DR BARNARDO'S HOMES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2324, 9 January 1890, Page 2

DR BARNARDO'S HOMES.

Ik accordance with our annual custom we once more call attention to the claims upon the support of the charitablydisposed of the rescue work oi Dr Barnardo, the founder of the Homes tor Destitute Children, For nearly twenty-four years Dr Barnardo has worked amongst the chronic poverty of Eai3t London, " endeavouring by God's help to secure to boys and girls rescued from its slums and lodging-houses, and irom destitution generally, the unspeakable blessings of a Christian Home." And, aided by the sympathy and practical aid of the benevolent throughout the world, this noble work has been crowned with a large measure of success, homes having been established at otepney, Limehouse, and Bow; at llford, in Essex; at Hawkhurst, Kent; at Gtorey, Jersey; and in Ontario, Canada. Up to date, by means of Dr Barnardo's efforts in the children's cacise, no less than 14,500 waifs and strive have been rescued, and at the present moment he has a family of over 8000 (the exact number is 3219) under his care in the homes, ihousands of young people brought up in the homes have been given a lair start in the world, and many hundreds of the boys sent out to Canada, where they are doing well. W ell may the good doctor ask," Who can compute how many of these must other wise have become a peril to the State, and a reproach to our Christianity I For if such girls and boys are suffered to grow up in misery, subject from the very cradle to want, and wretchedness ; if they are cut off from all opportunities of hearing the truths of religion, whilst they are constantly familiarised with scenes of debasement and brutality, what can we expect but a race of paupeirs, •riminals, and eyii-doers? Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles ?'" In carrying out the beneficent work to which he has set his hand, Dr Barnardo and the Committee associated with him in the work employ search agencies to discover waif and stray children, provide free lodging-houses, placing some of the rescued ones in the large industrial homes others in small family homes, boarding out others and arranging for the emigration of yet others ; besides which there are gospel missions, medical missions, temperance aids, free meals and general relief provided and carried on, so that the work has many branches and ramifications. Then it is widoly catholic, destitute children being received without any limitation as to age, sex, creed, or nationality, and irrespective of any kind of physical infirmity: crippled or blind children, deaf-mates, incurables, and eten those given over for death being eligible, if really destitute. They are received at any hour of the day or night, and solely on their merits, without election and without the intervention of wealthy patrons. The children so received are ted and clothed, educated and instructed in various trades, and their material, as well as their moral and spiritual interests, are cared for, thousands being trained up to become useful members of Society instead * of becoming pariahs and criminals. Truly the work is a beneficent one! But it is also one of enormous magnitude and one necessarily involving large expenditure, and for the funds to enable it to be carried on Dr Barnardo has to appeal from year to year to the help of the benevolent the world over. Fresh help is always needed and we are glad to know that in Ashburton as well as in other places there are some who year by year respond to the appeal by forwarding contributions in the shape of clothing and money. We know that there are many calls for local charitable purposes but notwithstanding these there are yet many people who can and do spare a little for missionary enterprises in different parts of the world and there is no missionary enterprise which better deserves their aid than the rescue work cairried on under Dr Barnardo's supervision among the gutter children of London.