had thus become the poor of
Christ (_pauperes Christi_), and under that title were being fed by
_civica annona_ and _sportula_ as their ancestors had been; and the
deaconries had superseded the "regions" and the "steps" from which the
corn had been distributed. The _hospitium_ was now part of a common
organization of relief, and the sick were visited according to Jewish
and early Christian precedent. How far kindly Romans visited the sick of
their day we do not know. Alms and the _annona_ were now, it would seem,
administered concurrently; and there was a system of poor relief
independent of the churches and their alms (unless these, organized, as
in Scottish towns, on the ancient ecclesiastical lines, were paid wholly
or in part to a central diaconate fund). Much had changed, but in much
Roman thought still prevailed.

On lines similar to these the organization of poor relief in the middle
ages was developed. In the provinces in the later empire the senate or
_ordo decurionum_ were responsible for the public provisioning of the
towns (Fustel de Coulanges, _La Gaule romaine_, p. 251), and no doubt
the care of the poor would thus in some measure devolve on them in times
of scarcity or distress. On the religious side, on the other hand, the
churches would probably be constant centres of almsgiving and relief;
and then, further, when the Roman municipal system had decayed, each
citizen (as in Charlemagne's time, 742-814) was required to support his
own dependants--a step suggestive of much after-history.

The change in sentiment and method could hardly be more strongly
marked than by a comparison of "the _Teaching_" with St Ambrose's
(334-397) "Duties of the Clergy" (_De Officiis Ministrorum_). For the
old instinctive obedience to a command there is now an endeavour to
find a reasoned basis for charitable action. Pauperism is recognized.
"Never was the greed of beggars greater than it is now.... They want
to empty the purses of the poor, to deprive them of the means of
support. Not content with a little, they ask for more.... With lies
about their lives they ask for further sums of money." "A method in
giving is necessary." But in the suggestions made there is little
consistency. Liberality is urged as a means of gaining the love of the
people; a new and a false issue is thus raised. The relief is neither
to be "too freely given to those who are unsuitable, nor too sparingly
bestowed upon the