The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-23

RECLAIMING LONDON THIEVES.
DINING TWO HUNDRED OF THEM AT THE ST.
GILES CHRISTIAN MISSION.
From the London Daily NeWs.1

GILES CHRISTIAN MISSION.
From the London Daily News.l
On the evening of November Il a supper (the third
of the kind) given by the committee of the ST.
Giles Christian Mission in the large mission chapel
Little Wild street. Drury lane, to about three hundred
thieves. The invitations limited to about two
hundred, but many eagerly pressed round the door
without tickets, and as far A. was practicable the
overflow admitted to the feast provided
The managers Of the affair had been at
great pains to place their guests at pcr-
feet by preventing any Jealous detec-
tive from gaining an entrance and using
the assemblage as means Of trapping any one who
was wanted" for some offence against the law and
the knowledge Of this fact doubtless swelled the num-
bers who responded to the invitations. The supper
was good substantial one. and the men, whose faces
generally speaking expressed for the most part the
peculiarly unpleasant sharpness incident to their
calling appeared to enjoy the fare set before them
meats OF various kinds plum pudding tea
coffee, &c. The giving of an occasional sup
per is far from being a solitary effort Of
the mission TO redeem the male thieving
population of London Since the sd of June last 1887
men and boys have been discharged from the House
of Correction Coldbath Fields and of these 2,110
accepted q card OF invitation given to them they
left the prison gates. To breakfast in Elm street.
almost opposite, the Bible being read to them
during the meal and efforts being afterward made to
induce those who had lust obtained their liberty to
employ it in trying to gain an honest living. The
society has "home' In Great Earl street.
Seven Diais. in connection with which 25l
have been taken in hand during the
past year with encouraging results. OF these
81 persons are now at work. l has died, 56
have been sent to sea- SO of them being boys; 1 has
been expelled from the Home; 10 have absconded,
of these having had employment obtained FOR them
104 have been relieved with money and clothes: IA
have had fares paid Tor them to send them to homes
in the country; we're sent to Mr.. Fegsns Home at
Deptford was sent to the Sailors Home. and is
now in this Home and out Of work. After last nights
" finished those who had partakeu of il
quietly assembled in the chapel where a meeting
held under the presidency Of the Common Sergeant
Mr. Charley NJ. p. The proceedings began with the
singing of the hymn ''Tcll Me the Old. Old Story"
which the gathering joined loudly and with toler
able approach to harmony.
The superintendent, Mr.. George Hatton then made
brief statement, in which he remarked that i2C Of
fast. mentioned above, had since taken the tenn
pcrance pledge, and that the inmates Of the Home
had recently presented to the secretary. Mr.. W.
Wheatley. handsomely bound Bible, for which they
paid four puineas. Mr.. Wheatlcy himself delivered
short address, in the of which he read salts
factory letters from some Of the bows who had been
sent to sea- The men for whose benefit the meeting
intended listened very attcntivcly to all that WAS
said, including the apparently welcome statement
that four ve persons who were formerly thieves
now engaged IN trying to reclaim Others from
dishonest courses.
The Chairman Mr. Charley read letter from the
Ordinary Of Newgatc, testifying from personal ex-
perence 10 the practical usefulness of the mission,
and tho honorable and learned gentleman expressed
his earnest desire that every discharged prisoner
might have opportunity of earning honest live
1hOod. ''Oncc criminal always "a criminal" was,
he observed. principle unknown to the English
law; much that any one who called discharged
prisoner "a convicted thief liable to action
Tor libel loud cheers from the men generality
lie thought all such persons ought to have fair OPP
portunity of becoming useful members OF so
ciety. As to police supervision, he believed
that IL did harm than good, often
driving men to despair. l''iIear.'1 What those who
had been dishonest chiefly wanted sympathy and
practical help, and these were given by the mission
which had asked them there. Mr.. Johnson.
o reformed criminal followed with short address,
I'm which he urged his hearers to follow his example
and return To All honest life. man named Jackson,
in speaking with the object stated that he
twenty weight years of and that eleven years and
twcnty-o days had been spent by him in prison,
his reformation dating, IL appeared, from only few
weeks ago and having been brought about through
the agency of the mission.