Page images
PDF
EPUB

and Eve," said he, "that was in the other world."

Even amongst persons upon my district, (and they are a sad minority,) who have attended public worship, I have found much ignorance on the plainest Scriptural doctrines. One extract from my journal must suffice as an illustration of this subject:

Visited Mr. King. He was playing very sweetly on the accordian when I knocked at his door. He readily accepted my tract on ascertaining it was not to be called for, and was about to bow me out, when anxious not to leave without imparting to him some religious instruction, I pleasantly told him, to attract his attention, that his music reminded me of a passage of Scripture. This appeared somewhat to surprise him. His curiosity predominated over his desire to be ridded of a religious teacher, and I obtained his permission to read the passage to him. I read Ezekiel xxxiii. 32: "Thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not." I said,

[ocr errors]

'My friend, I sincerely trust this is not your case; I hope you not only hear the words of God,

but do them." Mr. K. said very politely he was a member of the Church of England, hoping perhaps thus to divert the conversation from personal religion into a controversial channel, a common expedient with unconverted persons. I asked him mildly, how he expected his soul to be saved, a question I generally ask. He hesitated, and then said there were different opinions, and added that he always endeavoured to avoid discussion on religious subjects. He spoke also of the propriety of every one being permitted to hold his own opinion. I asked him, as he was a member of the Church of England, if he had a Prayer-book, upon which he produced two very nice ones. I said, "We will read what the Church of England says in reply to the question I addressed to you respecting your soul's salvation," -and turning to the Thirty-nine Articles, I read to him those which bear upon the subject, and explain so clearly justification by faith alone and sanctification by the Spirit. He said, "Stop, if you please, I should like to see if these two Prayer-books agree," adding, that some differed very much. I explained to him the baselessness of such a supposition, and told him the modern Prayer-books of the Church of England were all

alike. I observed Mr. K. to be a very intelligent man, and the fact of an intelligent person, an attendant on the ministry of the Church of England, being ignorant of the teachings of his own creed, should forcibly illustrate to the minds of all Christians the necessity which exists for increased domiciliary visitation. The ignorance frequently to be found amongst otherwise intelligent persons, attendants at public worship, on the simple doctrines of Christianity, I could never have conceived, but for the extensive acquaintance with mankind I have acquired, after years of daily labour as a Missionary.

The depravity with which I have met upon this district has been very great. In a work intended strictly for family reading, I am wholly unable to go to any extent into this subject.

On visiting one young woman, who had recently been confined with twins, and who was represented to me as being in an almost starving condition, which was the case, I found both her mother and herself, had been and were, living unlawfully with one man, by whom they had both had several children. Some of these children attended our Ragged School, and were intelligent and well behaved, but were one day discovered by the

teacher to be literally loaded with vermin, and were for the sake of children in a less filthy condition, compelled to be sent away.

In a future section, several pleasing instances of usefulness amongst abandoned women will be given. Sin and misery are twins. The way of transgressors is hard," Prov. xiii. 15.

[ocr errors]

The extract from the "Illustrated London News," which occurs at the commencement of this chapter, conveys some idea of the physical condition of the district. Whole courts and alleys are furnished with but one water-closet, and that in a perfectly inapproachable condition. In one instance, a cess-pool, built above ground in White Horse Court, burst, and the contents were allowed to remain until the parish interfered. On visiting a few days afterwards, I found fever had broken out in several tenements, which appeared to be spreading. A paper was written by me upon this occurrence, which found its way into influential quarters.

The Fleet ditch forms the western boundary of my district, the stench of which at times is very bad. Dean Swift in his day complained of this ditch, making it the basis of a satire on Homer's description of a storm. We find, too, in former

ages, legal enactments were made respecting it. It is now partly covered, and although frequently almost stagnant, possesses at times a current sufficient to turn a forty-horse mill. A person well acquainted with water machinery has told me this. On one occasion I remember, after a heavy thunder storm in 1847, the current became so rapid, that the arch to the Thames could not carry it off. It burst upwards with terrific force, carrying away two houses and filling one street, Lower Bowling Street, and Bull's Head Court at the lower end, to the depth of seven feet, almost instantaneously. I measured the water mark on the walls. Heavy articles of furniture were washed away, and several persons narrowly escaped with their lives. On another occasion a man ventured down on a ladder to draw water, whilst the stream was in rapid motion, and was swept away and perished. The stench arising from the open portion upon my district, is at times exceedingly offensive, and various of the inhabitants immediately contiguous, appear to have suffered severely in their health in consequence. They have bitterly complained of the annoyance, but have added, "What are poor people to do? we can't go to better lodgings; we

« PreviousContinue »