in darkest england and the way out-第72章

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is　bargain；　but　the　hunger　goes　on　gnawing　within；　and　it　may　be　there　is　a　wife　and　children　hungry　as　well　as　himself；　so　he　yields　to　the　temptation；　takes　the　chain；　and　in　turn　the　policeman　takes　him。

Now　this　man　does　not　want　to　do　wrong；　and　still　less　does　he　want　to　go　to　prison。　　In　a　sincere；　dreamy　way　he　desires　to　be　good；　and　if　the　path　were　easier　for　him　he　would　probably　walk　in　it。

Again；　there　is　the　appetite　for　drink。　　That　man　has　no　thought　of　sinning　when　he　takes　his　first　glass。　　Much　less　does　he　want　to　get　drunk。　　He　may　have　still　a　vivid　recollection　of　the　unpleasant　consequences　that　followed　his　last　spree；　but　the　craving　is　on　him；　the　public…house　is　there　handy；　his　companions　press　him；　he　yields；　and　falls；　and；　perhaps；　falls　to　rise　no　more。

We　might　amplify；　but　our　Scheme　proposes　to　take　the　poor　slave　right　away　from　the　public…houses；　the　drink；　and　the　companions　that　allure　him　to　it；　and　therefore　we　think　the　chances　of　reformation　in　him　are　far　greater。

Then　think　of　the　great　boon　this　Scheme　will　be　to　the　children；　bringing　them　out　of　the　slums；　wretched　hovels；　and　filthy　surroundings　in　which　they　are　being　reared　for　lives　of　abomination　of　every　description；　into　the　fields；　amongst　the　green　trees　and　cottage　homes；　where　they　can　grow　up　with　a　chance　of　saving　both　body　and　soul。

Think　again　of　the　change　this　Scheme　will　make　for　these　poor　creatures　from　the　depressing；　demoralising　surroundings；　of　the　unsightly；　filthy　quarters　in　which　they　are　huddled　together；　to　the　pure　air　and　sights　and　sounds　of　the　country。　　There　is　much　talk　about　the　beneficial　influence　of　pictures；　music　and　literature　upon　the　multitudes。　　Money；　like　water；　is　being　poured　forth　to　supply　such　attractions　in　Museums；　People's　Palaces；　and　the　like；　for　the　edification　and　amelioration　of　the　social　condition　of　the　masses。　But　〃God　made　the　country；　man　made　the　town；〃　and　if　we　take　the　people　to　the　pictures　of　divine　manufacture；　that　must　be　the　superior　plan。

Again；　the　Scheme　is　capable　of　illimitable　application。　　The　plaister　can　be　made　as　large　as　the　wound。　　The　wound　is　certainly　a　very　extensive　one；　and　it　seems　at　first　sight　almost　ridiculous　for　any　private　enterprise　to　attempt　dealing　with　it。　　Three　millions　of　people；　living　in　little　short　of　perpetual　misery　have　to　be　reached　and　rescued　out　of　this　terrible　condition。　　But　it　can　be　done；　and　this　Scheme　will　do　it；　if　it　is　allowed　a　fair　chance。　　Not　all　at　once？　　True！　　It　will　take　time；　but　it　will　begin　to　tell　on　the　restering　mass　straight　away。　　Within　a　measurable　distance　we　ought　to　be　able　to　take　out　of　this　black　sea　at　least　a　hundred　individuals　a　week；　and　there　is　no　reason　why　this　number　should　not　go　on　increasing。

An　appreciable　impression　on　this　gulf　of　misery　would　be　immediately　made；　not　only　for　those　who　are　rescued　from　its　dark　waters；　but　for　those　who　are　left　behind；　seeing　that　for　every　hundred　individuals　removed；　there　is　just　the　additional　work　which　they　performed　for　those　who　remain。　　It　might　not　be　much；　but　still　it　would　soon　count　up。　　Supposing　three　carpenters　are　starving　on　employment　which　covered　one…third　of　their　time；　if　you　take　two　away；　the　one　left　will　have　full　employment。　　But　it　will　be　for　the　public　to　fix；　by　their　contributions；　the　extent　of　our　operations。

The　benefits　bestowed　by　this　Scheme　will　be　permanent　in　duration。　It　will　be　seen　that　this　is　no　temporary　expedient；　such　as；　alas！　nearly　every　effort　hitherto　made　on　behalf　of　these　classes　has　been。　Relief　Works；　Soup　Kitchens；　Enquiries　into　Character；　Emigration　Schemes；　of　which　none　will　avail　themselves；　Charity　in　its　hundred　forms；　Casual　Wards；　the　Union；　and　a　hundred　other　Nostrums　may　serve　for　the　hour；　but　they　are　only　at　the　best　palliations。　　But　this　Scheme；　I　am　bold　to　say；　offers　a　substantial　and　permanent　remedy。

In　relieving　one　section　of　the　community；　our　plan　involves　no　interference　with　the　well…being　of　any　other。　（See　Chapter　VII。　Section　4；　〃Objections。〃）

This　Scheme　removes　the　all　but　insuperable　barrier　to　an　industrious　and　godly　life。　　It　means　not　only　the　leading　of　these　lost　multitudes　out　of　the　〃City　of　Destruction〃　into　the　Canaan　of　plenty；　but　the　lifting　of　them　up　to　the　same　level　of　advantage　with　the　more　favoured　of　mankind　for　securing　the　salvation　of　their　souls。

Look　at　the　circumstances　of　hundreds　and　thousands　of　the　classes　of　whom　we　are　speaking。　　From　the　cradle　to　the　grave；　might　not　their　influence　in　the　direction　of　Religious　Belief　be　summarised　in　one　sentence；　〃Atheism　made　easy。〃　　Let　my　readers　imagine　theirs　to　have　been　a　similar　lot。　　Is　it　not　possible　that；　under　such　circumstances；　they　might　have　entertained　some　serious　doubts　as　to　the　existence　of　a　benevolent　God　who　would　thus　allow　His　creatures　to　starve；　or　that　they　would　have　been　so　preoccupied　with　their　temporal　miseries　as　to　have　no　heart　for　any　concern　about　the　next　life？

Take　a　man；　hungry　and　cold；　who　does　not　know　where　his　next　meal　is　coming　from；　nay；　who　thinks　it　problematical　whether　it　will　come　at　all。　　We　know　his　thoughts　will　be　taken　up　entirely　with　the　bread　he　needs　for　his　body。　　What　he　wants　is　a　dinner。　　The　interests　of　his　soul　must　wait。

Take　a　woman　with　a　starving　family；　who　knows　that　as　soon　as　Monday　comes　round　the　rent　must　be　paid；　or　else　she　and　her　children　must　go　into　the　street；　and　her　little　belongings　be　impounded。　At　the　present　moment　she　is　without　it。　　Are　not　her　thoughts　likely　to　wander　in　that　direction　if　she　slips　into　a　Church　or　Mission　Hall；　or　Salvation　Army　Barracks？

I　have　had　some　experience　on　this　subject；　and　have　been　making　observations　with　respect　to　it　ever　since　the　day　I　made　my　first　attempt　to　reach　these　starving；　hungry；　crowdsjust　over　forty…five　years　agoand　I　am　quite　satisfied　that　these　multitudes　will　not　be　saved　in　their　present　circumstances。　　All　the　Clergymen。　Home　Missionaries；　Tract　Distributors；　Sick　Visitors；　and　everyone　else　who　care　about　the　Salvation　of　the　poor；　may　make　up　their　minds　as　to　that。　　If　these　people　are　to　believe　in　Jesus　Christ；　become　the　Servants　of　God；　and　escape　the　miseries　of　the　wrath　to　come；　they　must　be　helped　out　of　their　present　social　miseries。　　They　must　be　put　into　a　position　in　which　they　can　work　and　eat；　and　have　a　decent　room　to　live　and　sleep　in；　and　see　something　before　them　besides　a　long；　weary；　monotonous；　grinding　round　of　toil；　and　anxious　care　to　keep　themselves　and　those　they　love　barely　alive；　with　nothing　at　the　further　end　but　the　Hospital；　the　Union；　or　the　Madhouse。　　If　Christian　Workers　and　Philanthropists　will　join　hands　to　effect　this　change　it　will　be　accomplished；　and　the　people　will　rise　up　and　bless　them；　and　be　saved；　if　they　will　not；　the　people　will　curse　them　and　perish。


SECTION　4。SOME　OBJECTIONS　MET。

Objections　must　be　expected。　　They　are　a　necessity　with　regard　to　any　Scheme　that　has　not　yet　been　reduced　to　practice；　and　simply　signify　foreseen　difficulties　in　the　working　of　it。　　We　freely　admit　that　there　are　abundance　of　difficulties　in　the　way　of　working　out　the　plan　smoothly　and　successfully　that　has　been　laid　down。　　But　many　of　these　we　imagine　will　vanish　when　we　come　to　close　quarters；　and　the　remainder　will　be　surmounted　by　courage　and　patience。　　Should；　however；　this　plan　prove　the　success　we　predict；　it　must　eventually　revolutionise　the　condition　of　the　starving　sections　of　Society；　not　only　in　this　great　metropolis；　but　throughout　the　whole　range　of　civilisation。　　It　must　therefore　be　worthy　not　only　of　a　careful　consideration　but　of　persevering　trial。

Some　of　these　difficulties　at　first　sight　appear　rather　serious。　Let　us　look　at　them。

Objection　I。It　is　suggested　that　the　class　of　people　for　whose　benefit　the　Scheme　is　designed　would　not　avail　themselves　of　it。

When　the　feast　was　prepared　and　the　invitation　had　gone　forth；　it　is　said　that　the　starving　multitudes　would　not　come；　that　though　labour　was　offered　them　in　the　City；　or　prepared　for　them　on　the　Farm；　they　would　prefer　to　rot　in　their　present　mis