Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1891. "General" Booth's Scheme.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 6 January 1891, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1891. "General" Booth's Scheme.

There is very little doubt but that the leader of the Salvation Army took the main lines of his new scheme from the Dutch. As far back as 1818 a number of philanphropic gentleman inaugurated agricultural settlements in Holland to which they sent the pauper and beggar classes of the large towns,, with the hope they would reform and make the concern self supporting. The usual difficulty was met in the incorrigible idle and the drunkards, and the managers possessing no powers for punishment, for discipline and restraint, they met with an utter break down. In 1859 the Dutch Government came to the rescue, paid off the liabilities and took tho colonies over. The first act of vi -formation was to divide the pauper, from the naturally vicious clasae*. and to put there lattev under

control itt pehil . e dlouies;. Yet tn e scheme is not giving satisfaction, as the massing of the vfci6us in tlie'Se colonies is ftdt; corrective, hut has rather a tendency to further debase those introduced amongst them. It is said that the Dutch contemplate abolishing these penal colonies. The pauper colonies appear more successful. The " General's " .gchenie. .will have to reckon With Ihese^ vicious clashes > but apparently he hasguaged the difficulty and in reply to a newspaper interviewer, stated, that he intended to keep a firm hand with them, but at the same time he put much trust in the spirit that lie believed would influence his converts. However, he should treat refractory inmates thus c " tfiflA offence, caution and record. Second offence, fine — impound the small moneys which will be saving up . in our charge. Third oflfcride 1 - out lie goen ; back Us the slough, and wallow there again till he gets really sick and comes round again to me." In the face of literally nothing being dons i'or this mass of humanity .that lies* festering in its o-tfri filth in Lorii don, all right thinking pel^dns must i h&it With delight at the real genuine attempt proposed to lighten and improve their lives. If the " General " succeeds in as much as he is hopeful, some sixty per cent, it would be much to be thankful for, and would make a strong contrast to the actions of other religious bodies. The wonderful powers of organisation shown already as being possessed by " General " Booth, leads one to hope that he will be successful in this new attempt, and those who can afford it should send him a trifle to help him on his way. \