LetterI.
The "Times," December1st, 1890
SIR: Ashorttimeagoagenerousandphilanthropicfriendwrotetome, placingatmydisposalalargesumofmoneyforthefurtheranceofthevastschemewhichthe "General" oftheSalvationArmyhaspropounded,, butIfeltthatitwouldbecowardly,aswellasungracious, 'sbookwithsomecare,forthepurposeofseparatingtheessentialfromtheaccessoryfeaturesofhisproject, andIhavebasedmyjudgment—Iamsorrytosayanunfavourableone—, however, Iamdesiroustoknowwhattheremaybetobesaidinarrestofthatjudgment; andthematterisofsuchvastpublicimportancethatItrustyouwillaidmebypublishingthisletter, notwithstandingitslength.
, that, inadditiontothepoverty,disease, anddegradationwhicharetheconsequencesofcausesbeyondhumancontrol, thereisavast,probablyaverymuchlarger, quantityofmiserywhichistheresultofindividualignorance, ormisconduct,, Ithinkitisnottobedoubtedthat, unlessthisremediablemiseryiseffectuallydealtwith, , Ithinkallwillagreethatnoreformsandimprovementswillgototherootoftheevilunlesstheyattackitinitsultimatesource—namely, , industrious,andself-restrainingmenwillmakeaverybadsocialorganizationprosper; whilevicious, idle, andrecklesscitizenswillbringtoruinthebestthateverwas, oreverwillbe, invented.
:—
(1) (largelybyprocessesdescribedbytheiremployersas "rousing" and "convivial") isadesirableandtrustworthymethodofpermanentlyamendingtheconductofmankind.
, nolessthanthecoolobservationofthatwhichlieswithinthepersonalexperienceofmanyofus, iswhollyadversetoit.
