in darkest england and the way out-第67部分

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〃You　can　do　that　with　your　Salvationists　because　they　are　saved；　as　you　call　it。　　When　men　are　born　again　you　can　do　anything　with　them。　But　unless　you　convert　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　something　might　be　done。　　But　they　are　not　saved；　soundly　or　otherwise；　they　are　lost。　　What　reason　have　you　for　believing　that　they　will　be　amenable　to　discipline？〃

I　admit　the　force　of　this　objection；　but　I　have　an　answer；　and　an　answer　which　seems　to　me　complete。　　Discipline；　and　that　of　the　most　merciless　description；　is　enforced　upon　multitudes　of　these　people　even　now。　　Nothing　that　the　most　authoritative　organisation　of　industry　could　devise　in　the　excess　of　absolute　power；　could　for　a　moment　compare　with　the　slavery　enforced　to…day　in　the　dens　of　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　order　to　earn　ten　shillings　a　week？　There　is　no　discipline　so　brutal　as　that　of　the　sweater；　there　is　no　slavery　so　relentless　as　that　from　which　we　seek　to　deliver　the　victims。　　Compared　with　their　normal　condition　of　existence；　the　most　rigorous　discipline　which　would　be　needed　to　secure　the　complete　success　of　any　new　individual　organisation　would　be　an　escape　from　slavery　into　freedom。

You　may　reply；　〃that　it　might　be　so；　if　people　understood　their　own　interest。　　But　as　a　matter　of　fact　they　do　not　understand　it；　and　that　they　will　never　have　sufficient　far…sightedness　to　appreciate　the　advantages　that　are　offered　them。〃

To　this　I　answer；　that　here　also　I　do　not　speak　from　theory。　I　lay　before　you　the　ascertained　results　of　years　of　experience。　More　than　two　years　ago；　moved　by　the　misery　and　despair　of　the　unemployed；　I　opened　the　Food　and　Shelter　Depots　in　London　already　described。　　Here　are　a　large　number　of　men　every　night；　many　of　them　of　the　lowest　type　of　casuals　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　of　dissatisfaction；　anyway；　nothing　in　the　shape　of　angry　temper　or　bad　language。　　No　policemen　are　required；　indeed　two　or　three　nights'　experience　will　be　sufficient　to　turn　the　regular　frequenters　of　the　place　of　their　own　free　will　into　Officers　of　Order；　glad　not　only　to　keep　the　regulations　of　the　place；　but　to　enforce　its　discipline　upon　others。

Again；　every　Colonist；　whether　in　the　City　or　elsewhere；　would　know　that　those　who　took　the　interests　of　the　Colony　to　heart；　were　loyal　to　its　authority　and　principles；　and　laboured　industriously　in　promoting　its　interests；　would　be　rewarded　accordingly　by　promotion　to　positions　of　influence　and　authority；　which　would　also　carry　with　them　temporal　advantages；　present　and　prospective。

But　one　of　our　main　hopes　would　be　in　the　apprehension　by　the　Colonists　of　the　fact　that　all　our　efforts　were　put　forth　on　their　behalf。　Every　man　and　woman　on　the　place　would　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…operation　would　ensure　their　reaping　a　personal　share　in　such　benefit。　　Still　our　expectations　would　be　largely　based　on　the　creation　of　a　spirit　of　unselfish　interest　in　the　community。

IX。　　Again；　it　is　objected　that　the　Scheme　is　too　vast　to　be　attempted　by　voluntary　enterprise；　it　ought　to　be　taken　up　and　carried　out　by　the　Government　itself。

Perhaps　so；　but　there　is　no　very　near　probability　of　Government　undertaking　it；　and　we　are　not　quite　sure　whether　such　an　attempt　would　prove　a　success　if　it　were　made。　　But　seeing　that　neither　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　in　many　important　senses　the　ability；　we　are　prepared；　if　the　financial　help　is　furnished；　to　make　a　determined　effort；　not　only　to　undertake　but　to　carry　it　forward　to　a　triumphant　success。

X。It　is　objected　that　the　classes　we　seek　to　benefit　are　too　ignorant　and　depraved　for　Christian　effort；　or　for　effort　of　any　kind；　to　reach　and　reform。

Look　at　the　tramps；　the　drunkards；　the　harlots；　the　criminals。　How　confirmed　they　are　in　their　idle　and　vicious　habits。　　It　will　be　said；　indeed　has　been　already　said　by　those　with　whom　I　have　conversed；　that　I　don't　know　them；　which　statement　cannot；　I　think；　be　maintained；　for　if　I　don't　know　them；　who　does？

I　admit；　however；　that　thousands　of　this　class　are　very　far　gone　from　every　sentiment；　principle　and　practice　of　right　conduct。　　But　I　argue　that　these　poor　people　cannot　be　much　more　unfavourable　subjects　for　the　work　of　regeneration　than　are　many　of　the　savages　and　heathen　tribes；　in　the　conversion　of　whom　Christians　universally　believe；　for　whom　they　beg　large　sums　of　money；　and　to　whom　they　send　their　best　and　bravest　people。

These　poor　people　are　certainly　embraced　in　the　Divine　plan　of　mercy。　To　their　class；　the　Saviour　especially　gave　His　attention　when　he　was　on　the　earth；　and　for　them　He　most　certainly　died　on　the　Cross。

Some　of　the　best　examples　of　Christian　faith　and　practice；　and　some　of　the　most　successful　workers　for　the　benefit　of　mankind；　have　sprung　from　this　class；　of　which　we　have　instances　recorded　in　the　Bible；　and　any　number　in　the　history　of　the　Church　and　of　the　Salvation　Army。

It　may　be　objected　that　while　this　Scheme　would　undoubtedly　assist　one　class　of　the　community　by　making　steady；　industrious　workmen；　it　must　thereby　injure　another　class　by　introducing　so　many　new　hands　into　the　labour　market；　already　so　seriously　overstocked。

To　this　we　reply　that　there　is　certainly　an　appearance　of　force　in　this　objection；　but　it　has；　I　think；　been　already　answered　in　the　foregoing　pages。　　Further；　if　the　increase　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　supposition；　I　don't　see　how　the　skilled　worker　could　leave　his　brothers　to　rot　in　their　present　wretchedness；　though　their　rescue　should　involve　the　sharing　of　a　portion　of　his　wages。

（1）　But　there　is　no　such　danger；　seeing　that　the　number　of　extra　　　　　hands　thrown　on　the　British　Labour　Market　must　be　necessarily　　　　　inconsiderable。

（2）　The　increased　production　of　food　in　our　Farm　and　Colonial　　　　　operations　must　indirectly　benefit　the　working　man。

（3）　The　taking　out　of　the　labour　market　of　a　large　number　of　　　　　individuals　who　at　present　have　only　partial　work；　while　benefiting　　　　　them；　must　of　necessity　afford　increased　labour　to　those　left　　　　　behind。

（4）　While　every　poor　workless　individual　made　into　a　wage　earner　will　　　　　of　necessity　have　increased　requirements　in　proportion。　　　　　For　instance；　the　drunkard　who　has　had　to　manage　with　a　few　bricks；　　　　　a　soap　box；　and　a　bundle　of　rags；　will　want　a　chair；　a　table；　　　　　a　bed；　and　at　least　the　other　necessary　adjuncts　to　a　furnished　home；　　　　　however　sparely　fitted　up　it　may　be。

There　is　no　question　but　that　when　our　Colonisation　Scheme　is　fairly　afloat　it　will　drain　off；　not　only　many　of　those　who　are　in　the　morass；　but　a　large　number　who　are　on　the　verge　of　it。　　Nay；　even　artisans；　earning　what　are　considered　good　wages；　will　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　artisan；　who　are　ever　migrating　to　the　great　towns　and　cities；　will　give　the　preference　to　the　Colony　Over…Sea；　and　so　prevent　that　accumulation　of　cheap　labour　which　is　considered　to　interfere　so　materially　with　the　maintenance　of　a　high　wages　standard。


SECTION　5。　　RECAPITULATION。

I　have　now　passed　in　review　the　leading　features　of　the　Scheme；　which　I　put　forward　as　one　that　is　calculated　to　considerably　contribute　to　the　amelioration　of　the　condition　of　the　lowest　stratum　of　our　Society。　It　in　no　way　professes　to　be　complete　in　all　its　details。　Anyone　may　at　any　point　lay　his　finger　on　this；　that；　or　the　other　feature　of　the　Scheme；　and　show　some　void　that　must　be　filled　in　if　it　is　to　work　with　effect。　　There　is　one　thing；　however；　that　can　be　safely　said　in　excuse　for　the　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　prom