in darkest england and the way out-第1章

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〃In　Darkest　England　and　The　Way　Out〃

by　General　William　Booth



　　　　To　the　memory　of　the　companion；　counsellor；　and　comrade　of　
　　　　nearly　40　years。　　The　sharer　of　my　every　ambition　for　the　
　　　　welfare　of　mankind；　my　loving；　faithful；　and　devoted　wife
　　　　this　book　is　dedicated。


PREFACE

The　progress　of　The　Salvation　Army　in　its　work　amongst　the　poor　and　　lost　of　many　lands　has　compelled　me　to　face　the　problems　which　an　more　　or　less　hopefully　considered　in　the　following　pages。　　The　grim　　necessities　of　a　huge　Campaign　carried　on　for　many　years　against　the　　evils　which　lie　at　the　root　of　all　the　miseries　of　modern　life；　　attacked　in　a　thousand　and　one　forms　by　a　thousand　and　one　lieutenants；　　have　led　me　step　by　step　to　contemplate　as　a　possible　solution　of　at　　least　some　of　those　problems　the　Scheme　of　social　Selection　and　　Salvation　which　I　have　here　set　forth。

When　but　a　mere　child　the　degradation　and　helpless　misery　of　the　poor　　Stockingers　of　my　native　town；　wandering　gaunt　and　hunger…stricken　　through　the　streets　droning　out　their　melancholy　ditties；　crowding　the　　Union　or　toiling　like　galley　slaves　on　relief　works　for　a　bare　　subsistence　kindled　in　my　heart　yearnings　to　help　the　poor　which　have　　continued　to　this　day　and　which　have　had　a　powerful　influence　on　my　　whole　life。　　A　last　I　may　be　going　to　see　my　longings　to　help　the　　workless　realised。　　I　think　I　am。

The　commiseration　then　awakened　by　the　misery　of　this　class　has　been　an　　impelling　force　which　has　never　ceased　to　make　itself　felt　during　forty　　years　of　active　service　in　the　salvation　of　men。　　During　this　time　I　am　　thankful　that　I　have　been　able；　by　the　good　hand　of　God　upon　me；　to　do　　something　in　mitigation　of　the　miseries　of　this　class；　and　to　bring　not　　only　heavenly　hopes　and　earthly　gladness　to　the　hearts　of　multitudes　of　　these　wretched　crowds；　but　also　many　material　blessings；　including　such　　commonplace　things　as　food；　raiment；　home；　and　work；　the　parent　of　so　　many　other　temporal　benefits。　　And　thus　many　poor　creatures　have　proved　　Godliness　to　be　〃profitable　unto　all　things；　having　the　promise　of　the　　life　that　now　is　as　well　as　of　that　which　is　to　come。〃

These　results　have　been　mainly　attained　by　spiritual　means。　　I　have　　boldly　asserted　that　whatever　his　peculiar　character　or　circumstances　　might　be；　if　the　prodigal　would　come　home　to　his　Heavenly　Father；　he　　would　find　enough　and　to　spare　in　the　Father's　house　to　supply　all　his　　need　both　for　this　world　and　the　next；　and　I　have　known　thousands　nay；　　I　can　say　tens　of　thousands；　who　have　literally　proved　this　to　be　true；　　having；　with　little　or　no　temporal　assistance；　come　out　of　the　darkest　　depths　of　destitution；　vice　and　crime；　to　be　happy　and　honest　citizens　　and　true　sons　and　servants　of　God。

And　yet　all　the　way　through　my　career　I　have　keenly　felt　the　remedial　　measures　usually　enunciated　in　Christian　programmes　and　ordinarily　　employed　by　Christian　philanthropy　to　be　lamentably　inadequate　for　any　　effectual　dealing　with　the　despairing　miseries　of　these　outcast　　classes。　The　rescued　are　appallingly　fewa　ghastly　minority　compared　　with　the　multitudes　who　struggle　and　sink　in　the　open…mouthed　abyss。　　Alike；　therefore；　my　humanity　and　my　Christianity；　if　I　may　speak　of　　them　in　any　way　as　separate　one　from　the　other；　have　cried　out　for　some　　more　comprehensive　method　of　reaching　and　saving　the　perishing　crowds。

No　doubt　it　is　good　for　men　to　climb　unaided　out　of　the　whirlpool　on　to　　the　rock　of　deliverance　in　the　very　presence　of　the　temptations　which　　have　hitherto　mastered　them；　and　to　maintain　a　footing　there　with　the　　same　billows　　of　temptation　washing　over　them。　　But；　alas！　with　many　　this　seems　to　be　literally　impossible。　　That　decisiveness　of　character；　　that　moral　nerve　which　takes　hold　of　the　rope　thrown　for　the　rescue　and　　keeps　its　hold　amidst　all　the　resistances　that　have　to　be　encountered；　　is　wanting。　　It　is　gone。　　　The　general　wreck　has　shattered　and　disorganised　the　whole　man。

Alas；　what　multitudes　there　are　around　us　everywhere；　many　known　to　my　　readers　personally；　and　any　number　who　may　be　known　to　them　by　a　very　　short　walk　from　their　own　dwellings；　who　are　in　this　very　plight！　　Their　　vicious　habits　and　destitute　circumstances　make　it　certain　that　without　　some　kind　of　extraordinary　help；　they　must　hunger　and　sin；　and　sin　and　　hunger；　until；　having　multiplied　their　kind；　and　filled　up　the　measure　　of　their　miseries；　the　gaunt　fingers　of　death　will　close　upon　then　and　　terminate　their　wretchedness。　　And　all　this　will　happen　this　very　　winter　in　the　midst　of　the　unparalleled　wealth；　and　civilisation；　and　　philanthropy　of　this　professedly　most　Christian　land。

Now；　I　propose　to　go　straight　for　these　sinking　classes；　and　in　doing　　so　shall　continue　to　aim　at　the　heart。　　I　still　prophesy　the　uttermost　　disappointment　unless　that　citadel　is　reached。　　In　proposing　to　add　one　　more　to　the　methods　I　have　already　put　into　operation　to　this　end；　do　　not　let　it　be　supposed　that　I　am　the　less　dependent　upon　the　old　plans　　or　that　I　seek　anything　short　of　the　old　conquest。　　If　we　help　the　man　　it　is　in　order　that　we　may　change　him。　The　builder　who　should　elaborate　　his　design　and　erect　his　house　and　risk　his　reputation　without　burning　　his　bricks　would　be　pronounced　a　failure　and　a　fool。　　Perfection　of　　architectural　beauty；　unlimited　expenditure　of　capital；　unfailing　　watchfulness　of　his　labourers；　would　avail　him　nothing　if　the　bricks　　were　merely　unkilned　clay。　　Let　him　kindle　a　fire。　　And　so　here　I　see　　the　folly　of　hoping　to　accomplish　anything　abiding；　either　in　the　　circumstances　or　the　morals　of　these　hopeless　classes；　except　there　be　　a　change　effected　in　the　whole　man　as　well　as　in　his　surroundings。　To　this　everything　I　hope　to　attempt　will　tend。　　In　many　cases　I　shall　　succeed；　in　some　I　shall　fail；　but　even　in　failing　of　this　my　ultimate　　design；　I　shall　at　least　benefit　the　bodies；　if　not　the　souls；　of　men；　　and　if　I　do　not　save　the　fathers；　I　shall　make　a　better　chance　for　the　　children。　　

It　will　be　seen　therefore　that　in　this　or　in　any　other　development　that　　may　follow　I　have　no　intention　to　depart　in　the　smallest　degree　from　　the　main　principles　on　which　I　have　acted　in　the　past。　　My　only　hope　　for　the　permanent　deliverance　of　mankind　from　misery；　either　in　this　　world　or　the　next；　is　the　regeneration　or　remaking　of　the　individual　by　　the　power　of　the　Holy　Ghost　through　Jesus　Christ。　　But　in　providing　for　　the　relief　of　temporal　misery　I　reckon　that　I　am　only　making　it　easy　　where　it　is　now　difficult；　and　possible　where　it　is　now　all　but　　impossible；　for　men　and　women　to　find　their　way　to　the　Cross　of　our　　Lord　Jesus　Christ。

That　I　have　confidence　in　my　proposals　goes　without　saying。　　　I　believe　they　will　work。　　In　miniature　many　of　them　are　working　　already。　　But　I　do　not　claim　that　my　Scheme　is　either　perfect　in　its　　details　or　complete　in　the　sense　of　being　adequate　to　combat　all　forms　　of　the　gigantic　evils　against　which　it　is　in　the　main　directed。　　Like　other　human　things　it　must　be　perfected　through　suffering。　　But　it　is　a　sincere　endeavour　to　do　something；　and　to　do　it　on　　principles　which　can　be　instantly　applied　and　universally　developed。　　　Time；　experience；　criticism；　and；　above　all；　the　guidance　of　God　will　　enable　us；　I　hope；　to　advance　on　the　lines　here　laid　down　to　a　true　and　　practical　application　of　the　words　of　the　Hebrew　Prophet：　　〃Loose　the　　bands　of　wickedness；　undo　the　heavy　burdens；　let　the　oppressed　go　free；　　break　every　yoke；　deal　thy　bread　to　the　hungry；　bring　the　poor　that　are　　cast　out　to　thy　house。　　When　thou　seest　the　naked　cover　him　and　hide　　not　thyself　from　thine　own　flesh。　　Draw　out　thy　soul　to　the　hungry　Then　they　that　be　of　thee　shall　build　the　old　waste　places　and　Thou　　shalt　raise　up　the　foundations　of　many　generations。〃

To　one　who　has　been　for　nearly　forty　years　indissolubly　associated　with　　me　in　every　undertaking　I　owe　much　of　the　inspiration　which　has　found　　expression　in　this　book。　　It　is　probably　difficult　for　me　to　fully　　estimate　the　extent　to　which　the　splendid　benevolence　and　unbounded　　sympathy　of　her　character　have　pressed　me　forward　in　the　life…long　　service　of　man；　to　which