den　with　all　manner　of　pleasant　fruit；　I　cannot　even　venture　to　form　a　conception。　　But　I　have　a　definite　idea　as　to　how　much　would　be　required　to　set　it　fairly　in　operation。
  Why　do　I　talk　about　commencing？　　We　have　already　begun；　and　that　with　considerable　effect。　　Our　hand　has　been　forced　by　circumstances。　The　mere　rumour　of　our　undertaking　reaching　the　Antipodes；　as　before　described；　called　forth　such　a　demonstration　of　approval　that　my　Officers　there　were　compelled　to　begin　action　without　waiting　orders　from　home。　　In　this　country　we　have　been　working　on　the　verge　of　the　deadly　morass　for　some　years　gone　by；　and　not　without　marvellous　effect。　　We　have　our　Shelters；　our　Labour　Bureau；　our　Factory；　our　Inquiry　Officers；　our　Rescue　Homes；　our　Slum　Sisters；　and　other　kindred　agencies；　all　in　good　going　order。　　The　sphere　of　these　operations　may　be　a　limited　one；　still；　what　we　have　done　already　is　ample　proof　that　when　I　propose　to　do　much　more　I　am　not　speaking　without　my　book；　and　though　the　sign　I　ask　for　may　not　be　given；　I　shall　go　struggling　forward　on　the　same　lines；　still；　to　seriously　take　in　hand　the　work　which　I　have　sketched　outto　establish　this　triple　Colony；　with　all　its　affiliated　agencies；　I　must　have；　at　least；　a　hundred　thousand　pounds。
  A　hundred　thousand　pounds！　　That　is　the　dew　on　my　fleece。　　It　is　not　much　considering　the　money　that　is　raised　by　my　poor　people　for　the　work　of　the　Salvation　Army。　　The　proceeds　of　the　Self…denial　Week　alone　last　year　brought　us　in　#20；000。　　This　year　it　will　not　fall　short　of　#25；000。　　If　our　poor　people　can　do　so　much　out　of　their　poverty；　I　do　not　think　I　am　making　an　extravagant　demand　when　I　ask　that　out　of　the　millions　of　the　wealth　of　the　world　I　raise；　as　a　first　instalment；　a　hundred　thousand　pounds；　and　say　that　I　cannot　consider　myself　effectually　called　to　undertake　this　work　unless　it　is　forthcoming。
  It　is　in　no　spirit　of　dictation　or　arrogance　that　I　ask　the　sign。　It　is　a　necessity。　　Even　Moses　could　not　have　taken　the　Children　of　Israel　dry…shod　through　the　Red　Sea　unless　the　waves　had　divided。
  That　was　the　sign　which　marked　out　his　duty；　aided　his　faith；　and　determined　his　action。　　The　sign　which　I　seek　is　somewhat　similar。　Money　is　not　everything。　　It　is　not　by　any　means　the　main　thing。　Midas；　with　all　his　millions；　could　no　more　do　the　work　than　he　could　win　the　battle　of　Waterloo；　or　hold　the　Pass　of　Thermopylae。　But　the　millions　of　Midas　are　capable　of　accomplishing　great　and　mighty　things；　if　they　be　sent　about　doing　good　under　the　direction　of　Divine　wisdom　and　Christ…like　love。
  How　hardly　shall　they　that　have　riches　enter　into　the　Kingdom　of　Heaven！　　It　is　easier　to　make　a　hundred　poor　men　sacrifice　their　lives　than　it　is　to　induce　one　rich　man　to　sacrifice　his　fortune；　or　even　a　portion　of　it；　to　a　cause　in　which；　in　his　half…hearted　fashion；　he　seems　to　believe。　　When　I　look　over　the　roll　of　men　and　women　who　have　given　up　friends；　parents；　home　prospects；　and　everything　they　possess　in　order　to　walk　bare…footed　beneath　a　burning　sun　in　distant　India；　to　live　on　a　handful　of　rice；　and　die　in　the　midst　of　the　dark　heathen　for　God　and　the　Salvation　Army；　I　sometimes　marvel　how　it　is　that　they　should　be　so　eager　to　give　up　all；　even　life　itself；　in　a　cause　which　has　not　power　enough　in　it　to　induce　any　reasonable　number　of　wealthy　men　to　give　to　it　the　mere　superfluities　and　luxuries　of　their　existence。　　From　those　to　whom　much　is　given　much　is　expected；　but；　alas；　alas；　how　little　is　realised！　　It　is　still　the　widow　who　casts　her　all　into　the　Lord's　treasurythe　wealthy　deem　it　a　preposterous　suggestion　when　we　allude　to　the　Lord's　tithe；　and　count　it　boredom　when　we　ask　only　for　the　crumbs　that　fall　from　their　tables。
  Those　who　have　followed　me　thus　far　will　decide　for　themselves　to　what　extent　they　ought　to　help　me　to　carry　out　this　Project；　or　whether　they　ought　to　help　me　at　all。　　I　do　not　think　that　any　sectarian　differences　or　religious　feelings　whatever　ought　to　be　imported　into　this　question。　Supposing　you　do　not　like　my　Salvationism；　surely　it　is　better　for　these　miserable；　wretched　crowds　to　have　food　to　eat；　clothes　to　wear；　and　a　home　in　which　to　lay　their　weary　bones　after　their　day's　toil　is　done；　even　though　the　change　is　accompanied　by　some　peculiar　religious　notions　and　practices；　than　it　would　be　for　them　to　be　hungry；　and　naked；　and　homeless；　and　possess　no　religion　at　all。　　It　must　be　infinitely　preferable　that　they　should　speak　the　truth；　and　be　virtuous；　industrious；　and　contented；　even　if　they　do　pray　to　God；　sing　Psalms；　and　go　about　with　red　jerseys；　fanatically；　as　you　call　it；　〃seeking　for　the　millennium〃than　that　they　should　remain　thieves　or　harlots；　with　no　belief　in　God　at　all；　a　burden　to　the　Municipality；　a　curse　to　Society；　and　a　danger　to　the　State。
  That　you　do　not　like　the　Salvation　Army；　I　venture　to　say；　is　no　justification　for　withholding　your　sympathy　and　practical　co…operation　in　carrying　out　a　Scheme　which　promises　so　much　blessedness　to　your　fellow…men。　　You　may　not　like　our　government；　our　methods；　our　faith。　Your　feeling　towards　us　might　perhaps　be　duly　described　by　an　observation　that　slipped　unwittingly　from　the　tongue　of　a　somewhat　celebrated　leader　in　the　evangelistic　world　sometime　ago；　who；　when　asked　what　he　thought　of　the　Salvation　Army；　replied　that　〃He　did　not　like　it　at　all；　but　he　believed　that　God　Almighty　did。〃　Perhaps；　as　an　agency；　we　may　not　be　exactly　of　your　way　of　thinking；　but　that　is　hardly　the　question。　　Look　at　that　dark　ocean；　full　of　human　wrecks；　writhing　in　anguish　and　despair。　　How　to　rescue　those　unfortunates　is　the　question。　　The　particular　character　of　the　methods　employed；　the　peculiar　uniforms　worn　by　the　lifeboat　crew；　the　noises　made　by　the　rocket　apparatus；　and　the　mingled　shoutings　of　the　rescued　and　the　rescuers；　may　all　be　contrary　to　your　taste　and　traditions。　But　all　these　objections　and　antipathies；　I　submit；　are　as　nothing　compared　with　the　delivering　of　the　people　out　of　that　dark　sea。
  If　among　my　readers　there　be　any　who　have　the　least　conception　that　this　scheme　is　put　forward　by　me　from　any　interested　motives　by　all　means　let　them　refuse　to　contribute　even　by　a　single　penny　to　what　would　be；　at　least；　one　of　the　most　shameless　of　shams。　　There　may　be　those　who　are　able　to　imagine　that　men　who　have　been　literally　martyred　in　this　cause　have　faced　their　death　for　the　sake　of　the　paltry　coppers　they　collected　to　keep　body　and　soul　together。　　Such　may　possibly　find　no　difficulty　in　persuading　themselves　that　this　is　but　another　attempt　to　raise　money　to　augment　that　mythical　fortune　which　I；　who　never　yet　drew　a　penny　beyond　mere　out…of…pocket　expenses　from　the　Salvation　Army　funds；　am　supposed　to　be　accumulating。　　From　all　such　I　ask　only　the　tribute　of　their　abuse；　assured　that　the　worst　they　say　of　me　is　too　mild　to　describe　the　infamy　of　my　conduct　if　they　are　correct　in　this　interpretation　of　my　motives。
  There　appears　to　me　to　be　only　two　reasons　that　will　justify　any　man；　with　a　heart　in　his　bosom；　in　refusing　to　co…operate　with　me　in　this　Scheme：
  1。　That　he　should　have　an　honest　and　intelligent　conviction　that　it　　　　cannot　be　carried　out　with　any　reasonable　measure　of　success；　or；
  2。　That　he　（the　objector）　is　prepared　with　some　other　plan　which　will　　　　as　effectually　accomplish　the　end　it　contemplates。
  Let　me　consider　the　second　reason　first。　　If　it　be　that　you　have　some　plan　that　promises　more　directly　to　accomplish　the　deliverance　of　these　multitudes　than　mine；　I　implore　you　at　once　to　bring　it　out。　Let　it　see　the　light　of　day。　　Let　us　not　only　hear　your　theory；　but　see　the　evidences　which　prove　its　practical　character　and　assure　its　success。　　If　your　plan　will　bear　investigation；　I　shall　then　consider　you　to　be　relieved　from　the　obligation　to　assist　menay；　if　after　full　consideration　of　your　plan　I　find　it　better　than　mine；　I　will　give　up　mine；　turn　to；　and　help　you　with　all　my　might。　But　if　you　have　nothing　to　offer；　I　demand　your　help　in　the　name　of　those　whose　cause　I　plead。
  Now；　then；　for　your　first　objection；　which　I　suppose　can　be　expressed　in　one　word〃impossible。〃　　This；　if　well　founded；　is　equally　fatal　to　my　proposals。　　But；　in　reply；　I　may　sayHow　do　you　know？　Have　you　inquired？　　I　will　assume　that　you　have　read　the　book；　and　duly　considered　it。　　Surely　you　would　not　dismiss　so　important　a　theme　without　some　thought。　　And　though　my　arguments　may　not　have　sufficient　weight　to　carry　conviction；　you　must　admit　them　to　be　of　sufficient　importance　to　warrant　investigation。　　Will　you　therefore　come　and　see　for　yourself　what　has　been　done　already；　or；　rather；　what　we　are　doing　to…day。　　Failing　this；　will　you　send　someone　capable　of　judging　on　your　behalf。　　I　do　not　care　very　much　whom　you　send。　　It　is　true　the　things　of　the　Spirit　are　spiritually　discerned；　but　the　things　of　humanity　any　man　can　judge；　whether　saint　or　sinner；　if　he　only　possess　average　intelligence　and　ordinary　bowels　of　compassion。
  I　should；　however；　if　I　had　a　choice；　prefer　an　investigator　who　has　some　practical　knowledge　of　social　economics；　and　much　more　should　I　be　pleased　if　he　had　spent　some　of　his　own　time　and　a　little　of　his　own　money　in　trying　to