In Darkest England, and the Way Out

REDENTIALS OF TH

t this is not so manifest as to preclude us from wishing to make the attempt. That in itself is a qualification which is shared by no other organisation-at present. If we can do it we have the field entirely to ourselves. The wealthy churches show no inclination to compete for the on

on Him who can influence the heart of man. There is no doubt that the most satisfactory method of raising a man must be to effect such a change in his views and feelings that he shall voluntarily abandon his evil ways, give himself to indust

that force of character which will constrain them to avail themselves of the me

e poorest and worst. Multitudes of slaves of vice in every form have been delivered not only from these habits, but from the destitution and misery which they even produce. Instances have been given. Any number more can be produced. Our experience, which has been almost world-wide, has ever s

ous body founded in our time that is based upon the principle of voluntary subjection to an absolute authority. No one is bound to remain in the Army a day longer than he pleases. While he remains th

y warned against the evils which this autocratic system would entail. Especially were we told that in a democratic age the people would never stand the establishment of what was describe

odern Christendom affords any parallel. It is only twenty-five years since it was born. It is now the largest Home and Foreign Missionary Society in the Protestant world. We have nearly 10,000 officers under our orders, a number increasing every day, every one of whom has taken service on the express c

earth, will transfer them from the Slums of London to San Francisco, or despatch them to assist in opening missions in Holland, Zululand, Sweden, or South America. So far from resenting the exercise of authority, the Salvation A

ised, sweated, hopeless, drink-sodden denizens of darkest England is impossible. It is possible, because it has already been accompli

thing like 4,000 different places, that it has either soldiers or friends sufficiently in sympathy with it to render assistance in almost every considerable population in the civilised world, and in much of the uncivilised, that it has nearly 10,000 separated officers whose training, and leisure, and history qual

s, the special purport of every one being the saving of these wretched crowds. Indeed, when this Scheme is perfected and fairly at work, every meeting and every procession will be looked upon as an advertisement of the earthly as well as the heavenly conditions of happiness. And every Ba

s, and pals in crime and mischief. This class is the perpetual difficulty of a Salvationist's life. He feels that there is no help for them in the conditions in which they are at present found. They are so hopelessly weak, and their temptations are so terribly strong, that they go down before them. The Salvationist feels this when he attacks them in the t

ts, and blasphemers, and idlers have to be made over again, to be renewed in the spirit of their minds, that is-made good. What a host of moral workers will be required to accomplish such a gigantic transformat

brought into line and are examples

s. These rough-and-ready warriors will work shoulder to shoulder with them in the same manual employment. They will engage in the task for love. This is a substantial p

colonies, with all their correspondents and friends and comrades living elsewhere, will be ever on the watch-tower looking out for homes and employments where these rescued men and

things, if the problem so long deemed hopeless be approached with intelligence and determ

HOW MUCH WI

ly extended, on which we fully rely. Of course, the cost of the effort must depend very much upon its magnitude. If anything is to be done commensurate with the extent of the evil, it will necessarily require a proportionate outlay. If it is only the drainage of a garden that is undertaken, a f

ubt that the public will hasten to supply one-tenth of that sum. If you reckon that of the submerged tenth we have one million to deal with, this will only be one po

ask as an earnest that the public intend to put its hand to this business with serious resolution; and our judgment is based, not on any mere imaginings, but upon the actual result of the experiments already made. Still it must be remembered that so vast and desirable an end cannot be even practically contemplated without a proportionate financial outl

ASPECT OF TH

, the acquisition of machinery, furniture, tools, and the necessary plant for carrying forward all these va

for both Single and Married people will not only pay for themselves, but return some interest

ds to keep them going. But the public has never been slow t

nce, inclusive of clothes and other little matters, and there are expenses for Halls and some little relief which cannot in anyway be avoided, bringing our present annual Slum outlay to over #4,000. But the poor people amongst whom they work notwithstanding the

nd we calculate, in addition, upon receiving money with a considerable number of those availing themselves of its benefits. But t

fitted up, pay their

, and other similar operations will without question require money to make ends meet. But on the whole, a very sma

FROM A FINANCI

the present time, at very low prices. It is rather important for the initial experiment that an estate should be obtained not too far from London, with land suitable for immediate cultivation. Such an estate would beyond question be expensive. After a time, I have no doubt, we shall be able to deal with land of almost any quality (and that in almos

e acres. But, even supposing that this calculation is a little too sanguine, we can still reckon a farm of 500 acres supporting, without any outside assistance, say, 750 persons. But, in this Scheme, we should have many advantages not p

s. At the rate of our present consumption in the London Food Depots and Homes for the Destitute alone, at leas

ght out. In the event of a great rush being made for the allotment

e undertaking. But this would be proportionally beneficial to the country, seeing that ev

constitute a small return, and at least

ards planted, land enriched, factories run up, warehouses erected, while other improvements would be continual

amount to a considerable sum. Truer and for this the first outlay would be required. But after this every cottage erected, every road made, in short ever

ome of the varied Local Authorities, will assist in the working out of a plan

rs would be in keeping

rmy, which

as has been described, beyond pocket

y indolent, half-witted people, incapable of improvement, left upon our hands. Still, it is thought that with reformed habits, variety of employment, and careful oversight, suc

s we anticipate, there can be no question that great financial assistance will be rendere

ASPECT OF THE

es chiefly with the preliminary outlay, as we could not for a moment contemplate having to find money to assist it wh

o Africa, Canada, or elsewhere; anyway, it would be acquir

crop; stock, farm implements, and furniture to purchase, and other similar expenses. But this would not be undertaken on a large scale, as we should

ld be repaid by instalments by the Colonists, which would in turn

nd #3 for the journey across the country-is a large sum when a considerable number are involved; and I am afraid no Colo

supposing that a much larger amount should be required, by operations greatly in advance of those here spoken of, which we think exceedingly probable, it is not unreasonable to expect that it will be forthcoming, seeing that caring for the poor is not only a duty of universal obligation, a root princ

mere trifle. When King Theodore, of Abyssinia, made captives of a couple of British representatives, Lord Napier was despatched to rescue. He marched his army to Magdala, brought back the prisoners, and left King Theodore dead. The cost of that expedition was over nine millions sterling. The Egyptian Campaign, that smashed Arabi, cost nearly five millions. The rush to Khartoum, that arrived too late to rescue General Gordon, cost at least as much. The Afghan war cost twenty-one millions sterling. Who dares then to say that Britain cannot provide a million sterling to rescue, not one or two captives, but a million, whose lot is quite as doleful a

SOME ADVANT

conduct, and charges itself with supplying at once their temporal needs; and then aims at placing them in a permanent position of comparat

when fairly at work, to be able to dispense with even these restrictions, and to receive any unfo

s ever been mooted before, seeing that nearly all the other charitable and remedial proposals more

task, the classes whose welfare it contemplates, and, by varied measures and

heir own evil conduct is the cause of their wretchedness. To stop short with them of anything less than a real change of heart will be to invite and ensure failure. But this we are con

the first time, and so obtaining an introduction to decent employment, and a claim for admission into Society as a good citizen. While many of this crowd are absolutely without a decent friend, others will have, on that higher level of respec

r the prudent use of it; and there are hundreds of poor women who do not know what a decently-managed home is, and who could not make one if they had the most ample means and tried ever so hard to accomplish it, having never seen anything but d

ropist has been "How can we find these people work?" No matter what other helps are discovered, without work there is no real ground for hope. Charity and all the other ten thousand devices are only temporary expedients, altogether insufficient to meet the necessity. Work, apart from the fact that it is God's method of supplying the wants of man's composite nature, is an essential to h

iculturist. The baker would make bread for all, the tailor garments for all, the shoemaker shoes for all, the cook would cook for all, and the agriculturist dig for all. Th

grace, or by any consideration of the advantages of a good life, or the disadvantages of a bad one, produced in a man circumstanced as those whom we have been describing, the resolution to turn over a n

sin; many of them do not know what sin is, but they have certain appetites or natural likings, the indulgence of which is pleasant to them, and when the desire for their unlawful gratification is aroused,

n him, or the advice of the chaplain ringing in his ears. He has made up his mind to steal no more, but he has no means of earning a livelihood. He becomes hungry. What is he to do? A loaf of bread tempts him, or, more likely, a gold chain which he can turn into

t to go to prison. In a sincere, dreamy way he desires to be good,

to get drunk. He may have still a vivid recollection of the unpleasant consequences that followed his last spree, but the craving

from the public-houses, the drink, and the companions that allure him to i

and filthy surroundings in which they are being reared for lives of abomination of every description, into the fi

s 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 th

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 tim

ndividuals 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 emp

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, t

involves no interference with the well-being of an

ding of these lost multitudes out of the "City of Destruction" into the Canaan of plenty, but the lifting of th

ne 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 ex

s it problematical whether it will come at all. We know his thoughts will be taken up entirely wi

er children must go into the street, and her little belongings be impounded. At the present moment she is without it. Are

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, w

-SOME OBJE

ing 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 predic

lties at first sight

look

s of people for whose benefit the Scheme i

would not come; that though labour was offered them in the City, or prepared for them on the Farm, th

, and all suffering severely in consequence. We furnished a set of questions, and obtained answers from the whole. Now, it must be borne in mind that these

hem being skilled workmen; an examination of the return papers showing that out of the ent

aturally varied. There

Officers, Schoolmaster

he different branches

ho have been in busine

hanics when regularly employed was 33s. per week; the

Custom House Officer had recently acted as Carpenter's Labourer; a Type-founder had been glad to work at Chimney Sweeping; the Schoolmaster, able to speak five languages, who in his prosperous days had owned a farm, was glad to do odd job

nine children, who had been able to earn 40s. a week, but h

set to work at anything you could do, and supplied with food, lodging, and clothing,

one exception, and on enquiry we elicited that, being a sail

ving on scraps of food, begged or earned in the most haphazard fashion, without sufficient clothing to cover their poor gaunt limbs, most of them without a shirt. They had to start out the next morning, uncertain which way to turn to earn a crust for dinner, or the fourpence necessary to supply them again with the humble shelter they had enjoyed that night. The idea of th

should be under no obligation to take more than was convenient. The larger the number of applications

d towns, would render their existence unbearable. Even when left to the streets, there is an amount of life and action in the city which is very attractive. Doubtless some would run away, but I don't think this would be a large proportion.

ciency

f companions of similar tastes and circumstances- not all pious. It would be quit

selves in the future, together with all the religious l

says our

cense, emancipated from all discipline but that of starvation, given to drink, and, for the most part, impaired in health. If, therefore, any considerable number of this class can be shown to be ready to submit themselves voluntarily to discipline, to endure deprivation of drink, and to apply themselves steadily to industry, then example will go a long way towards proving that even the worst descr

they do not run away. Much more restless and thoughtless and given to change, as a class, than men, the girls do not, in any considerable numbers, desert. The average of our London Homes, for the last three years, giv

nd, until the time comes, if it ever does arrive, when the Government will make it a crime for an abled-bodied man to beg when there is an opportunity for him to engage in remunerative work, this class will wander abroad preying upon a generous public. It will, however, only need to be known that any man can obtai

would have a good influence in inducing the idlest to give work a fair trial, and once at it should not despair of conquering the

hanging methods of labour we should pursue, with the monotonous and uninteresting grind of man

and there can be no question, as to its being the cause of much of their poverty and distress. But from early morn until the lights are out at night, all is a round of busy, and, to a great extent, very uninteresting labour; while the girls have, as a human inducement

eets, but who, for various reasons, were found unsuitable for domestic service. The Factory has solved the problem of employment for some o

ing at this trade in London are living in the family, and 6s., 7s., and 8s. a week make an acceptable addition to the Home income; but our girls who are entirely dependent upon their own earnings must make an average wage of 12s. a week at least. In order that they may do this we are obliged to pay higher wages than o

behaviour-both at home as well as at work. In one instance only have we had any trouble at all, and in this solitary case the girl was so penitent she was forgiven, and has done well ever since. I think that, without exception, they are Salvation Soldiers, and will be found at nearly eve

principles that will admit of illimitable extension, and may, I think, be justly regarded a

benefit we contemplate would not have physical

and poverty-hovels of the towns and cities, do farm or any other work that has to do with the land? The employment in

be appointed to that kind of work for which his previous knowledge and experience and strength best adapted him. Moreover, there can be no possible comparison between the conditions of health enjoyed by men and women wandering about homeless, sleeping in the streets or i

e home, cheerful companions, and a fair prospect of reaching a position of independence in this or some other land, and a co

be left with a considerable residu

anyone. It would, how ever, be painful to have to send them back to the dreadful life from which we had rescued them. Still, however, this would not be so ruinous a risk, looked at financially, as some would imagine. We could, we thi

f a similar character have failed. For instance, co

rom what we are proposing here: Take one particular alone, the great bulk of these societies have not only been fashioned without any regard to the principles of Christianity, but, in the vast majority of instances, have been in direct opposition to them; and the only communities based on co-operative pri

e impossible to maintain order and enforce g

t, and we speak as those who have had considerable experience in dealing with the low

have had some sort of trial in the different City Establishments. We should only draft them on to the Estate in small numbers, as we were prepared to deal with them, and I am quite satisfied that without the legal methods of maintaining order that are acted upon so freel

e trained in habits of obedience, and all our Officers are educated in the exercise of authority. The Officers throughout the Colony would be almost exclusively recruited fro

order of our Soldiers. Here are men and women, who have no temporal interest whatever at stake, receiving no remuneration, often sacrificing their earthly interests by

together of your own way of thinking. You can command them as you please, and they will obey, but what

nvert all the denizens of Darkest England, what chance is there that they will be docile to your discipline? If they were soundly saved no doubt somethin

f the sweater. It is not a choice between liberty and discipline that confronts these unfortunates, but between discipline mercilessly enforced by starvation and inspired by futile greed, and discipline accompanied with regular rations and administered solely for their own benefit. What liberty is there for the tailors who have to sew for sixteen to twenty hours a day, in a pest-hole, in

ut as a matter of fact they do not understand it, and that they will never have

ls who crawl about the streets, a certain proportion criminals, and about as difficult a class to manage as I should think could be got together, and while there will be 200 of them in a single building night after night, from the first opening of the doors in the evening until the last man has departed in the morning, there shall scarcely be a word

e loyal to its authority and principles, and laboured industriously in promoting its interests, would be rewarded accordingly by

know that this enterprise was begun and carried on solely for their benefit, and that of the other members of their class, and that only their own good behaviour and co-operati

to be attempted by voluntary enterprise; it ought to

her Governments, nor Society, nor individuals have stood forward to undertake what God has made appear to us to be so vitally important a work, and as He has given us the willingness, and i

it are too ignorant and depraved for Christian effo

vicious habits. It will be said, indeed has been already said by those with whom I have conversed, tha

these poor people cannot be much more unfavourable subjects for the work of regeneration than are many of the savages and heathen tribes, in th

y. To their class, the Saviour especially gave His attention when h

orkers for the benefit of mankind, have sprung from this class, of which we have instances r

mmunity by making steady, industrious workmen, it must thereby injure another class by

of workers, which this Scheme will certainly bring about, was the beginning and the end of it, it would certainly present a somewhat serious aspect. But, even on that supposit

e number of extra hands thrown on the British L

in our Farm and Colonial operations m

iduals who at present have only partial work, while benefiting the

tion. For instance, the drunkard who has had to manage with a few bricks, a soap box, and a bundle of rags, will want a

ill be drawn by the desire to improve their circumstances, or to raise their children under more favourable surroundings, or from still nobler motives, to leave the old country. Then it is expected that the agricultural labourer and the village arti

5. RECAP

he short comings of the Scheme, and that is that if you wait until you get an ideally perfect plan you will have to wait until the Millennium, and then you will not need it. My suggestions, crude though they may be, have, nevertheless, one element that will in time supply all deficiencies. There is life in them, with life there is the promise and power of adaptation to all the innumerable and varying circumstances of the class with which we have to deal. Where there is life there is infinite pow

s I rejoice. I plead for no exclusiveness. The question is much too serious for such fooling as that. Here are millions of our fellow-creatures perishing amidst the breakers of the sea of life, dashed to pieces on sharp rocks, sucked under by eddying whirlpools, suffocated even when they think they have reached land by treacherous quicksands; to save them from this

afe on the beach is worth more to him than the finest yacht that ever left a slip-way incapable of effecting the same object. The superfine votaries of culture may recoil in disgust from the rough-and-ready suggestions which I have made for

ditti, whom he even led into temptation by the careless way in which he exposed himself and his goods to their avaricious gaze. It was, no doubt, largely his own fault that he lay there bruised and senseless, and ready to perish, just as it is largely the fault of those whom we seek to h

or principles of political economy, without due regard to which no Scheme can hope for even a chance of success. Subject to these conditions, I think my Scheme will pass muster. It is large enough to cope with the evils th

Shops, and other agencies will prove an unspeakable boon, and will be likely by such temporary assistance to help them out of the deep gulf in which they are struggling. Those who need permanent assistance will be passed on to the City Colony, and taken directly under our control. Here they will be employed as before described. Many will be sent off to friends; work w

he Colony, on the sole conditions of their being anxious for deliverance, and willing to work for it, and t

n being made in labour. Even where relatives and friends supply money to the Colonists, the latter must take

naturally be put to work on the land; the shoemaker will make shoes, the weaver cloth, and so on. And when there is no knowledge of any handicraft

has tended to produce much destitution by supplanting hand labour so exclusively that the rush has been fr

food, clothing, lodging, medicine, and

and industry, or to those occupying positions of trust, part of which will be saved

in view the qualification of the Colonists for ultimately earning their livelihood in the world altogether independently

ties ever connected with the disposal of the products of unemployed labour. The food from the Farm would

ple will be to inspire and cultivate those habits, the want of which

of order amongst so large a number of people, many of whom had hitherto lived a wild and licentious l

under the supervision of a sergeant-one of themselves-working

osition, such as knowledge of the particular kind of work they had to superintend, or their being good disciplinarians and having the faculty for controlling men and being themselves influenced by a spirit of love. Ultimately the Officers, we have no doubt, would be, as is the case in all our

hose ability, character

kn

n strength, mental cal

those whose conduct

d remain in this cla

ment, or are pronoun

y expu

private use, and a part reserved for future contingencies, the payment of travelling expenses, etc.

mpt to restore to the masses of humanity that are crowded together in cities, the human and natural elements of life which they possessed when they lived in the smaller unit of the village or the market town. Of the extent of the need there can be no question. It is, perhaps, greatest in London, where the masses of population are denser than those of any other city; but it exists equally in the chief centres of population in the new Englands that have sprung up beyond the sea, as wel

Salvation Army with the unemployed of Melbourne. This was before the great Strike. The Government of Victoria practically threw upon our officers the task of dealing with the unemployed. The subject was debated in the House of Assembly, and at the close of the debate a subscription was taken up by one of those who had been our most strenuous opponents, and a sum of #400 was handed over to our officers to dispense in keeping the st

ctoria, Chief Se

bou

4th,

Salvation Arm

t have been a permanent tax upon the State, and you have restrained from further criminal courses others who had already suffered legal punishment for their misdeeds. It has given me pleasure to obtain from the Executive Council authority for you to apprehend children found in Brothels, and to take charge of such children after formal committal. Of the great value of this branch of your work there can be no

to be, Sir, Your

) ALFRE

be called, if I may use a word which has been so depraved by Continental abuse, the moral police of the city. Our Officer in Melbourne has an official position which opens to him almost eve

their Salvation. As Victoria is probably the most democratic of our colonies, and the one in which the working-class has supreme control, the extent to which it has by its government recognised the value of our operations is sufficient to indicate that we have nothing to fear from the opposition of the democracy. In the neighbouring colony of New South Wales a lady has already given us a farm of three hundred acres fully stocked, on which