New-York tribune., 1892-01-03
REACHING THE N.dSSES.

| In Yesterdays TRIBUNE Miss Anna l.. HleGo-
~. a Young English gcntlcwOman Of wealth and
high social position. told remarkable story Of
the work which she and few other ladies are
doinc among the lower-cIaSS working girls OF
Whitechapel and Bcthna Green, London. They
were warned by their friends and the police that
they were undertaking "A dangerous task. and
their experience n first appeared to JUSTIFY the
warning. Most Of these girls are simply bruios.
when svc first went among them" says Miss
Gregory. "wc wero cursed, hiSScd and inSul'od
generally. When they get excited, or are in
toyicaod when they come into the rooms, they
Frequently knock our ladies about; and one Il
our ladi b., was kicked - badly by angry girls
one night mat She left The work altogether Bur
now, ! am glad to SAY, She is better and VIII
20 TO work again. The girls think il Is won
dcrful mat she should be willing to return after
the treatment she has Ncciyod.'
Miss Gregory says much more about the meth
DDS employed in this genuine labor of love that
i, deeply interesting. At first nothing i said
about religion or instruction. pleasant, cCscy
room is provided. where the ladies meet the girls
and invite them 70 play their rough. vulgar
games and sing their low songs. Then grad
ualv the ladies suggest games hat cquc
knowledge of reading. and sing to them simple
and sweet songs that touch tho heart Thus tho
good seed is Sown. and now there are classes IN
sewing cooking gymnastics. reading, writing
woodcarvinc painting and ChcSsmakinc Tho
human brutoS arc being rccrcated, may We not
say rcgcnerated through the Chri>tlike labore
of handful of gentle tm1 women.
What in,crc>- has thi, story for lis OF it.
self. perhaps not great deal: for London lS far
away. and the work is not a> yet important either
in extent or results But Ike the somewhat
similar University Settlement movement which
has been organized in this city, il ought 10 sug
cc.- much to us in regard 70 the proper method
Of reaching the outCaS, some Of us have be-
come a lirle weary Of the wcll-moaning plat
tudeS 50 often uttered in discussions about reach
ing the misses. NO' because The question Is I'M
important. but because H. Is TOO tremendously
important and urgent to bc discussed n all in
the dilcttan'c fashion sometimes employed How
70 reach the masses? Why. men and brethren
there is no mystery about il. There are no
elaborate drrtions needed. All that is needed
l lust 10 90 and live with the mae>e, whom You
desire 10 reach. To become one Of them, 10 Shar
IN their Joys and sorrows and perplcyticS. ~
enter with sympathy into the pathetic irIgedic-
and the comedies hardly less pathetic that make
up thor lives. and 10 do all this possibly in tho
face Of in>cn;lte opposition, and Indifference al
most inynciblc. and even personal abuse. The
dnlicatoly reared lady who was kicked by these
WhitcchaDd girls, but who will 20 back -
them again when she gets better, is Christi min
i,ror and representative in tho trucSt sense ot
The word for she is doing Ills work rs He did
il. and a. He would have all His disciples do II.
Not by preaching about the Gospel in well
aupontcd church necessary and important lN
that is in its way, will the moral parlahS Of
cic'v be saved, but by such uttcr self denial and
sclf-abnccaton aS thc~c English ladies exhibit.
n is not learning. cloquencc nor generosity,
nor insight, nor the tidal rush OF impassoncd
feeling" said Bishop Potter in a recent note
worthy sermon. which will most clGcctUally turn
the dark places in men hearts to light, but that
enkindling and Transforming temper which for
ever sees in humanity not that which is bad
and hateful, but that which is lovablc and re-
dcemablc-that ncbIer longing Of the soul which
is the indeStructible image Of lis Maker. II is
this-this enduring belief in the redcemablc
dualitieS Of the vieSt manhoOd-which is the
most potent spell in the ministry Of Christ"
\ hard saying, involving tremendous Sacr-
fee? Yes it is all that. But nothing less de
serves 70 be called the Christianity of Christ.