Fry, Elizabeth Gurney, 1780-1845; Prison reformers -- Biography
MY DEAR MADAM,--Happy am I in being able to make you acquainted
with the unexpected success I have met with in my attempt to
forward, among the seamen employed on the coast, your truly
laudable and benevolent desire--the dissemination of the Holy
Scriptures. I have made a point of seeing Lieutenant H., who has
promised me that if you will extend your favors to Dutchmere, he
will distribute the books, and carefully attend to the performance
of Divine service on the Sabbath Day. Also Lieutenant D., who will
shortly have a command in this division. I trust, Madam, I shall be
still further able to forward those views, which must, to all who
embrace them, prove a sovereign balm in the hour of death and the
day of judgment. With respectful compliments to the ladies, allow
me to remain, dear Madam, your devoted servant.
This communication enclosed another little note from the seamen, which
expressed their feelings as follows:--
We, the seamen of Salt Dean Station, have the pleasure to announce
to those ladies whose goodness has pleased them to provide the
Bibles and Testaments for the use of us seamen, that we have
received them. We do therefore return our most hearty thanks for
the same; and we do assure the ladies whose friendship has proved
so much in behalf of seamen, that every care shall be taken of the
said books; and, at the same time, great care shall be taken to
instruct those who have not the gift of education, and we at any
time shall feel a pleasure in doing the same.
Some ten years later, when visiting in the Isle of Wight, she conceived
the plan of extending the system by supplying libraries to all the Coast
Guard stations in the United Kingdom. The magnitude of the work may be
realized when we state that there were about 500 stations, including
within their boundaries some 21,000 men, women and children. How to set
about the work was her next anxiety, for it seemed useless to attempt it
without at least L1,000 in hand. She submitted the proposition to Lord
Althorp, at that time Chancellor of the Exchequer, and asked for a
grant of L500 from Government, in order to supplement the L1,000 which
she hoped to raise by private subscriptions. A grant could not, however,
be made at that time on account of different political considerations;
but within a few months one was obtained, and her heart rejoiced at this
new proof of appreciation of her work on the part of those high in
office. An entry in her journal in February, 1835, reads thus:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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