Regeneration: Being an Account of the Social Work of The Salvation Army in Great BritainHaggard, H. Rider (Henry Rider)
Religion
Regeneration: Being an Account of the Social Work of The Salvation Army in Great Britain
Haggard, H. Rider (Henry Rider)
Great Britain -- Social conditions; Salvation Army
In another somewhat similar case, that of an official who had tampered
with moneys in his charge, though this was not discovered, some of the
creditors had placed the business in the hands of
debt-collecting-agencies, than whom, said Colonel Unsworth, 'there are
no harder or more cruel creditors.' At any rate, they drove this poor
man almost to madness, with the usual result. A friend brought him to
the Army, who shouldered his affairs, dealt with the debt-collecting
agencies, obtained help from his connexions, and paid off what was
owing by instalments. He and his family are now again quite
comfortable.
[Illustration: AT ONE OF THE ARMY FOOD DEPOTS.]
_Case Three_.--A man was cursed with such a fearful temper that he
could keep no situation. He came to London in a state of fury, with a
razor in his pocket. Happening to see the words 'Salvation Army
Shelter' on a building, it occurred to him to hear what the Suicide
Officers had to say before he cut his throat. They dealt with the
matter, and showed him the error of his way. He is now in a very good
single-handed situation abroad where, as he cannot talk the language,
he finds it difficult to quarrel with those about him.
_Case Four_.--Telephone operator, who was driven mad by that dreadful
instrument and by domestic worries. The Army Officers saved the man
and smoothed over the domestic worries; but how he gets on with the
telephone instruments is not recorded.
_Case Five_.--Unsuitable marriage and bad temper. The wife had become
involved in some trouble in early life, and unwisely, as it proved,
confessed to the husband, who brought it up against her every time
there was a quarrel between them. In this instance, also, suicide was
averted and the domestic differences were arranged.
_Case Six_--A man in a business firm, married, with children, was
through no fault of his own thrown out of work, owing to the
appointment of a new manager. He came at last to the Embankment, and
afterwards applied for a job in answer to an advertisement. The
advertiser told him it was a pity that as he had been so near the
river he did not go into it. The man determined to commit suicide; but
the Officers dissuaded him from this course and helped him. He
returned a year later in a condition of considerable prosperity,
having worked his way to a Colony where he is now doing extremely
well, his visit to England being in connexion with the business in
which he had become a partner.
And so on _ad infinitum._ I might tell many such stories, some of them
of a much more tragic character than those I have instanced, but
refrain from doing so lest by chance they should be identified,
especially where the individuals concerned belonged to the upper
strata of society. Perhaps enough has been said, however, to show what
a great work is being done by the Army in this Department, where in
London alone it deals with several would-be suicides every day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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