrition, with insufficient clothing, exposure to cold, damp, and deficient ventilation, and other privations to which the poor are too often subjected, invariably extend their influence over their social condition and habits, and affect materially their position as moral and intelligent beings; bearing powerfully upon matters with which at first sight they might appear to have little connexion. [17a]
The anticipation expressed last year of an increased appreciation of the Provident Funds by the poor, has been more than justified. The number of depositors to the Coal Fund, which in 1844 was 388, in 1845 has been 581. The sum deposited in 1844 was £160; in 1845 it amounted to not less than £263. In the St. Mary Abbot’s division the amount of deposits has actually been doubled. The total value of coals dispensed has been £320, instead of £200 as in 1844. The most remarkable increase is in the districts of Jennings’ Buildings, among the Irish; of whom, in 1844, 14 depositors laid by £6; in 1845, 68 have deposited £33. In another district, in Charles Place, the number of depositors has increased from 3 to 17. In Campden Place 73 out of 125 families, and in Southend 36 out of 50 received coals at Christmas, averaging in quantity from three to four sacks each:—the fruits of their own industry and providence. [17b]
Clothing Funds have been established in eleven districts. The number of depositors has been 100; and the amount distributed in articles of clothing to them, £33. It is confidently hoped that a considerable increase in the number of Subscribers and in the amount of Subscriptions to the District Visiting Society may enable the Committee to establish a general measure; which for want of sufficient funds has been hitherto of necessity postponed.
The above facts speak for themselves. That in the second year of its establishment upwards of ONE-THIRD of the whole poor population—and consequently a much larger proportion of the permanent and industrious part—should have been persuaded and encouraged and enabled, by the means of this Society, to lay up for themselves a winter provision of what is so essential to the comfort and health of their families, would demonstrate at once, even were this the only point of attention, and these the sole benefits caused to the parish, that neither have the Visitors been inactive, nor their exertions and the plans of the Society unproductive of valuable results. If these facts proved nothing more, they would at least prove this, that the respectable and industrious poor are willing and anxious to help themselves if encouraged to do so; that, unless when their ignorance has been insidiously imposed upon, they are desirous of considering the rich as their friends, and indeed look to them to give that encouragement, and that, if it be given, they will return the fullest and most desirable reward to their benefactors, by proving that their help has been of real benefit to them, not only in their outward circumstances, but also in their improved moral and intellectual tone of feeling and habit of life. These facts give an earnest that each succeeding year will continue to add materially to the efficiency of the Society, and to the amount of good produced through its means. The most difficult and most important step is secured; the CONFIDENCE OF THE POOR in the Visitors and in the Society. [19] And thus a foundation is established for a superstructure of operations, the fruit of which, under the Divine blessing, will assuredly be that of continually increasing advantage, temporal, moral, and spiritual; and whose effects will be found in the present and future happiness of both him that giveth and him that receiveth—of both Visited and Visitor.
Other POINTS OF CONGRATULATION which last year offered themselves to the Committee have this year not less of prominence.
The large number of Baptisms which was then exhibited, 100 above the ordinary average, has been in 1845 scarcely diminished. It is believed that very few above the age of mere infancy now remain who have not been baptized.