in darkest england and the way out-第53章

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Rose　is　now　War　Cry　sergeant。　　She　goes　into　the　brothels　and　gin　palaces　and　other　haunts　of　vice；　from　which　she　was　rescued；　and　sells　more　papers　than　any　other　Soldier。

The　Superintendent　of　Police；　soon　after　her　conversion；　told　the　Captain　at　the　Corps　that　in　rescuing　Rose　a　more　wonderful　work　had　been　done　than　he　had　seen　in　all　the　years　gone　by。

S。　was　a　native　of　Lancashire；　the　son　of　poor；　but　pious；　parents。　He　was　saved　when　sixteen　years　of　age。　　He　was　first　an　Evangelist；　then　a　City　Missionary　for　five　or　six　years；　and　afterwards　a　Baptist　Minister。　　He　then　fell　under　the　influence　of　drink；　resigned；　and　became　a　commercial　traveller；　but　lost　his　berth　through　drink。　He　was　then　an　insurance　agent；　and　rose　to　be　superintendent；　but　was　again　dismissed　through　drink。　　During　his　drunken　career　he　had　delirium　tremens　four　times；　attempted　suicide　three　times；　sold　up　six　homes；　was　in　the　workhouse　with　his　wife　and　family　three　times。　His　last　contrivance　for　getting　drink　was　to　preach　mock　sermons；　and　offer　mock　prayers　in　the　tap…rooms。

After　one　of　these　blasphemous　performances　in　a　public…house；　on　the　words；　〃Are　you　Saved？〃　he　was　challenged　to　go　to　the　Salvation　Barracks。　　He　went；　and　the　Captain；　who　knew　him　well；　at　once　made　for　him；　to　plead　for　his　soul；　but　S。　knocked　him　down；　and　rushed　back　to　the　public…house　for　more　drink。　　He　was；　however；　so　moved　by　what　he　had　heard　that　he　was　unable　to　raise　the　liquor　to　his　mouth；　although　he　made　three　attempts。　　He　again　returned　to　the　meeting；　and　again　quitted　it　for　the　public…house。　　He　could　not　rest；　and　for　the　third　time　he　returned　to　the　Barracks。　　As　he　entered　the　last　time　the　Soldiers　were　singing：　

　〃Depth　of　mercy；　can　there　be　　Mercy　still　reserved　for　me？　　Can　my　God　his　wrath　forbear？　　Me；　the　chief　of　Sinners；　spare？

This　song　impressed　him　still　further；　he　wept；　and　remained　in　the　Barracks　under　deep　conviction　until　midnight。　　He　was　drunk　all　the　next　day；　vainly　trying　to　drown　his　convictions。　　The　Captain　visited　him　at　night；　but　was　quickly　thrust　out　of　the　house。　　He　was　there　again　next　morning；　and　prayed　and　talked　with　S。　for　nearly　two　hours。　Poor　S。　was　in　despair。　　He　persisted　that　there　was　no　mercy　for　him。　After　a　long　struggle；　however；　hope　sprung　up；　he　fell　upon　his　knees；　confessed　his　sins；　and　obtained　forgiveness。

When　this　happened；　his　furniture　consisted　of　a　soap…box　for　a　table；　and　starch　boxes　for　chairs。　　His　wife；　himself；　and　three　children；　had　not　slept　in　a　bed　for　three　years。　　He　has　now　a　happy　family；　a　comfortable　home；　and　has　been　the　means　of　leading　numbers　of　other　slaves　of　sin　to　the　Saviour；　and　to　a　truly　happy　life。

Similar　cases；　describing　the　deliverance　of　drunkards　from　the　bondage　of　strong　drink；　could　be　produced　indefinitely。　　There　are　Officers　marching　in　our　ranks　to…day；　who　where　once　gripped　by　this　fiendish　fascination；　who　have　had　their　fetters　broken；　and　are　now　free　men　in　the　Army。　　Still　the　mighty　torrent　of　Alcohol；　fed　by　ten　thousand　manufactories；　sweeps　on；　bearing　with　it；　I　have　no　hesitation　in　saying；　the　foulest；　bloodiest　tide　that　ever　flowed　from　earth　to　eternity。　　The　Church　of　the　living　God　ought　notand　to　say　nothing　about　religion；　the　people　who　have　any　humanity　ought　not；　to　rest　without　doing　something　desperate　to　rescue　this　half　of　a　million　who　are　in　the　eddying　maelstrom。　　We　purpose；　therefore；　the　taking　away　of　the　people　from　the　temptation　which　they　cannot　resist。　　We　would　to　God　that　the　temptation　could　be　taken　away　from　them；　that　every　house　licensed　to　send　forth　the　black　streams　of　bitter　death　were　closed；　and　closed　for　ever。　　But　this　will　not　be；　we　fear；　for　the　present　at　least。

While　in　one　case　drunkenness　may　be　resolved　into　a　habit；　in　another　it　must　be　accounted　a　disease。　　What　is　wanted　in　the　one　case；　therefore；　is　some　method　of　removing　the　man　out　of　the　sphere　of　the　temptation；　and　in　the　other　for　treating　the　passion　as　a　disease；　as　we　should　any　other　physical　affection；　bringing　to　bear　upon　it　every　agency；　hygienic　and　otherwise；　calculated　to　effect　a　cure。

The　Dalrymple　Homes；　in　which；　on　the　order　of　a　magistrate　and　by　their　own　consent；　Inebriates　can　be　confined　for　a　time；　have　been　a　partial　success　in　dealing　with　this　class　in　both　these　respects；　but　they　are　admittedly　too　expensive　to　be　of　any　service　to　the　poor。　It　could　never　be　hoped　that　working　people　of　themselves；　or　with　the　assistance　of　their　friends；　would　be　able　to　pay　two　pounds　a　week　for　the　privilege　of　being　removed　away　from　the　licensed　temptations　to　drink　which　surround　them　at　every　step。　　Moreover；　could　they　obtain　admission　they　would　feel　themselves　anything　but　at　ease　amongst　the　class　who　avail　themselves　of　these　institutions。　　We　propose　to　establish　Homes　which　will　contemplate　the　deliverance；　not　of　ones　and　twos；　but　of　multitudes；　and　which　will　be　accessible　to　the　poor；　or　to　persons　of　any　class　choosing　to　use　them。　　This　is　our　national　vice；　and　it　demands　nothing　short　of　a　national　remedyanyway；　one　of　proportions　large　enough　to　be　counted　national。

1。　　To　begin　with；　there　will　be　City　Homes；　into　which　a　man　can　be　　　　　taken；　watched　over；　kept　out　of　the　way　of　temptation；　and　if　　　　　possible　delivered　from　the　power　of　this　dreadful　habit。

In　some　cases　persons　would　be　taken　in　who　are　engaged　in　business　in　the　City　in　the　day；　being　accompanied　by　an　attendant　to　and　from　the　Home。　　In　this　case；　of　course；　adequate　remuneration　for　this　extra　care　would　be　required。

2。　　Country　Homes；　which　we　shall　conduct　on　the　Dalrymple　principle；　　　　　that　is；　taking　persons　for　compulsory　confinement；　they　binding　　　　　themselves　by　a　bond　confirmed　by　a　magistrate　that　they　would　　　　　remain　for　a　certain　period。　　The　general　regulations　for　both　　　　　establishments　would　be　something　as　follows：　

　（1）。　There　would　be　only　one　class　in　each　establishment。　　If　it　was　　　　　　　found　that　the　rich　and　the　poor　did　not　work　comfortably　　　　　　　together；　separate　institutions　must　be　provided。　　（2）。　All　would　alike　have　to　engage　in　some　remunerative　form　of　　　　　　　employment。　　Outdoor　work　would　be　preferred；　but　indoor　　　　　　　employment　would　be　arranged　for　those　for　whom　it　was　most　　　　　　　suitable；　and　in　such　weather　and　at　such　times　of　the　year　when　　　　　　　garden　work　was　impracticable。　　（3）。　A　charge　of　10s。　per　week　would　be　made。　　This　could　be　　　　　　　remitted　when　there　was　no　ability　to　pay　it。

The　usefulness　of　such　Homes　is　too　evident　to　need　any　discussion。　There　is　one　class　of　unfortunate　creatures　who　must　be　objects　of　pity　to　all　who　have　any　knowledge　of　their　existence；　and　that　is；　those　men　and　women　who　are　being　continually　dragged　before　the　magistrates；　of　whom　we　are　constantly　reading　in　the　police　reports；　whose　lives　are　spent　in　and　out　of　prison；　at　an　enormous　cost　to　the　country；　and　without　any　benefit　to　themselves。

We　should　then　be　able　to　deal　with　this　class。　　It　would　be　possible　for　a　magistrate；　instead　of　sentencing　the　poor　wrecks　of　humanity　to　the　sixty…fourth　and　one　hundred　and　twentieth　term　of　imprisonment；　to　send　them　to　this　Institution；　by　simply　remanding　them　to　come　up　for　sentence　when　called　for。　　How　much　cheaper　such　an　arrangement　would　be　for　the　country！


SECTION　5。A　NEW　WAY　OF　ESCAPE　FOR　LOST　WOMEN。　　THE　RESCUE　HOMES。

Perhaps　there　is　no　evil　more　destructive　of　the　best　interests　of　Society；　or　confessedly　more　difficult　to　deal　with　remedially；　than　that　which　is　known　as　the　Social　Evil。　　We　have　already　seen　something　of　the　extent　to　which　this　terrible　scourge　has　grown；　and　the　alarming　manner　in　which　it　affects　our　modern　civilisation。

We　have　already　made　an　attempt　at　grappling　with　this　evil；　having　about　thirteen　Homes　in　Great　Britain；　accommodating　307　girls　under　the　charge　of　132　Officers；　together　with　seventeen　Homes　abroad；　open　for　the　same　purpose。　　The　whole；　although　a　small　affair　compared　with　the　vastness　of　the　necessity；　nevertheless　constitutes　perhaps　the　largest　and　most　efficient　effort　of　its　character　in　the　world。