New-York tribune., 1866-05-03
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE CHARITIES OF EUROPE.


of Holland to fifteen of the most remarkable Prot
estant charitable institutions of the continent Mr..
dc Liefde has made no attempt to write complete
history of benevolent enterprise in Europe; he does
not even enter very minuey into the statistics of the
establishments which he has chosen to describe. lie
has quick eye for the picturesque, but cares little
for dry rabies Of dollars and cents ratios, and meas
urements He blends with his sketch of each insti-
tuition personal description and history of the
founder; tells for the most part in a simple but lively
manner exactly what fell under bis observation just
asa practiced newspaper correspondent might have
told III and selects from published reports figures
enough give the reader idea of the practical sue
cess OF each separate charitable effort lie has COM
mand of the English language such as foreigners very
rarely attain and as he has had the good taste e1-
cept in one or two instances, to avoid attempts at
literary display and the industry and keennesS OF OBJ
sevation essential to good reporter he has produced
work which is equally pleasant to read and valuable
Cor reference.
The first part of the book is devoted to the deScrp-
Lion of Dr. Wichern's Rauhe Haus at Horn, near
Hamburg, an asylum for abandoned, neglected, and
fepraved children in which the influence Of the family
relation has been substituted for the restraints OF bolts
and bars with the happiest results The Rauhe Haus
or Ruge Hoos Rough Iouse) called from the farm
cottage about which has grown up was established
by the personal exertions of Wichern in November.
1888 and before the year had closed there were twelve
inmates all boys with whom the little house was
quite full:
This was the first famiy wchern slept with them in the
bedroom, and took his meals with them IN tne same
paro IL exactly the most agreeable company one
Sosd Wish for ones I,Gsas Ss o mem We,v
bue lad known police for ninettwo thcfts one had
escaped from prison They were lot Of young sayacss ac
fo1iV
dous enterprises behind the pocemsn back sleep undcr
bridge staircase TO curse their fathers IN return Tor
parental curses aud beat their mothers when seolded for
fOWing home with empty hnds But WeheIn and bis mol9er
which to pray and to suffer wrese and to toll And wha,
cud love more delight there Were s @ pe
young had such work in hand before But
others wisdom And true genuine love mpas wonderful
talent for the work Of training nasmueh as 1t guided by the
ineiiaUstblc wells Of Ills word The Pr9bam which %
and thieves who distfastcd everybody make obedience
pleasure young rasea who resolved TO obey nobody
Sagabonds who claimed the liberty turning day into night
running hafnaked about the streets and o dining on po
skins and other ofa with pudding OF taew snch as
for greasing shoes by way Of ao additional dainty Ihs
Tho great lore Of God Christ who hates sin but
rescues sinner the constant theme OF IN
dealt with each Of its members The boys learned from him
s ss Ssso III things and Rop al things and n
ELL things and yet ie9eeth not ~ ie9ay onI IN ~ hs
ikoi and the school teaching as an amuss
ioent Freedom. too, honored as queen That uey
h.bank which nclosed the place like prison was dug
away loud hurrahs Everybody could run away now
back be ss ssl oRn R4 aSsS They sa
the Ruge Hoos tie best place ANYBODY could dream Of
chen with an extraordinary for administrative phi
sSdrea shU wss anu sded by his adoption Of the family system
whch afterward successfully maed at Tue fTench
{s twelve children he did think Of ensrging it 70 hold
He felt that his Pairaroha number was quite sufficient
Though the children called him by the title of father
he Te S snd about them
father But he perceived too that he Would come 70 lose h he
range which nature has drawn for the duties OF parent
was room enough for building IN mouse Ss O D or CIs
houses but to enlarge house for chldren-never
Upon this principle several family houses were successvey
built The course Of the ensuing % , dy are gs1y r
where the to be ocaed They take their names
from their peculiar FORM OF from some peculiar event. or oth9r
Xnd so there arc The Swiss House" and The Green
Fir" and Gold Bottom and " The Bee Hive. and sew
ers others. all peoped with little families OF boys or girls
Foundation Of each house ins festival Way Then
adorned with wrea,hs and flowers The family has holiday
and large cake The fimies Of the other houses
meet with that family az The to & s R hs1s s i0T
wear Tie history of the foundation events
oerning read and thus family keeps up
all the children every year Of the origin and
buses are collected into book called The Festival Book
Several of the houses were built entirely by the
boys themselves From description of song-festi-
val held to celebrate the completion of one of them,
we give another extract:
The guests dispersed through the park and garden tho first
part the being closed On sudden loud sound
lug trumpet heard echong the plains and fields 1t
FOR the of the second part Of the
festival all rushed toward the old colossal chestnut
tree before Heos. numerous assembly
gathered under ts broad shade Bn where were the singers
WcberD he q cODurer. just tie old stem
tap with his hand and IN trce full chorus burst forth from
all It's brsnebesl
H' hs..s hs% h eSg Sgi 1S.as itss'i ssa a ' green
Tbs whole tree eemed with ,ys and Brethren than
seventy in numberhid amid the tnek foliage They sat high
aud low 70 the night and TO the ie and swinging merry to
and fro the wdepreadDg branches sent forth song after
perfect harmony And when once that old headed
would have earoed and waIbed til late at night had not
the trumpet sounded again and called The birds down to the
"Green Place" In merry hustle the whole company moved
toward that lovely spot in the garden II IS large open
graspot kept especially for large mee1gs Ike this Il s
on the SIDE bemmed in by high oak out OF
which sturdy oak which numbers many century reas
itself the prince aud OF ALL forming worthy partner TO
the venerable chestnut Of the old house. Toward the
south and west wander over an area OF many m
down valley Of the Elbe which teens with welwaercd
pastures rich c0rufeds farms mills and church steeplcs
Two rivers Bile and the Eb weave their syery threads
through this green carpet They bear upon t.er bosons
long rows like gently gliding And far away n the
the Black Mountains Offer resng'pace for the
eve fstgued gazing this charming picture. At this
spot this scenery before them the singers gathered each
family With its banner floating sof IN The gentle Sumner
the national the Dsutses Yaland till the evening
shades gently aghtng upon lea and aTn drove the guest:
10 homes and the trumpet called the Ranhtauer TO their
supper Ssch feast must have made impression neyero
beforgotten
The manner of life at the Rauhe Haus is thus de-
scribed:
Earnestness and cheerfulness strict liberty go
hsndn haud The Fr,sdensknab Boy OF Peace who is
fsy leader arbtcr and counselor In the
ces Of their daily lie Over him stands a broher young