Thus, at the start, pecuniary penance and almsgiving were regarded as convertible terms, both equally applicable to the discretionary fines which the inquisitor could impose on his penitent.
Three months after is the last almsgiving which is done on a large scale; relatives are invited for a feast and all signs of sorrow are banished from that day.
Seven days after, there is an almsgiving of rice when a gotuwa of rice is similarly made use of for a further sign.
The day after burial the dead man's belongings are given away in charity and an almsgiving of kenda (rice gruel) to priests or beggars takes place.
There were, however, two Christian actions which might seem to be beyond question as evidence of a sound spiritual condition: almsgiving and martyrdom.
Her hand was full and her heart generous: she spread her charities far and wide among poor pilgrims and poor residents with that undoubting liberality which considered almsgiving as one of the first of Christian duties.
Almsgiving has ceased, for these knaves have so abused it that no one will give any longer.
Against the belief of those who think that the sins which have been accompanied with almsgiving will do them no harm.
Weeping, prayer, and confession, these help; almsgivingis a remedy; but the other things mean falling into the hands of men.
There is still a great deal of unwise and indiscriminate almsgiving by individuals, but the spread of new ideals of social help is probably cutting down the amount.
Unfortunately, however, the aim of almsgiving in this period was not so much to help the dependent back to self-support, as to increase the piety of the individual dispensing the alms.
Almsgiving by individuals very often pauperizes rather than helps the individual to help himself.
Why is almsgiving inadequate as a method of treating dependency?
The place formerly held by the Church was filled, partly by public almshouses or workhouses, and partly by indiscriminate and unorganized almsgiving on the part of kind-hearted individuals.
Recently there has been a reaction against almsgiving or pure charity, and a distinct tendency to develop what may be called the concept of social service.
Then the Reformation crippled the temporal power of the Church, and ecclesiastical almsgivingdeclined in importance.
There was a gradual abandonment ofalmsgiving as the sole method of attacking dependency.
Above all other works he esteemed almsgiving and charity.
And hence we see that as regards almsgiving the Bodhisattas can have no satiety.
Thus thought Father Trandafir; but in Saraceni there was neither almsgiving nor hospitality.
He was schoolmaster in Butucani, a fine, large town containing men of position and sound sense, and given to almsgiving and hospitality.
Young Trandafir became priest in his native town, in Butucani, a fine large town containing men of position and good sense, but Trandafir did not enjoy the almsgiving and hospitality.
Formerly, almsgiving had a double object--to benefit the soul of the donor as well as contribute to the welfare of the poor.
Before leaving the question of repressive measures, it can hardly be superfluous to say that much could be done at once to discourage vagrancy and loafing if greater discrimination in almsgiving were shown.
It is mainly composed of those who deliberately avoid any work, and depend for their existence on almsgiving and the casual wards; and for their benefit the industrious portion of the community is heavily taxed.
He “laid constant stress on charity towards our neighbour in direct contrast to the individualism of the Middle Ages, when even almsgiving resolved itself ultimately into mere selfish interest, the giver living in hope of a heavenly reward.
These principles are in direct contrast with the devout and indiscriminate almsgiving of the Middle Ages and paved the way for the modern poor-law system.
Even the Epistle of Barnabas and the Didache reckon almsgiving as an atonement for sins.
Many other passages show how closely the Jews associated almsgiving with sacrifice.
And equally close is the {317} connection between fasting and almsgiving--a circumstance which deserves special notice where almsgiving is regarded as a form of sacrifice or has taken the place of it.
The sacred law-books of India are full of prescriptions enjoining almsgiving as a duty on all twice-born men.
Like sacrifice, almsgiving is connected with prayer, as a means of making the prayer efficacious and furnishing it with wings; the angel said to Cornelius, "Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
In other cases we find that almsgiving is itself regarded as a form of sacrifice, or takes the place of it.
Almsgiving itself regarded as a form of sacrifice, or taking the place of it, pp.
Almsgiving took place in public worship, nay formed itself a part of worship.
Promiscuous almsgiving was enjoined as a duty:--"Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
The chief cause, however, of the extraordinary stress which the higher religions put on the duty of charity seems to lie in the connection between almsgiving and sacrifice.
And from Judaism this combination of fasting and almsgivingpassed over into Christianity and Muhammedanism.
SIR: Your admirable leader of to-day[124] will do great good; but it will do more if you complete it by pointing out the chief reason for the frequent failure of almsgiving in accomplishing any real benefit to the poor.
The pious wish to exercise almsgiving even in spite of imminent peril; who, then, should not be charitable when safe?
For this purpose): in this manner the pious wish to exercise almsgiving even in spite of imminent peril; who, then, should not be charitable when safe?
Almsgiving is a great treasure, indeed, a treasure which is always with us and is inaccessible to thieves and the rest[40].
When he considered this, he was uneasy, because his habit of almsgiving could not well proceed.
Wealth is as fickle as a flash of lightning; it may come to every one, and it is the cause of many calamities; but almsgiving is a source of happiness.
But Sakra, the Lord of the Devas, seeing his imperturbable calmness and his devotion to almsgiving even in a state of extreme poverty, was filled not only with astonishment, but also with admiration.
The practice of almsgiving in virtuous persons,' he said, 'comes as little to its end as the water in great lakes dries up.
Her almsgiving is regulated by no principle whatever.
She has her theory of the poor and of what can be done for the poor, and she rides her hobby from morning to night with an equal contempt for the sentimentalalmsgiving of the District Visitor and for the warnings of the political economist.
He lost little, in the end he gained much, by the resolute stand he made against the indiscriminate almsgiving which has done so much to create and encourage pauperism in the East of London.
The meritorious aspect ofalmsgiving was sometimes uppermost.
Almsgiving and visiting the sick were one of the methods of earning heaven prescribed by her new creed.
But," I said, "when almsgiving is practised for the love of God, can we not then call it charity?
For the object of almsgiving is the misery of the needy which it tries as far as possible to relieve, and that of charity is God, Who is the sovereign Good, worthy to be loved above all things for His own sake.
Almsgiving and charity are quite different, for not only may alms be given without charity, but even against charity, as when they are given knowing they will lead to sin.
