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floor； and told them of the wonderful Salvation of God。 This was Greetah； and the Englishman would have given a great deal if he could have rescued her from this miserable lot。 But this was impossible； and with reluctance he bid her farewell。
It was an English home。 By a glowing fire one night a man sat alone； and in his imaginings there came up the vision of the girl he had met in the Hottentot's Kraal； and wondering whether any way of rescue was possible。 Then he remembered reading； since his return； the following paragraph in the War Cry：
〃TO THE DISTRESSED。 The Salvation Army invite parents； relations； and friends in any part of the world interested in any woman or girl who is known； or feared to be； living in immorality； or is in danger of coming under the control of immoral persons； to write； stating full particulars； with names； dates； and address of all concerned； and； if possible； a photograph of the person in who the interest is taken。
〃All letters； whether from these persons or from such women or girls themselves； will be regarded as strictly confidential。 They maybe written in any language； and should be addressed to Mrs。 Bramwell Booth； 101； Queen Victoria Street； London； E。C。〃 〃It will do no harm to try； anyhow；〃 exclaimed he； 〃the thing haunts me as it is；〃 and without further delay he penned an account of his African adventure； as full as possible。 The next African mail carried instructions to the Officer in Command of our South African work。
Shortly after； one of our Salvation Riders was exploring the bush； and after some difficulty the kraal was discovered the girl was rescued and saved。 The Hottentot was converted afterwards； and both are now Salvation Soldiers。
Apart from the independent agencies employed to prosecute this class of enquiries； which it is proposed to very largely increase； the Army possesses in itself peculiar advantages for this kind of investigation。 The mode of operation is as follows：
There is a Head Centre under the direction of a capable Officer and assistants； to which particulars of lost husbands； sons； daughters； and wives； as the case may be； are forwarded。 These are advertised； except when deemed inadvisable； in the English 〃War Cry；〃 with its 300；000 circulation； and from it copied into the twenty…three other 〃War Crys〃 published in different parts of the world。 Specially prepared information in each case is sent to the local Officers of the Army when that is thought wise； or Special Enquiry Officers trained to their work are immediately set to work to follow up any clue which has been given by enquiring relations or friends。
Every one of its 10；000 Officers； nay； almost every soldier in its ranks； scattered； as they are； through every quarter of the globe； may be regarded as an Agent。 A small charge for enquiries is made； and； where persons are able； all the costs of the investigation will he defrayed by them。
SECTION 8。REFUGES FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE STREETS。
For the waifs and strays of the streets of London much commiseration is expressed； and far more pity is deserved than is bestowed。 We have no direct purpose of entering on a crusade on their behalf； apart from our attempt at changing the hearts and lives and improving the circumstances of their parents。
Our main hope for these wild； youthful； outcasts lies in this direction。 If we can reach and benefit their guardians； morally and materially； we shall take the most effectual road to benefit the children themselves。
Still； a number of them will unavoidably be forced upon us； and we shall be quite prepared to accept the responsibility of dealing with them； calculating that our organisation will enable us to do so； not only with facility and efficiency； but with trifling cost to the public
To begin with； Children's Creches or Children's Day Homes would be established in the centres of every poor population； where for a small charge babies and young children can be taken care of in the day while the mothers are at work； instead of being left to the dangers of the thoroughfares or the almost greater peril of being burnt to death in their own miserable homes。
By this plan we shall not only be able to benefit the poor children； if in no other direction than that of soap and water and a little wholesome food； but exercise some humanising influence upon the mothers themselves。
On the Farm Colony； we should be able to deal with the infants from the Unions and other quarters。 Our Cottage mothers； with two or three children of their own； would readily take in an extra one on the usual terms of boarding out children； and nothing would be more simple or easy for us than to set apart some trustworthy experienced dame to make a constant inspection as to whether the children placed out were enjoying the necessary conditions of health and general well…being。 Here would be a Baby Farm carried on with the most favourable surroundings。
SECTION 9。INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS。
I also propose； at the earliest opportunity； to give the subject of the industrial training of boys a fair trial； and； if successful； follow it on with a similar one for girls。 I am nearly satisfied in my own mind that the children of the streets taken； say at eight years of age； and kept till； say twenty…one； would； by judicious management and the utilisation of their strength and capacity； amply supply all their own wants； and would； I think； be likely to turn out thoroughly good and capable members of the community。
Apart from the mere benevolent aspect of the question； the present system of teaching is； to my mind； unnatural； and shamefully wasteful of the energies of the children。 Fully one…half the time that boys and girls are compelled to sit in school is spent to little or no purpose nay； it is worse than wasted。 The minds of the children are only capable of useful application for so many consecutive minutes； and hence the rational method must be to apportion the time of the children； say； half the morning's work to be given to their books； and the other half to some industrial employment； the garden would be most natural and healthy in fair weather； while the workshop should be fallen back upon when unfavourable。
By this method health would be promoted； school would be loved； the cost of education would be cheapened； and the natural bent of the child's capacities would be discovered and could be cultivated。 Instead of coming out of school； or going away from apprenticeship； with the most precious part of life for ever gone so far as learning is concerned； chained to some pursuit for which there is no predilection； and which promises nothing higher than mediocrity if not failurethe work for which the mind was peculiarly adapted and for which； therefore； it would have a natural capacity； would not only have been discovered； but the bent of the inclination cultivated； and the life's work chosen accordingly。
It is not for me to attempt any reform of our School system on this model。 But I do think that I may be allowed to test the theory by its practical working in an Industrial School in connection with the Farm Colony。 I should begin probably with children selected for their goodness and capacity； with a view to imparting a superior education； thus fitting them for the position of Officers in all parts of the world； with the special object of raising up a body of men thoroughly trained and educated； among other things； to carry out all the branches of the Social work that are set forth in this book； and it may be to instruct other nations in the same。
SECTION 10。ASYLUMS FOR MORAL LUNATICS。
There will remain； after all has been said and done； one problem that has yet to be faced。 You may minimise the difficulty every way； and it is your duty to do so； but no amount of hopefulness can make us blink the fact that when all has been done and every chance has been offered； when you have forgiven your brother not only seven times but seventy times seven； when you have fished him up from the mire and put him on firm ground only to see him relapse and again relapse until you have no strength left to pull him out once more； there will still remain a residuum of men and women who have； whether from heredity or custom； or hopeless demoralisation； become reprobates。 After a certain time； some men of science hold that persistence in habits tends to convert a man from a being with freedom of action and will into a mere automaton。 There are some cases within our knowledge which seem to confirm the somewhat dreadful verdict by which a man appears to be a lost soul on this side of the grave。
There are men so incorrigibly lazy that no inducement that you can offer will tempt them to work； so eaten up by vice that virtue is abhorrent to them； and so inveterately dishonest that theft is to them a master passion。 When a human being has reached that stage； there is only one course that can be rationally pursued。 Sorrowfully； but remorselessly； it must be recognised that he has become lunatic； morally demented； incapable of self…government； and that upon him； therefore； must be passed the sentence of permanent seclusion from a world in which he is not fit to be at large。 The ultimate destiny of these poor wretc