in darkest england and the way out- 第42部分

To　rouse　her　from　her　drunken　sleep　was　hard；　but　to　raise　her　from　the　ground　was　still　harder。　　The　matted　hair　and　blood　had　frozen　fast　to　the　earth；　and　Maggie　was　a　prisoner。　　After　trying　to　free　her　in　different　ways；　and　receiving　as　a　reward　volleys　of　abuse　and　bad　language；　one　of　the　girl's　ran　for　a　kettle　of　boiling　water；　and　by　pouring　it　all　around　her；　they　succeeded　by　degrees　in　melting　her　on　to　her　feet　again！　　But　she　came　to　our　Barracks；　and　got　soundly　converted；　and　the　Captain　was　rewarded　for　nights　and　days　of　toil　by　seeing　her　a　saved　and　sober　woman。

All　went　right　till　a　friend　asked　her　to　his　house；　to　drink　his　health；　and　that　of　his　newly…married　wife。　　〃I　wouldn't　ask　you　to　take　anything　strong；〃　he　said。　　〃Drink　to　me　with　this　lemonade。〃　And　Maggie；　nothing　suspecting；　drank；　and　as　she　drank　tasted　in　the　glass　her　old　enemy；　whisky！　　The　man　laughed　at　her　dismay；　but　a　friend　rushed　off　to　tell　the　Captain。　　〃I　may　be　in　time；　she　has　not　really　gone　back〃；　and　the　Captain　ran　to　the　house；　tying　her　bonnet　strings　as　she　ran。　　〃It's　no　goodkeep　awa'I　don't　want　to　see'er；　Captain；〃　wailed　Maggie　〃let　me　have　some　moreoh；　I'm　on　fire　inside。〃　　But　the　Captain　was　firm；　and　taking　her　to　her　home；　she　locked　herself　in　with　the　woman；　and　sat　with　the　key　in　her　pocket；　while　Maggie；　half　mad　with　craving；　paced　the　floor　like　a　caged　animal；　threatening　and　entreating　by　terms。　　〃Never　while　I　live；〃　was　all　the　answer　she　could　get；　so　she　turned　to　the　door；　and　busied　herself　there　a　moment　or　two。　　A　clinking　noise。　　The　Captain　started　upto　see　the　door　open　and　Maggie　rush　through　it！　　Accustomed　to　stealing　and　all　its　〃dodges；〃　she　had　taken　the　lock　off　the　door；　and　was　away　to　the　nearest　public…house。

Down　the　stairs；　Captain　after　her；　into　the　gin　palace；　but　before　the　astonished　publican　could　give　her　the　drink　she　was　clamouring　for；　the　〃bonnet〃　was　by　her　side；　〃If　you　dare　to　serve　her；　I'll　break　the　glass　before　it　reaches　her　lips。　　She　shall　not　have　any！〃　and　so　Maggie　was　coaxed　away；　and　shielded　till　the　passion　was　over；　and　she　was　Herself　once　more。

But　the　man　who　gave　her　the　whisky　durst　not　leave　his　house　for　weeks。　　The　roughs　got　to　know　of　the　trap　he　had　laid　for　her；　and　would　have　lynched　him　could　they　have　got　hold　of　him。

The　third　is　the　case　of　Rose。

Rose　was　ruined；　deserted；　and　left　to　the　streets　when　only　a　girl　of　thirteen；　by　a　once　well…to…do　man；　who　is　now；　we　believe；　closing　his　days　in　a　workhouse　in　the　North　of　England。

Fatherless；　motherless；　and　you　might　almost　say　friendless；　Rose　trod　the　broad　way　to　destruction；　with　all　its　misery　and　shame；　for　twelve　long　years。　　Her　wild；　passionate　nature；　writhing　under　the　wrong　suffered；　sought　forgetfulness　in　the　intoxicating　cup；　and　she　soon　became　a　notorious　drunkard。　　Seventy…four　times　during　her　career　she　was　dragged　before　the　magistrates；　and　seventy…four　times；　with　one　exception；　she　was　punished；　but　the　seventy…fourth　time　she　was　as　far　off　reformation　as　ever。　　The　one　exception　happened　on　the　Queen's　Jubilee　Day。　　On　seeing　her　well…known　face　again　before　him；　the　magistrate　enquired；　〃How　many　times　has　this　woman　been　here　before？〃

The　Police　Superintendent　answered；　〃Fifty　times。〃　　The　magistrate　remarked；　in　somewhat　grim　humour；　〃Then　this　is　her　Jubilee；〃　and；　moved　by　the　coincidence；　he　let　her　go　free。　　So　Rose　spent　her　jubilee　out　of　prison。

It　is　a　wonder　that　the　dreadful；　drunken；　reckless；　dissipated　life　she　lived　did　not　hurry　her　to　an　early　grave；　it　did　affect　her　reason；　and　for　three　weeks　she　was　locked　up　in　Lancaster　Lunatic　Asylum；　having　really　gone　mad　through　drink　and　sin。

In　evidence　of　her　reckless　nature；　it　is　said　that　after　her　second　imprisonment　she　vowed　she　would　never　again　walk　to　the　police　station；　consequently；　when　in　her　wild　orgies　the　police　found　it　necessary　to　arrest　her；　they　had　to　get　her　to　the　police　station　as　best　they　could；　sometimes　by　requisitioning　a　wheelbarrow　or　a　cart；　or　the　use　of　a　stretcher；　and　sometimes　they　had　to　carry　her　right　out。　　On　one　occasion；　towards　the　close　of　her　career；　when　driven　to　the　last…named　method；　four　policemen　were　carrying　her　to　the　station；　and　she　was　extra　violent；　screaming；　plunging　and　biting；　when；　either　by　accident　or　design；　one　of　the　policemen　let　go　of　her　head；　and　it　came　in　contact　with　the　curbstone；　causing　the　blood　to　pour　forth　in　a　stream。　　As　soon　as　they　placed　her　in　the　cell　the　poor　creature　caught　the　blood　in　her　hands；　and　literally　washed　her　face　with　it。　On　the　following　morning　she　presented　a　pitiable　sight；　and　before　taking　her　into　the　court　the　police　wanted　to　wash　her；　but　she　declared　she　would　draw　any　man's　blood　who　attempted　to　put　a　finger　upon　her；　they　had　spilt　her　blood；　and　she　would　carry　it　into　the　court　as　a　witness　against　them。　　On　coming　out　of　gaol　for　the　last　time；　she　met　with　a　few　Salvationists　beating　the　drum　and　singing　〃Oh！　the　Lamb；　the　bleeding　Lamb；　He　was　found　worthy。〃　　Rose；　struck　with　the　song；　and　impressed　with　the　very　faces　of　the　people；　followed　them；　saying　to　herself；　〃I　never　before　heard　anything　like　that；　or　seen　such　happy　looking　people。〃　　She　came　into　the　Barracks；　her　heart　was　broken；　she　found　her　way　to　the　Penitent　Form；　and　Christ；　with　His　own　precious　blood；　washed　her　sins　away。　　She　arose　from　her　knees　and　said　to　the　Captain；　〃It　is　all　right　now。〃

Three　months　after　her　conversion　a　great　meeting　was　held　in　the　largest　hall　in　the　town；　where　she　was　known　to　almost　every　inhabitant。　There　were　about　three　thousand　people　present。　　Rose　was　called　upon　to　give　her　testimony　to　the　power　of　God　to　save。　　A　more　enthusiastic　wave　of　sympathy　never　greeted　any　speaker　than　that　which　met　her　from　that　crowd；　every　one　of　whom　was　familiar　with　her　past　history。　After　a　few　broken　words；　in　which　she　spoke　of　the　wonderful　change　that　had　taken　place；　a　cousin；　who；　like　herself；　had　lived　a　notoriously　evil　life；　came　to　the　Cross。

Rose　is　now　War　Cry　sergeant。　　She　goes　into　the　brothels　and　gin　palaces　and　other　haunts　of　vice；　from　which　she　was　rescued；　and　sells　more　papers　than　any　other　Soldier。

The　Superintendent　of　Police；　soon　after　her　conversion；　told　the　Captain　at　the　Corps　that　in　rescuing　Rose　a　more　wonderful　work　had　been　done　than　he　had　seen　in　all　the　years　gone　by。

S。　was　a　native　of　Lancashire；　the　son　of　poor；　but　pious；　parents。　He　was　saved　when　sixteen　years　of　age。　　He　was　first　an　Evangelist；　then　a　City　Missionary　for　five　or　six　years；　and　afterwards　a　Baptist　Minister。　　He　then　fell　under　the　influence　of　drink；　resigned；　and　became　a　commercial　traveller；　but　lost　his　berth　through　drink。　He　was　then　an　insurance　agent；　and　rose　to　be　superintendent；　but　was　again　dismissed　through　drink。　　During　his　drunken　career　he　had　delirium　tremens　four　times；　attempted　suicide　three　times；　sold　up　six　homes；　was　in　the　workhouse　with　his　wife　and　family　three　times。　His　last　contrivance　for　getting　drink　was　to　preach　mock　sermons；　and　offer　mock　prayers　in　the　tap…rooms。

After　one　of　these　blasphemous　performances　in　a　public…house；　on　the　words；　〃Are　you　Saved？〃　he　was　challenged　to　go　to　the　Salvation　Barracks。　　He　went；　and　the　Captain；　who　knew　him　well；　at　once　made　for　him；　to　plead　for　his　soul；　but　S。　knocked　him　down；　and　rushed　back　to　the　public…house　for　more　drink。　　He　was；　however；　so　moved　by　what　he　had　heard　that　he　was　unable　to　raise　the　liquor　to　his　mouth；　although　he　made　three　attempts。　　He　again　returned　to　the　meeting；　and　again　quitted　it　for　the　public…house。　　He　could　not　rest；　and　for　the　third　time　he　returned　to　the　Barracks。　　As　he　entered　the　last　time　the　Soldiers　were　singing：　

　〃Depth　of　mercy；　can　there　be　　Mercy　still　reserved　for　me？　　Can　my　God　his　wrath　forbear？　　Me；　the　chief　of　Sinners；　spare？

This　song　impressed　him　still　further；　he　wept；　and　remained　in　the　Barracks　under　deep　conviction　until　midnight。　　He　was　drunk　all　the　next　day；　vainly　trying　to　drown　his　convictions。　　The　Captain　visited　him　at　night；　but　was　quickly　thrust　out　of　the　house。　　He　was　there　again　next　morning；　and　prayed　and　talked　with　S。　for　nearly　two　hours。　Poor　S。　was　in　despair。　　He　persisted　that　there　was　no　mercy　for　him。　After　a　long　struggle；　however；　hope　sprung　up；　he　fell　upon　his　knees；　confessed　his　sins；　and　obtained　forgiveness。

When　this　happened；　his　furniture　consisted　of　a　soap…box　for　a　table；　and　starch　boxes　for　chairs。　　His　wife；　himself；　and　three　children；　had　not　slept　in　a　bed　for　three　years。　　He　has　now　a　happy　family；　a　comfortable　home；　and　has　been　the　means　of　leading　numbers　of　other　slaves　of　sin　to　the　Saviour；　and　to　a　truly　happy　life。

Similar　cases；　describing　the　deliverance　of　drunkards　from　the　bondage　of　strong　drink；　could　be　produced　indefinitely。　　There　are　Officers　marching　in　our　ranks　to…day；　who　where　once　gripped　by　this　fiendish　fascination；　who　have　had　their　fetters　broken；　and　are　now　free　men　in　the　Army。　　Still　the　mighty　torrent　of　Alcohol；　fed　by　ten　thousand　manufactories；　sweeps　on；　bearing　with　it；　I　have　no　hesitation　in　saying；　the　foulest；　bloodiest　tide　that　ever　flowed　from　earth　to　eternity。　　The　Church　of　the　living　God　ought　notand　to　say　nothing　about　religion；　the　people　who　have　any　humanity　ought　not；　to　rest　without　doing　something　desperate　to　rescue　this　half　of　a　million　who　are　in　the　eddying　maelstrom。　　We　purpose；　therefore；　the　taking　away　of　the　people　from　the　temptation　which　they　cannot　resist。　　We　would　to　God　that　the　temptation　could　be　taken　away　from　them；　that　every　house　licensed　to　send　forth　the　black　streams　of　bitter　death　were　closed；　and　closed　for　ever。　　But　this　will　not　be；　we　fear；　for　the　present　at　least。

While　in　one　case　drunkenness　may　be　resolved　into　a　habit；　in　another　it　must　be　accounted　a　disease。　　What　is　wanted　in　the　one　case；　therefore；　is　some　method　of　removing　the　man　out　of　the　sphere　of　the　temptation；　and　in　the　other　for　treating　the　passion　as　a　disease；　as　we　should　any　other　physical　affection；　bringing　to　bear　upon　it　every　agency；　h