in darkest england and the way out-第71节

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　should　I　be　pleased　if　he　had　spent　some　of　his　own　time　and　a　little　of　his　own　money　in　trying　to　do　the　work　himself。　　After　such　investigation　I　am　confident　there　could　be　only　one　result。

There　is　one　more　plea　I　have　to　offer　to　those　who　might　seek　to　excuse　themselves　from　rendering　any　financial　assistance　to　the　Scheme。　　Is　it　not　worthy　at　least　of　being　tried　as　an　experiment？　Tens　of　thousands　of　pounds　are　yearly　spent　in　〃trying〃　for　minerals；　boring　for　coals；　sinking　for　water；　and　I　believe　there　are　those　who　think　it　worth　while；　at　an　expenditure　of　hundreds　of　thousands　of　pounds；　to　experiment　in　order　to　test　the　possibility　of　making　a　tunnel　under　the　sea　between　this　country　and　France。　　Should　these　adventurers　fail　in　their　varied　operations；　they　have；　at　least；　the　satisfaction　of　knowing；　though　hundreds　of　thousands　of　pounds　have　been　expended；　that　they　have　not　been　wasted；　and　they　will　not　complain；　because　they　have　at　least　attempted　the　accomplishment　of　that　which　they　felt　ought　to　be　done；　and　it　must　be　better　to　attempt　a　duty；　though　we　fail；　than　never　to　attempt　it　at　all。　　In　this　book　we　do　think　we　have　presented　a　sufficient　reason　to　justify　the　expenditure　of　the　money　and　effort　involved　in　the　making　of　this　experiment。　　And　though　the　effort　should　not　terminate　in　the　grand　success　which　I　so　confidently　predict；　and　which　we　all　must　so　ardently　desire；　still　there　is　bound　to　be；　not　only　the　satisfaction　of　having　attempted　some　sort　of　deliverance　for　these　wretched　people；　but　certain　results　which　will　amply　repay　every　farthing　expended　in　the　experiment。

I　am　now　sixty…one　years　of　age。　　The　last　eighteen　months；　during　which　the　continual　partner　of　all　my　activities　for　now　nearly　forty　years　has　laid　in　the　arms　of　unspeakable　suffering；　has　added　more　than　many　many　former　ones；　to　the　exhaustion　of　my　term　of　service。　I　feel　already　something　of　the　pressure　which　led　the　dying　Emperor　of　Germany　to　say；　〃I　have　no　time　to　be　weary。〃　　If　I　am　to　see　the　accomplishment　in　any　considerable　degree　of　these　life…long　hopes；　I　must　be　enabled　to　embark　up　on　the　enterprise　without　delay；　and　with　the　world…wide　burden　constantly　upon　me　in　connection　with　the　universal　mission　of　our　Army　I　cannot　be　expected　to　struggle　in　this　matter　alone。

But　I　trust　that　the　upper　and　middle　classes　are　at　last　being　awakened　out　of　their　long　slumber　with　regard　to　the　permanent　improvement　of　the　lot　of　those　who　have　hitherto　been　regarded　as　being　for　ever　abandoned　and　hopeless。　　Shame　indeed　upon　England　if；　with　the　example　presented　to　us　nowadays　by　the　Emperor　and　Government　of　Germany；　we　simply　shrug　our　shoulders；　and　pass　on　again　to　our　business　or　our　pleasure　leaving　these　wretched　multitudes　in　the　gutters　where　they　have　lain　so　long。　　No；　no；　no；　time　is　short。　Let　us　arise　in　the　name　of　God　and　humanity；　and　wipe　away　the　sad　stigma　from　the　British　banner　that　our　horses　are　better　treated　than　our　labourers。

It　will　be　seen　that　this　Scheme　contains　many　branches。　It　is　probable　that　some　of　my　readers　may　not　be　able　to　endorse　the　plan　as　a　whole；　while　heartily　approving　of　some　of　its　features　and　to　the　support　of　what　they　do　not　heartily　approve　they　may　not　be　willing　to　subscribe。　　Where　this　is　so；　we　shall　be　glad　for　them　to　assist　us　in　carrying　out　those　portions　of　the　undertaking　which　more　especially　command　their　sympathy　and　commend　themselves　to　their　judgment。　　For　instance；　one　man　may　believe　in　the　Over…Sea　Colony；　but　feel　no　interest　in　the　Inebriates'　Home；　another；　who　may　not　care　for　emigration；　may　desire　to　furnish　a　Factory　or　Rescue　Home；　a　third　may　wish　to　give　us　an　estate；　assist　in　the　Food　and　Shelter　work；　or　the　extension　of　the　Slum　Brigade。　　Now；　although　I　regard　the　Scheme　as　one　and　indivisiblefrom　which　you　cannot　take　away　any　portion　without　impairing　the　prospect　of　the　wholeit　is　quite　practicable　to　administer　the　money　subscribed　so　that　the　wishes　of　each　donor　may　be　carried　out。　　Subscriptions　may；　therefore；　be　sent　in　for　the　general　fund　of　the　Social　Scheme；　or　they　can　be　devoted　to　any　of　the　following　distinct　funds：　

　1。　　The　City　Colony。　　2。　　The　Farm　Colony。　　3。　　The　Colony　Over…sea。　　4。　　The　Household　Salvage　Brigade。　　5。　　The　Rescue　Homes　for　Fallen　Women。　　6。　　Deliverance　for　the　Drunkard。　　7。　　The　Prison　Gate　Brigade。　　8。　　The　Poor　Man's　Bank。　　9。　　The　Poor　Man's　Lawyer。　　10。　Whitechapel…by…the…Sea。

Or　any　other　department　suggested　by　the　foregoing。　　In　making　this　appeal　I　have；　so　far；　addressed　myself　chiefly　to　those　who　have　money；　but　money；　indispensable　as　it　is；　has　never　been　the　thing　most　needful。　　Money　is　the　sinews　of　war；　and；　as　society　is　at　present　constituted；　neither　carnal　nor　spiritual　wars　can　be　carried　on　without　money。　　But　there　is　something　more　necessary　still。　War　cannot　be　waged　without　soldiers。　　A　Wellington　can　do　far　more　in　a　campaign　than　a　Rothschild。　　More　than　moneya　long；　long　way　I　want　men；　and　when　I　say　men；　I　mean　women　alsomen　of　experience；　men　of　brains；　men　of　heart；　and　men　of　God。

In　this　great　expedition；　though　I　am　starting　for　territory　which　is　familiar　enough；　I　am；　in　a　certain　sense；　entering　an　unknown　land。　My　people　will　be　new　at　it。　　We　have　trained　our　soldiers　to　the　saving　of　souls；　we　have　taught　them　Knee…drill；　we　have　instructed　them　in　the　art　and　mystery　of　dealing　with　the　consciences　and　hearts　of　men；　and　that　will　ever　continue　the　main　business　of　their　lives。

To　save　the　soul；　to　regenerate　the　life；　and　to　inspire　the　spirit　with　the　undying　love　of　Christ　is　the　work　to　which　all　other　duties　must　ever　be　strictly　subordinate　in　the　Soldiers　of　the　Salvation　Army。　　But　the　new　sphere　on　which　we　are　entering　will　call　for　faculties　other　than　those　which　have　hitherto　been　cultivated；　and　for　knowledge　of　a　different　character；　and　those　who　have　these　gifts；　and　who　are　possessed　of　this　practical　information；　will　be　sorely　needed。

Already　our　world…wide　Salvation　work　engrosses　the　energies　of　every　Officer　whom　we　command。　　With　its　extension　we　have　the　greatest　difficulty　to　keep　pace；　and；　when　this　Scheme　has　to　be　practically　grappled　with；　we　shall　be　in　greater　straits　than　ever。　　True；　it　will　find　employment　for　a　multitude　of　energies　and　talents　which　are　now　lying　dormant；　but；　nevertheless；　this　extension　will　tax　our　resources　to　the　very　utmost。　　In　view　of　this；　reinforcements　will　be　indispensable。　　We　shall　need　the　best　brains；　the　largest　experience；　and　the　most　undaunted　energy　of　the　community。

I　want　Recruits；　but　I　cannot　soften　the　conditions　in　order　to　attract　men　to　the　Colours。　　I　want　no　comrades　on　these　terms；　but　those　who　know　our　rules　and　are　prepared　to　submit　to　our　discipline：　　who　are　one　with　us　on　the　great　principles　which　determine　our　action；　and　whose　hearts　are　in　this　great　work　for　the　amelioration　of　the　hard　lot　of　the　lapsed　and　lost。　　These　I　will　welcome　to　the　service。

It　may　be　that　you　cannot　deliver　an　open…air　address；　or　conduct　an　indoor　meeting。　　Public　labour　for　souls　has　hitherto　been　outside　your　practice。　　In　the　Lord's　vineyard；　however；　are　many　labourers；　and　all　are　not　needed　to　do　the　same　thing。　　If　you　have　a　practical　acquaintance　with　any　of　the　varied　operations　of　which　I　have　spoken　in　this　book；　if　you　are　familiar　with　agriculture；　understand　the　building　trade；　or　have　a　practical　knowledge　of　almost　any　form　of　manufacture；　there　is　a　place　for　you。

We　cannot　offer　you　great　pay；　social　position；　or　any　glitter　and　tinsel　of　man's　glory；　in　fact；　we　can　promise　little　more　than　rations；　plenty　of　hard　work；　and　probably　no　little　of　worldly　scorn；　but　if　on　the　whole　you　believe　you　can　in　no　other　way　help　your　Lord　so　well　and　bless　humanity　so　much；　you　will　brave　the　opposition　of　friends；　abandon　earthly　prospects；　trample　pride　under　foot；　and　come　out　and　follow　Him　in　this　New　Crusade。

To　you　who　believe　in　the　remedy　here　proposed；　and　the　soundness　of　these　plans；　and　have　the　ability　to　assist　me；　I　now　confidently　appeal　for　practical　evidence　of　the　faith　that　is　in　you。　The　responsibility　is　no　longer　mine　alone。　　It　is　yours　as　much　as　mine。　　It　is　yours　even　more　than　mine　if　you　withhold　the　means　by　which　I　may　carry　out　the　Scheme。　　I　give　what　I　have。　If　you　give　what　you　have　the　work　will　be　done。　　If　it　is　not　done；　and　the　dark　river　of　wretchedness　rolls　on；　as　wide　and　deep　as　ever；　the　consequences　will　lie　at　the　door　of　him　who　holds　back。

I　am　only　one　man　among　my　fellows；　the　same　as　you。　　The　obligation　to　care　for　these　lost　and　perishing　multitudes　does　not　rest　on　me　any　more　than　it　does　on　you。　　To　me　has　been　given　the　idea；　but　to　you　the　means　by　which　it　may　be　realised。　　The　Plan　has　now　been　published　to　the　world；　it　is　for　you　to　say　whether　it　is　to　remain　barren；　or　whether　it　is　to　bear　fruit　in　unnumbered　blessings　to　all　the　children　of　men。


APPENDIX

1。　The　Salvation　ArmyA　SketchThe　Position　of　the　Forces；　　　　October；　1890。

2。　Circular；　Registration　Forms；　and　Notices　now　issued　by　the　　　　Labour　Bureau。

3。　Count　Ru