Reasonable ALMS, a certain portion of the estates of intestate persons, allotted to the poor.
ALMS BOX or CHEST, a small chest or coffer, called by the Greeks KGarios, wherein anciently the alms were collected, both at church and at private houses.
The alms-chest, in English churches, is a strong box, with a hole in the upper part, having three keys, one to be kept by the parson or curate, the other two by the church-wardens. The erecting of such alms-chest in every church is enjoined by the book of canons, as also the manner of distributing what is thus collected among the poor of the parish.