Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-02-10 00:00:00

INDUSTRIAL RAGGED SCHOOLS

Yesterday; the annual meeting was held, in connection
with the Soho-street Indnstrial Ragged Schools. Among
those present were—Rector Campbell ; Revs. Thomas
Moore, Dr. Hume, J. Lester ; Messrs. Heath, Andrews,
Martin, Melly, Clint, Dawson, and Gillespie, Rector
CaMpbell was called the chair.
After the meeting had been.constituted witb.prayer,
The Chairman said : I have great pleasure in being
able to attend this Meeting,. because I am exceedingly
anxious to give every encouragement' to such an institu-
tion. It is calculated to reach a class of society which
can be reached in no 'other way—the class which may
be called the greateSt in the land. The streets of our
cities are the hot beds of crime, and anything that can be
done to rescue these unfortunate creatures, must be a
good work, and in, spite of . all the discouragement
which meet 'us in our paths, we hope, by God!s
blessing, to succeed.in the end. There is not a sufficient
degree of sympathy--I am afraid there is not sufficient
public spirit to assist us.. There "is another difficulty
under which we labour: If those establiShments were
multiplied to a great extent, it would be very difficult to
get the children into them ; and, Unless there should be
legislatory act upon the 'subject, a vast
In my

dmolmt of

vil would contiod

to exist

efforts to build churches, .1- know that I have been met
with : «What is the use of intilding more churches when
you have more than are filled." The same will apply to
the' schools. I know one that is not full ; but I will go
on to the best of my ability building churches wherever
they are wanted, and I will build one near where we are
—a free church, for the use of the poor —a church
which they can call their own. (Applause.) We have
appointed a building for the use,of public worship for the
working classes. That building is only calculated to
hold 170. The curate tells me that he has frequently
240 standing there to hear the gospel preached, and he
thinks if ho had a church, he would- have
a congregation of 500. The same I will say
with regard to the schools. Although some of them may
be empty, I will multiply them as. far as possible, in the
hope that they may be full at some period. It will be
very difficult for'us to get children into those school; and
I think it should be a matter for consideration with the
legislatti, some compulsory Means. It
may by - would be a want of
Bert,'

e to us
said. that th
in this

would

security

of personal property is liberty " whiell. does not
'exist at present. In the 27th year of King Henry
VIII., an act was passed empowering the parish officers
to take up all children above the age of five years, and to
teach them some useful labour or craft, and if he would
run away he might be whipped ; and that law was con-
tinued, in the glorious days of Queen Elizabeth. And
again, if an able bodied man was found begging, he was
to be publicly whipped for the first offence, for the
second offence he was to have his ear split, and for the
third offence he was to be hanged Now, that was too
bad, but I think we ought to have a mitigated act, such
as existed in the days of Iteary VIII. He concluded, by
calling upon Mr. Hubback, the secretary, to read "