The Irish standard., 1897-10-09

= education and a trade. In the 33 years
s in which the work has been carried on
thousands of boys have gone out equip
ped with trade and are now credit
to themselves and an honor to the in
stitution which trained them.
At the Immaculate Conception he
I said in part:
Il want to impress upon each one
who processes to be a Christian and a
follower of Jesus Christ" said he, "the
necessity of seeking to save those who
are lost. want to impress upon you
the positive obligations you have, not
B only as Christians, but fellows and
brothers. The lowest, the most help
less and the most unfortunate girl That
wanders the streets Of your city tonight
Is bound to you by the sacred ties III
brotherhood; knitted into brotherhood
by Jesus Christ and saved by the one
all saving blood.
"You are bound by your obligations
as citizens to seek and to restore those
who are lost, and if possible not only
to bring them into the path of right
eousness but to seek by the sacrifice of
restore them to that condition from
which they have fallen. Thursday eve
ming, in speaking elsewhere l made, no
doubt, a startling statement to those
who listened to me when | said that
there was no more practical school of
There, knowledge may he gained
which can never be gained from books.
There the cause of human depravi;y
may be learned and there you may
life. All sorts of men and women are
to be found there The story OF their
lives Is more sensational than can be
found in books and if they were set
forth in print they would be treated
as exaggerations
"An outward world forms its own es
innate of those whom the law in its
great wisdom and Wanted superiority
sometimes stamps as criminals. Soci-
ETY. Is gradually coming to look upon
clined to treat them as utterly hopeless
and beyond redemption. 1t has been
my lot to spend over two and twenty
years of my life in one Of the largest
prisons in London. Each year from
10000 to 10000 men and women come
under my charge. Duty brought me in
close contact with them and | was able
to form an estimate. at least something
like a fair estimate, of their DISPOSE
tions and characters.
II have listened to the sad. heart
rending story of their lives and causes
which led them to crime and have
heard them trace the steps which led 10
their downfall. Oftentme have I sat
In the prisoners cell for hours together
With men and women with as good
nature as myself; created in the image
and likeness of their God, and of all
the men and women, the most desper-
ate, who have come under my care, I
have aways found that there was more
goodness in them than evil because they
were Gods creatures. Many of them
with noble hearts. standing in life with
all hope crushed out of them, looked
upon by society as moral lepers, ban
1shed, unable to rise with every avenue
OF trust or confidence closed against
them. My convictions. based upon long
experience are that circumstances rath-
er than choice are the cause OF the
downfall Of the vast majority of them
How often within your own knowledge
has an angry word or brutal blow of
father in a heat of passion turned
fine and noble youth upon the down
ward path?
circumstances then, more than per-
-yersity or ingram evil. have to my
mind been the cause of the downfall
OF many of them: yes Of most of those
who have come under my care And il
you will multiply ten or twelve or even
$4,000 by % you can then understand
what has been my experience in that
one sphere of duty and therefore an
preciate the right that | may claim to
speak to you upon this subject
But l wish to speak to you chiefly
of the rescue of the poor fallen women
who are found in such numbers in
England. Think of the circumstances
In large city such as London, Liver
pool or Manchester or any of those
great centers Of population. Think of
your own cities on this side of the
ocean, New York, Chicago. Boston and
Philadelphia. Think how hard is the
struggle to gain bread. In our country,
In England in the city where I have
been laboring. think how few avenues
there are for female labor. Liverpool
Is great city but there is very little
employment for women. Wherever
there are great riches and prosperity
In the old country at the doors of those
who enjoy them, sit Lazarus and Mary
Magdalen. They are walking the streets
homeless and destitute night after
night Think of what it means to be
poor orphan girl in city like that
How would 1t be with you il you had
been an orphan child in such a place?