The  knowledge  requisite  is  of  two  kinds  :  first,
to  guarantee  that  charity  is  bestowed  on  fitting
objects,  and  secondly,  that  it  is  given  in  the
most  useful  form.  Such  knowledge  is  only  to
be  gained  by  thorough  inquiry,  and  its  value
may  be  shown  by  examples  of  the  evils  caused
by  ignorant  almsgiving.  (1)  In  every  com-
munity in  which  charity  abounds  there  will
grow  up  a  class  of  persons  who  live  by  it  in
preference  to  living  ty  independent  work.     The


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existence  and  growth  of  such  a  class  is  often
the  result  of  ignorance  on  the  part  of  charitable
persons  who,  whilst  striving  to  mitigate  the
evils  of  poverty,  increase  them  by  fostering
mendicancy,  hypocrisy,  idleness,  and  improvi-
dence. In  proportion  as  the  charitable  act
together  in  some  organisation  they  will  avoid
creating  these  mischiefs,  for  diligent  inquiry
will  prevent  the  diversion  of  alms  to  such
recipients.  (2)  Unless  there  is  some  common
action  among  the  charitable  there  is  danger  of
overlapping.  Some  persons  will  be  assisted  by
three  or  four  institutions  and  half  a  dozen
individuals  at  one  and  the  same  time.  This
danger  is  greatest  when  charity  is  distributed
on  several  different  principles,  as  in  England,
where  we  have  municipal  and  parochial  charities,
charities  for  members  of  various  religious  bodies,
trades,  and  professions,  charities  for  persons
suffering  from  various  forms  of  mental  and
bodily  disease,  and  the  like.  Here  ignorance
of  what  others  are  doing  causes  waste.
