第79章 MORE CRUSADES.(13)

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 not--and 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 remedy--anyway,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.